Use a giftcard on family sharing

I'm on family sharing, but I have a $30 giftcard that I want to use. How do I use the gift card rather than the card on our family sharing plan?

melsporrer wrote:
Hi Ed –
I have the giftcard balance on my account (my email address), but our family organizer is under a different apple ID account. Therefore, when I hit "buy" it's making our family organizer approve and says it will be charged to his AMEX card. This is not waht I want to do. I have the giftcard on my account and I want to buy from my giftcard balance – not a credit card. How does that work?
Mel,
If you have sufficient store credit, your purchases should go to that before the FO's credit card. Here is the info from the document Family purchases and payments:
"After you set up your family, any time a family member initiates a new purchase it will be billed directly to your account unless that family member has gift or store credit. First, their store credit will be used to pay the partial or total bill. The remainder will bill to the family organizer's card."
It is possible that the message to the FO does not correctly account for this, and just has a default saying it will go to the credit card. I suggest you give it a try on a 99 cent purchase. I expect it will apply as stated in the Apple document, but if not, contact iTunes Customer Service.

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Good question. I am currently trying to use my App store credit to buy an app but it will only ty and charge my spouses account.

Why not use gift card for family sharing?

This family sharing feature seems great. But long gone are the days where I had a credit card on file. These days I only use gift cards. But system really wants me to have a credit card to activate this family sharing? Has anyone been able to do with pure gift cards?
thanks

Hi Kestelli,
In order to set up Family Sharing the family organizer must have a credit card or debit card to use for billing. See this article -
Family purchases and payments
If a family member, including the organizer makes a purchase and has gift or store credit, that purchase is first billed to that credit. Family members purchases may not be billed to the organizers store credit unless they are the organizer. See this article -
How iTunes Store purchases are billed
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Brett L

Using iTunes credits with Family Sharing

I used to have a debit card associated with my Apple ID, but now that we've enabled Family Sharing with a child on the account, I am required to use a credit card. However, I don't want to put iTunes charges on a credit card. I thought I could avoid this by adding iTunes credit to our accounts. So, I decided to test this. We have her settings set to "ask to buy".
I have credit on my (the organizer's) account. I attempted to purchase a song using my daughter's account on her device. I thought I was supposed to get a message on my phone telling me that she was requesting to make a purchase. Instead, I got a message on her account on her device with a pop-up that said I needed to enter my security code (on her device).
My questions:
- Why was I not notified on my device that she was attempting to make a purchase? Nothing I read suggested that she would get messages on her device that I had to enter information on it. Was this a one-off thing for setting it up? Or, does this only work with apps and not music?
- If I entered the security code, would it charge my credit card or would it realize that I had credit on my account and deduct it from there first?
- If I apply credit to her account, is it true that I will not get a message to verify her purchase?
Thanks for any insight.

iTunes store credit is used for payment if it is on the account. By that, if your daughter has store credit, and she makes a purchase, it would be deducted from her store credit - not yours. So if two children (Billy and John) each have $10.00 in their respective accounts, only THEY can use the credits - iTunes store credit is not shared. If there is not sufficient store credit, then the organizer's credit card will be charged to cover the purchase.
Regarding the pop up security code message, do you still have a restriction set on her device? If so, that could be interfering with the "Ask to Buy" feature of family sharing.
Regarding the last question, I am not sure. The documents are not very specific, but I have read that if Ask to Buy is enabled, you will receive notification if the child tries to download free apps.

Family sharing using iTunes cards

both my wife and I use iTunes cards for the purchase of apps and music in the App Store. We now want to enable family sharing on our devies and are being forced to provide credit card or bank details in our accounts to use it.
apple need to allow the use of family sharing without credit cards etc.

Thank you for your response, but the gift card has been redeemed already on my account. I am the family organizer with a gift card balance already.
and only YOU can use that gift card balance...
However, as the family organizer with a gift card balance, my daughter made a purchase and it was processed against my credit card, instead of my gift card balance. I think it's a glitch with family share. I see that I am not the only one with this problem.
This is how FamilySharing with Gift Cards is supposed to work.
Using gift cards in Family Sharing will charge against a gift card ONLY for purchases against that specific account.
You redeemed the gift card you you account so only purchases YOU make will go against that gift card.
If your daughter redeems a gift card, any purchases she makes will go against that gift card.
-> How iTunes Store purchases are billed - Apple Support
"How are Family Sharing purchases billed?
When you initiate a new purchase, it will be billed directly to the family organizer's account, unless you have gift or store credit. First, your store credit will be used to pay the partial or total bill. The remainder will bill to the family organizer. iTunes Store credit on your account isn't shared with other family members. So if the family organizer has a $50 credit on their account and another family member initiates a purchase, it won't deduct from the organizer's iTunes Store credit, but will bill the organizer's credit or debit card."

What do I do with iTunes gift cards if I am using Family sharing?

My wife and I just purchased new iPhone. We both have iTunes gift cards but want to use Family sharing. What do we do with the iTunes cards?

Thank you for your response, but the gift card has been redeemed already on my account. I am the family organizer with a gift card balance already.
and only YOU can use that gift card balance...
However, as the family organizer with a gift card balance, my daughter made a purchase and it was processed against my credit card, instead of my gift card balance. I think it's a glitch with family share. I see that I am not the only one with this problem.
This is how FamilySharing with Gift Cards is supposed to work.
Using gift cards in Family Sharing will charge against a gift card ONLY for purchases against that specific account.
You redeemed the gift card you you account so only purchases YOU make will go against that gift card.
If your daughter redeems a gift card, any purchases she makes will go against that gift card.
-> How iTunes Store purchases are billed - Apple Support
"How are Family Sharing purchases billed?
When you initiate a new purchase, it will be billed directly to the family organizer's account, unless you have gift or store credit. First, your store credit will be used to pay the partial or total bill. The remainder will bill to the family organizer. iTunes Store credit on your account isn't shared with other family members. So if the family organizer has a $50 credit on their account and another family member initiates a purchase, it won't deduct from the organizer's iTunes Store credit, but will bill the organizer's credit or debit card."

ICloud Photo Library & Family Sharing

Hi there,
is there a way to share the "iCloud Photo Library" with Family Sharing ?
Since iOS 8 do not allow to use "Share my location" on multiple devices a.k.a. "Find my Friends" (Me & my wife use one iOs account) I have to use two accounts with Family Sharing. But now the "My Photostream" is gone on my wife's device as expected.... So can I have this with "iCloud Photo Library" ?
For me it makes no sense that I have all photos and my wife don't...
Sven

Each family member has their own Apple ID, but uses the main one for purchases. It seems to make sense that each AppleID could have its own Photos library, but I can't find anything in the support area that says this to be the case definitively. I want each family member to have their own Photos library that syncs between their iPhone and their ID. I hope that's how it works.

When we purchase from iTunes the balance is not coming off of the gift cards. We have family sharing on but when my kids purchase songs they are credited to our credit card and not the gift card that is already in their account. What's wrong?

When we purchase from iTunes the balance is not coming off of the gift cards. We have family sharing on but when my kids purchase songs they are credited to our credit card and not the gift card that is already in their account. What's wrong?

Hi Angela1313,
I see that you have a question about using gift cards with Family Sharing. Here is an article with some information that my be pertinent to this issue:
iTunes Gift balances
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5035
Learn more
Learn how to send an iTunes Gift or redeem iTunes Gift Cards and content codes. If you're using Family Sharing, the credit you redeem will only be available to you. iTunes Store credit on your account isn't shared with other family members.
Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities!
Cheers,
Braden

Can I load an iTunes card to a Child Apple ID under family sharing, so he can buy through there?

I have created an apple id for my son (he is 10 years old) and I want to load it with credit from an iTunes card so he can use that money for himself. Will the apps bought through his apple id, charge to the itunes card or to my Credit Card?

Hi arturo218,
I see that you have some questions about using an Apple ID for a child. While the information you have provided about what you would like to ultimately be able to do is a little unclear, I believe I have some informative articles that will help you achieve your goals. First, here is a basic article about using an Apple ID for kids and using ask to buy:
Family Sharing and Apple IDs for kids - Apple Support
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201084
Request and make purchases with Ask to Buy - Apple Support
http://support.apple.com/en-is/HT201089
You can also set up an iTunes Allowance for your child, which is explained in this article:
Set up and manage iTunes Allowance - Apple Support
http://support.apple.com/en-is/HT201676
Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. Have a good one!
-Braden

Family sharing ITunes credit balance

In family sharing, as a parent, how do I know the remaing credit in my child's iTunes credit, at the point I want to make an "ask to buy" decision?

Hi Angela1313,
I see that you have a question about using gift cards with Family Sharing. Here is an article with some information that my be pertinent to this issue:
iTunes Gift balances
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5035
Learn more
Learn how to send an iTunes Gift or redeem iTunes Gift Cards and content codes. If you're using Family Sharing, the credit you redeem will only be available to you. iTunes Store credit on your account isn't shared with other family members.
Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities!
Cheers,
Braden

Family sharing feature issue

I want to add the account of my son's iPad email in my list of family sharing as i will be paying for all purchases and want to share some purchases i have with him. I am using USA account but without credit card as i am using iTunes card for all my purchases.
Now when i try to add his email address in my family sharing, it asks me to update my credit card information even though i have already got 15$ iTunes card loaded in my account.
Please let me know what to do now? Should i add the credit card ? if i will add the credit card then during my next purchase, will it ask me to buy it from my iTunes card or credit card ??? i m confused now.

Hello, I wanted to let you know that when you want to use the function of family sharing it will be necessary to add a credit card to the account, and the organizer of the group is the responsible to do so. Each family member can continue to redeem gift card on account and use that store credit on their own. But in order to actually set up the family sharing it is required that the organizer enter a credit card on the account, Without it you won't be able to set it up.
Now, if you have store credit on your account at the moment, and yo make purchase on your account, the store credit will be charge for the purchases you make on your account before it actually charge the credit card, now if one of your family members does not have store credit on their individual account, then the purchase they make will be charge to your credit card, not the store credit that you have on your account.
This article might be useful since it explain the Family Sharing :
https://www.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing/
Family purchases and payments - Apple Support
Hope the information helps.

How do you add an iTunes Gift Card so that all purchases of any members of a Family Sharing Group can use the credit?

How can all family members of a Family Sharing Group use a gift card that has been been applied to the iTunes master account? I added a gift card to our master iTunes account for my grandson, and even though he's a family sharing group member, none of the purchases I have approved from his requests have used the gift card credit. A search of the iTunes support site failed to turn up anything that even remotely addresses this topic. It would seem reasonable to assume that any purchase made by any family member should be able to use the gift card credit since all purchases go through the master account, but this does not appear to be the case.

Regarding your statement about the gift card balance being used if redeemed to the organizers account - http://www.apple.com/feedback.
Regarding redeeming the gift card to the child's account, it is the same as redeeming to yours. You have to be signed in to the iTunes store using the child's apple ID, then redeem the gift card there. If you already redeemed the card on your ID, you won't be able to redeem it again.
Redeem and use iTunes Gift Cards and content codes - Apple Support

Can I use family sharing without a credit card

I want to set up family sharing in iCloud between my account and my dad's since we have separate accounts. Problem is, one of them needs a credit card and my sister tends to make purchases from iTunes cards that weren't for her. Can I set up family sharing without using a credit card? I have a friend who used his parents credit card and one day, they got a $500 bill from iTunes on purchases they didn't make. The account was hacked somehow and the last thing my parents need is to have one of their cards hijacked again.

Apple suggests that in this case you add with a credit card then switch back: Start or join a family group using Family Sharing - Apple Support
"When you create an account for a child, you must use a credit card as the payment method as part of providing your parental consent. After you create the child's Apple ID, you can change your payment method if you choose."
Annoying, but presumably there are technical constraints that make this difficult. I hope they'll fix at some point but this at least means I can set it up. I don't use a credit card but I have one around that I can use to at least set up the accounts.

How can I use family sharing, but allow my daughter to purchase with her iTunes allowance without asking permission?

I love the idea of iTunes family sharing, but I don't think it currently supports my situation.
My daughter's iTunes account gets a monthly allowance (plus occasional gift cards), and does not have a credit card tied to it. That way, she can buy whatever she wants, but only with her existing account balance.
I'd like to tie her account to mine via family sharing, but want to keep her spending limited to just her allowance balance. Also, I don't need to grant permission each time she wants to buy something when using her balance. Ideally, she would be permitted to buy exactly as she does now (no permission necessary, no credit card on the account, and only using allowance funds), but also be tied my family account to listen to music I've already bought.
It appears that my 3 options are:
Do not do family sharing and keep the accounts separate.
Tie the accounts together, put "ask to buy" on her account, and then get bugged for permission each time she wants to get something (as well as keep track myself of her going over her allowance and dipping into my credit card).
Tie the accounts together, don't use "ask to buy", and keep my fingers crossed that she doesn't spend more than her allowance amount (because iTunes would permit spending more than that and charge my card).
Options 2 and 3 don't work for me, and option 1 doesn't take advantage of family sharing.
Can I have a family sharing account that *doesn't* charge to my credit card?

Hello jeffchr,
Thanks for the question. Based on what you stated, it seems like you don't want to be billed for a family members purchases. I would recommend that you read these articles, they explain the features options.
Family Sharing
All new iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases initiated by family members will be billed to the family organizer’s account.
Family purchases and payments
Making purchases
After you set up your family, any time a family member initiates a new purchase it will be billed directly to your account unless that family member has gift or store credit. First, their store credit will be used to pay the partial or total bill. The remainder will bill to the family organizer's card.
How iTunes Store purchases are billed
Which payment methods will be used first?
When you make a purchase, content credits are used first, followed by Gift Certificate, iTunes Card, or Allowance Account credits. Your credit card or PayPal account is then charged for any remaining balance.
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
Mario

How To Use Family Sharing on one Apple ID ?

OK....I like the new family sharing but I got around this in past in creative way.
I have one AppleID that whole family uses.....no iCloud, only use ITunes to Sync, and on each iPhone or iPad for Text & Facetime I disable in settings all but that phone # and/or email for that user. Obviously all the emails for the family are loaded/verified in my Apple ID.
For payment I had no Credit Card on account but bought the kids iTunes gift cards.
I'm trying to avoid having to setup a bunch of Apple ID accounts.
I'm hoping I can get best of both worlds........but have not upgraded any device to iOS8 yet so have not tried.
I'd like to keep the single AppleID, load in Credit Card info, go to Share and invite the other family members, set restrictions, etc.
However, my question is will/how does the "invite" work if all members are listed under same Apple ID ?
Thx.

See this page : Leave Family Sharing.

Use a giftcard on family sharing

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