This guide will walk you through the process of setting up Apple Music Family Sharing through your Verizon plan. It's a fantastic way to give up to six people in your family access to millions of songs, ad-free, along with curated playlists, exclusive content, and more. Let's get started!
Are You Ready to Share the Music? Let's Find Out!
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let's confirm you have everything you need. This process is generally straightforward, but a few prerequisites will make it smooth sailing.
What You'll Need:
An Eligible Verizon Plan: This is crucial. Verizon offers Apple Music Family as a perk with certain unlimited mobile plans (like Unlimited Ultimate, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Welcome) or eligible home internet plans (5G Home, LTE Home, and Fios Home Internet). You'll typically pay a discounted monthly fee for the perk.
An Apple ID: The family organizer (the person setting up Family Sharing) needs a valid Apple ID. Each family member invited to the group will also need their own Apple ID.
An iPhone, iPad, or Mac: You'll primarily use one of these devices to set up and manage Family Sharing. While Android devices can use Apple Music Family once shared, the initial setup is typically done on an Apple device.
Internet Connection: A stable internet connection is necessary for the setup process and, of course, for streaming music!
Step 1: Confirm Your Verizon Plan Eligibility and Add the Apple Music Perk
This is where your journey to musical harmony begins! We need to make sure your Verizon plan supports the Apple Music Family perk.
Checking Your Plan and Adding the Perk
Access My Verizon:
On your smartphone: Download and open the My Verizon app. If you don't have it, you can find it in the App Store or Google Play Store.
On a web browser: Go to the Verizon website (verizon.com) and sign in to your My Verizon account.
Navigate to Services & Perks:
Once logged in, look for a section or tab typically labeled "Services & Perks" or "Add-ons."
If you're on a mobile phone account, you'll usually find it under the "Mobile" tab.
If you're on a home internet account (5G Home, LTE Home, Fios), look under the "Home" tab.
Find and Add the Apple Music Family Perk:
Scroll through the available perks. You should see "Apple Music Family" listed. It's usually offered at a discounted rate (e.g., $10/month, a value of $16.99/month).
Carefully read the details to ensure it's the Family plan and not an individual one, as Verizon sometimes offers both.
Select the Apple Music Family perk and follow the on-screen prompts to add it to your eligible line or account. You might need to select which specific line on your mobile account will be associated with the perk if you have multiple lines.
Important Note: Only Account Owners and Account Managers can add and remove perks. If you're not the primary account holder, you'll need to ask them to do this.
Confirmation:
You'll typically receive a confirmation message or email from Verizon once the perk has been successfully added to your account. It may take up to 15 minutes for the changes to fully reflect.
Step 2: Activate Your Apple Music Family Subscription through Verizon
Adding the perk to your Verizon account is just the first half. Now, you need to activate the Apple Music subscription itself.
Getting the Activation Link
From My Verizon (App or Website):
Go back to the "Services & Perks" section in the My Verizon app or on the website.
Find the "Apple Music Family" perk you just added.
You should see an option like "Set up," "Get link," or "Register." Tap or click on this.
Receive the Text Message:
Verizon will send a text message to the phone number associated with the line you chose for the Apple Music perk. This text will contain a unique link to get started with your Apple Music activation.
Open the Activation Link:
On your iPhone (or iPad/Mac, if you prefer to activate there and have the link accessible), tap the link in the text message. This link will redirect you to Apple's website or the Apple Music app to complete the activation.
Completing the Apple Music Activation
Sign in with Your Apple ID:
Once the link opens, you'll be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID. Use the Apple ID that you want to be the "Family Organizer" for Apple Family Sharing. This is the person who will manage the family group and invite others.
If you already have an Apple Music subscription, the system will often guide you through linking your Verizon perk to your existing Apple ID, potentially prompting you to cancel your old subscription to avoid double billing.
Follow any on-screen instructions to verify your billing information (even though Verizon is covering the cost, Apple still needs this for their system).
Confirm Activation:
Once you've successfully linked your Apple ID and confirmed, your Apple Music Family subscription through Verizon will be active! You'll now have access to the full Apple Music catalog.
Step 3: Set Up Apple Family Sharing (If You Haven't Already)
Apple Music Family Sharing requires Apple's Family Sharing feature to be enabled. If you already have a Family Sharing group set up, you can skip to Step 4. Otherwise, here's how to create one.
Becoming the Family Organizer
The "Family Organizer" is the adult in the household who sets up Family Sharing and manages its settings. They are also responsible for purchases made by family members if purchase sharing is enabled.
On your iPhone or iPad:
Open the Settings app.
Tap your name at the very top (your Apple ID banner).
Tap "Family Sharing" (or "Family" on newer iOS versions).
Tap "Set Up Your Family" and follow the on-screen instructions. This will walk you through setting up purchase sharing (optional but often convenient), location sharing, and other features.
On your Mac (macOS Ventura or later):
Go to Apple menu () > System Settings.
Click your name at the top.
Click "Family" (or "Family Sharing").
Click "Set Up Family" and follow the prompts.
Step 4: Invite Family Members to Your Family Group
Now that your Family Sharing group is set up, it's time to invite your loved ones to join and share in the musical goodness!
Sending Invitations
On your iPhone or iPad (as the Family Organizer):
Open the Settings app.
Tap your name > "Family Sharing" (or "Family").
Tap "Add Member" (or "Add Person").
You have a few options:
Invite People: Enter their Apple ID email address or phone number. An invitation will be sent via Messages or email.
Create an Account for a Child: If you're adding a child who doesn't have an Apple ID, you can create one for them directly from here. This also allows you to set up parental controls like Ask to Buy and Screen Time.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the invitation.
On your Mac (as the Family Organizer):
Go to Apple menu () > System Settings.
Click your name > "Family."
Click "Add Member" and follow the on-screen instructions to send invitations.
Accepting Invitations (for Family Members)
Each person you invite will need to accept the invitation on their own Apple device.
Check for the Invitation:
They will receive an invitation via Messages or email.
They can also find it in their Settings app: Open Settings, tap their name, then tap "Invitations."
Accept the Invitation:
Tap the link in the invitation or tap "Invitations" in Settings.
Follow the on-screen prompts to accept. They may need to confirm their Apple ID password.
Once they accept, they are officially part of your Family Sharing group!
Step 5: Verify Apple Music Sharing and Start Listening!
With everyone in the Family Sharing group, Apple Music should now be accessible to all.
Confirming Apple Music Access
For the Family Organizer:
Open the Settings app.
Tap your name > "Family Sharing" (or "Family").
Tap "Subscriptions." You should see Apple Music listed with "Shared by You."
Tap on Apple Music to ensure "Share with Family" is turned on.
For Family Members:
Open the Settings app.
Tap their name > "Family Sharing" (or "Family").
Tap "Subscriptions." They should see Apple Music listed, indicating they have access through the family group.
If they previously had an individual Apple Music subscription, they might be prompted to switch to the family plan.
Open the Apple Music App:
Everyone in the family group should now open the Apple Music app on their respective devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, etc.).
They should have full access to the Apple Music library without needing to start a trial or purchase a subscription. Each family member will have their own personal music library, playlists, and recommendations.
Variety of Styling in Text:
Throughout this guide, you've seen various styling elements. For example:
Bold text is used for headings, step numbers, and important terms to make them stand out.
Italicized text emphasizes specific actions, notes, or additional context.
Underlined words are used for clarity or to draw attention to key phrases (though not heavily used in this example to maintain readability).
This variety helps to break up the text, improve readability, and highlight crucial information, making the guide easier to follow and understand.
FAQs: How to Troubleshoot and Manage Apple Music Family Sharing through Verizon
Here are 10 common questions related to Apple Music Family Sharing with Verizon, along with their quick answers.
How to check if my Verizon plan is eligible for the Apple Music Family perk?
You can check your eligibility by signing into the My Verizon app or website, navigating to the "Services & Perks" section, and looking for the "Apple Music Family" perk among the options available to you.
How to add the Apple Music Family perk to my Verizon account?
Once you've confirmed eligibility in the My Verizon app or website, simply select the "Apple Music Family" perk from the "Services & Perks" section and follow the on-screen prompts to add it to your desired line or account.
How to troubleshoot if my family members can't access Apple Music after joining the Family Sharing group?
First, ensure "Share with Family" is turned on for Apple Music under Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > Subscriptions. If it is, have the family member sign out of "Media & Purchases" in their Apple ID settings (Settings > Your Name > Media & Purchases > Sign Out), wait a few minutes, and then sign back in. Sometimes, Apple Support may need to reset settings on their end.
How to invite new members to my Apple Family Sharing group?
As the Family Organizer, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing (or Family) and tap "Add Member" or "Add Person." You can then send an invitation via Message or email, or create an Apple ID for a child.
How to remove a member from my Apple Family Sharing group?
As the Family Organizer, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing (or Family), tap on the name of the person you want to remove, and then select "Remove [Name] From Family."
How to change the Family Organizer for Apple Family Sharing?
Apple Family Sharing requires the original Family Organizer to transfer the role to another adult in the group, or disband the group and have a new organizer set it up. This is usually done through the Family Sharing settings, though it can be a more involved process.
How to prevent accidental purchases by children in Family Sharing?
As the Family Organizer, you can enable "Ask to Buy" for children's accounts within your Family Sharing settings (Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > Tap on Child's Name > Ask to Buy). This requires your approval for any new purchases or free downloads.
How to manage other shared subscriptions besides Apple Music within Family Sharing?
Go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing (or Family) > Subscriptions. Here, you can see all eligible subscriptions being shared and manage their sharing status.
How to cancel my Apple Music Family perk through Verizon?
You can cancel the perk anytime through the My Verizon app or website. Go to "Services & Perks," find the Apple Music Family perk, and look for an option to "Manage Perk" or "Remove Perk." Keep in mind that cancellation prorates the charge.
How to get help if I encounter issues with my Verizon Apple Music Family subscription?
For questions regarding eligibility, billing on your Verizon bill, or enrolling in the perk, contact Verizon Customer Support. For issues directly related to Apple Music service, app functionality, or Family Sharing setup on Apple's side, contact Apple Customer Care.