icloud+ sharing, more accounts etc.

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icloud+ sharing, more accounts etc.

Dear community,

I have a set of questions - please help me - it is interesting, that it is really hard for me to find any relevant information on these:

1) My wife has paid icloud+ account for her small-business use and I pay separate icloud+ for family sharing with kids (and hopefully with her soon as well) and managing our small group around it - I know I can share separate files/folders with my wife by sending a link, but can she be connected to both and keep her business account separate while for family matters use space in cloud+ for family (my account)?

2) if 1 is no way - how can 2 accounts be merged? will I have to do it the hard way - copy all my wifes data to external storage, cancel subscription and move upload her data to family icloud (my icloud+ subscription)?

3) How can I use icloud+ space as a sharepoint/shared disc with all family members accessing it? can I set family members a data quota - like every one has 10 Gigs and 20 Gigs is shared?

4) is there a way to move, not separate copy + separate delete family fotos/videos to a shared folder? otherwise I have most photos twice (doble storage consupmtion) when I want to share them with my family members.....

5) as we are 5 members - 25 Gigs is something not to be lost and forgoten when we use two 50 Gigs subscriptions...how can I make sure we all keep our 5 Gigs free icloud storage and use it?

Thank you for any help that can really help ;-)

....and I believe that Apple should make these things clear for everybody - do not tell me that this is such a rare case - the mine case :-).....

Jiri

Posted on Aug 2, 2022 01:00 AM

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Answer 1

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David McKinlay

Level 7

23,558 points

Aug 2, 2022 06:50 AM in response to JirkaMosna

What you want to achieve with iCloud+ storage plan is not quite what is on offer. Your description suggests that you want an offsite network storage device to which your family can have access and with which you can share your files or content. iCloud storage does not work that way, and simply because although your members may be in the same group and share the same iCloud space in your subscription their content is separate and private.

A Family Sharing group is designed to allow each family member access to the paid content and services of the group’s members. One of these shared services is iCloud+ but it is the space which is being shared and not the content in it. Think of a Mac with five user accounts for your family members - each member has their own content on their user account which is not accessible from the other user accounts.

In What is Family Sharing Apple describes it as: With Family Sharing, you and up to five other family members can share access to amazing Apple services like iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and Apple Arcade. Your group can also share iTunes, Apple Books, and App Store purchases, and a family photo album. You can even help locate each other’s missing devices.

To answer your particular questions

1 - No, your wife can access one iCloud storage space - either her current plan or your plan but will still have only her files from her current plan; they will just migrate over to the family plan. If she joins your family group she still will not be able to access your space.

2 - No, accounts cannot be merged. Again from Apple’s What is Family Sharing page: Everyone's personal files and preferences stay private. When you share iCloud+, family members can't see each others’ photos, files, or documents.

3 - iCloud is not a sharepoint as I’ve described above. You can share files in the way you already use, but you cannot access other’s iCloud space.

4 - In the forthcoming iOS and Mac operating systems a Family Group will be able to have an album which is truly shared.

5 - When your family members join your group they will be invited to share your paid iCloud storage plan. If they accept they will no longer be using the free 5GB plans.

If you read What is Family Sharing page you will learn more about how the service works.

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icloud+ sharing, more accounts etc.

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