In iOS 11, you can share your iCloud storage with family members. This is a big deal, thanks to the new supersize iCloud plans, which make it a lot cheaper to buy a single 2TB plan and share it among all your family members.
With all that storage available, you can keep a huge iCloud Photo Library, and take full advantage of the new Files app in iOS 11. Never again will you run out of storage on your iPhone, iPad or the MacBook you foolishly specced at just 128GB of storage space. Here’s how to share iCloud storage with your family members.
Share your iCloud storage plan
Photo: Cult of Mac
Sharing iCloud storage is extremely easy, assuming you already have Family Sharing set up on your account. Family Sharing lets you share iTunes purchases — apps, movies and music — as well as your location, reminders, photos and now storage. (Here’s how to set up Family Sharing.)
To share your iCloud storage plan, go to Settings and tap on the top of the page. Then tap Family Sharing, and tap iCloud Storage. A banner will pop up letting you invite family members to share your storage. If the family member already has a paid storage plan, then they will be given a choice to join your share plan. If they are on the free tier, they will automatically be added to your shared pool of data storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac
And that’s it.
Shared iCloud storage could be a real money saver if you have more than a couple of family members. Currently, a 200GB plan costs $3 per month, and the new 2TB plan costs $10. Even for just two people, a few extra bucks more a month will get you five times the storage each, which could come in handy if you use iCloud Drive and the new iOS 11 Files app.
At just $10 per month for 2TB, iCloud storage is far cheaper than Dropbox.
