How can I create a generic child account for Apple TV?

Urquhart1244 wrote:

I'm was thinking of creating a separate Apple ID (although I keep getting to the option to provide an existing email address, which I don't want either).

A separate user profile for Apple TV requires a separate Apple Account (Apple ID) with a separate email address. That is how Apple organized this functionality — different from how Netflix, Prime Video, iPlayer, etc. do it. How to create a new Apple Account - Apple Support

Yes, I realised that, it would just be a handy feature that’s all.

Apple Accounts are intrinsically individual, not generic or a group thing. So you’ll have to be creative about that. There are automatic (age) restrictions and supervision for so-called child accounts, e.g. so that they can’t make purchases (without your consent). I would suggest to base it on the youngest in the group (for Date of Birth for the account). Create an Apple Account for your child - Apple Support

Great idea, I’ve done that now, and it seems to do the trick nicely. I actually used the oldest child though, as I think the age restrictions might be an issue later on for that particular grandchild.

If you think it helps, the Apple TV box and the Apple TV app on third party devices allow you to edit the username for that Apple Account for that device to anything more descriptive than the email account name or Apple Account personal data.

Yes, that is helpful.

There a lots of ways to create a (free) new email address. This can be a forwarding address (integrated with your regular email), if you prefer. Your ISP might have ways to create an extra email alias. If you have iCloud+ (any paid plan with extra iCloud storage) for yourself, then that includes (unlimited?) extra email alias addresses. Else see Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Proton, etc.

I didn’t really want to be doing that to be honest. I only have a gmail account myself so I can keep my YouTube history across devices.

Once you have that dedicated extra Apple Account for grandkid use, then you can add your supported Apple services to it through Family Sharing. Then select Apple subscriptions (like Apple TV+) are available to that Apple Account, with their own watch progress, separate from your own.

I actually just set up a child account in the Family Sharing section of the iCloud settings. It seems to have done the job. That account has automatically appeared in my Apple TV user list.

Many thanks.