Apple provides you with 5GB of free iCloud storage space on the internet. But if you require more, you will have to pay for it: starting at $0.99 per month for 50GB, and going up to $59.99 per month for 12TB. When you subscribe, you also get several other advantages, such as a feature for email privacy.
Regardless of the amount of iCloud storage you are paying for, you can share it with others. Sharing iCloud storage with family is the most obvious method for doing this, using an iCloud family plan. However, the available tools for file sharing on iCloud also allow you to share specific files and folders with anyone you choose.
Share iCloud storage through Family Sharing
The The Apple Family Sharing feature is as straightforward as it sounds: It enables you to share subscriptions like Apple Music and Apple News with other members of your family, and iCloud storage is also included. It also comes with a range of parental controls, but here, we are specifically focusing on the storage sharing aspect of the service.
You need to be subscribed to iCloud storage in order to share it through Family Sharing: It does not work with the basic 5GB storage, but only the chosen family head has to make the payment. If you are setting it up, you can begin from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. If you are using a mobile device:
- Open the Settings.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Tap Family Sharing.
- Select Set Up Your Family.
You can access the same options by tapping your name in System Settings on macOS. You will be prompted to specify the contacts you want to invite to your family, and you will receive a link that can be shared via text, email, or any other platform. Families can have a maximum of six members.
You can manage the members of your family by tapping Family from Settings (or System Settings on macOS). Once your list is set, select Family Checklist then iCloud+ to start sharing your iCloud storage. After the initial setup, you can manage iCloud sharing from iCloud Storage on the Family screen.
And that’s all it takes: Everyone in the family gains access to the amount of iCloud storage you are paying for, all shared together in one pool. Family members are unable to view the files and folders of others who are sharing the storage, so everything remains private—although you can share specific files and folders if necessary, which brings us to the second method of sharing iCloud storage.
Share iCloud storage through shared files and folders
This second option allows you to share specific files and folders with specific contacts, whether or not they are in your family group. It also works with the free 5GB iCloud storage plan. It does not combine your entire storage in the same manner as Family Sharing, but it is useful for creating shared spaces on iCloud and collaborating with others.
You can start sharing a folder from your iCloud Drive by accessing iCloud on the web, then clicking Drive:
- Navigate to the folder you want to share.
- Click the Share Folder button in the top right corner—it looks like a person’s head and shoulders, with a plus sign on it.
- A link has been made to access the file, and you can select Email it or click Copy Link to send it to the clipboard.
- Click Share Options to decide if your invited contacts can make changes in the folder, and if anyone with the link can join the folder.
- Click Share to confirm.
If you choose to allow anyone with the link to join the folder, it’s like having a room that anyone can enter, as long as they have the address. If you keep it to Only people you invite, it’s like having names checked at the door: Unless you’ve specifically invited the contact, they won’t be able to log into the folder.
To share a file, click the specific file before clicking the same share button in the top right corner. This button also allows you to modify how a folder or file is shared, and turn off the sharing if needed. These options are also available on macOS: Use Cmd+click on a file or folder to bring up the same sharing settings.
If you’ve permitted others to make changes when sharing a folder, then they are able to upload files to it, and edit existing files—though these files will only count as part of your iCloud storage space (assuming your contacts don’t have their own copies stored elsewhere).
Either the file and folder sharing options or Family Sharing should provide you with a way to share your iCloud storage with others, and they’re both easy to set up and manage. If you and your family need access to a shared folder (for planning a vacation, for example), you can use both methods together.
