I'm really struggling to set up my first iPad for family use. Coming from a Google background, where things are typically easier, I faced a frustrating issue with my old Apple ID since the credit card linked to it expired, and I couldn't remember the CVV. To get past that hurdle, I ended up creating a new iCloud email and setting up accounts for my kids. I thought I was finally on track, but then I hit a wall when trying to help my child log in for the first time. I had to log out of my account, enter the password again, then switch back to mine to indicate it was my child's account. Plus, dealing with two-factor authentication was a hassle. This wouldn't be a problem if I was home, but since my kids want to swap who uses the iPad, this is a nightmare. On top of everything, when I logged into my child's account, my Duolingo was still signed in as me, and I couldn't find a simple way to log out and switch to my child's profile. I'm seriously considering returning this device and switching to an Android. Can anyone help me make this iPad more usable for family sharing?
3 Answers
iPads aren’t really designed for multiple users, unfortunately. They operate primarily under a single account, which complicates things when multiple kids are sharing one device. There's not much Apple has done to change this, so your frustration is totally valid! You might want to consider setting up one common account for the children, but I understand that could lead to conflicts over app access and screen time limits.
Haha, you know, I guess that's how it got its name – iPad, not wePad! But seriously, if you really can’t get it to work for the family setup and it’s too much hassle, returning it might be your best bet!
You could keep trying but honestly, the iPad is not marketed for family sharing. If your kids need separate apps and profiles, you may want to explore other devices that support this better. There's even a feature called 'Shared iPad' in MDM that might help, but it's not straightforward to set up for home use.
I get that, but on my Android, everyone had their own profile, so I could enforce screen time limits per kid. Sharing an account sucks because they'll argue over who uses more time!