How to Share Apps & Purchases with Google Play Family Library

While it’s true that most mobile apps are free, there are still items in the Google Play Store that will cost you money to obtain. The cost of these downloadable purchases can easily stack up. They’re not even tangible products that you can hold in your hands either.

However, wouldn’t it be great if there was a method for sharing the things that you have bought? Surely, this is better than these purchases just existing on one device for one person? With the Google Play Family Library, there is a way.

This is great as it will mean you’re loved ones can enjoy this content as well. Additionally, they won’t have to pay out multiple times (which is ridiculous as I’m sure you agree).

Let me walk you through how to share apps on Family Library for your group. It won’t take you long to acknowledge the many benefits of Google Play Family Library.

hand holding a smartphone displaying google play app — photo by N-region from pixabay

Setting up Google Play Family Library

What is Google Play Family Library? Learning how to use Google Play Family Library isn’t so hard. One can set up and sign in to their Family Library by accessing the settings on the Google Play Store.

Where is Google Play Family Library? Everything you need will be under the ‘family’ heading. It should be pretty self-explanatory from there.

Why is my Google Play Family Library not working? You can learn more about how to prepare for this in detail as well as other troubleshooting. Do this by following the advice of the Google Play Store as a setup guide.

Maybe your country is not supported, you’re having crashing issues or it is not showing up for another reason. They should be able to tell you about compatible devices and device limits too.

Which purchases can I share?

What are the best apps on Google Play Store? This scheme works with all manner of digital purchases including:

movies
TV shows
mobile games (although people have had problems with Minecraft)
books (including ebooks and audiobooks)
paid mobile apps

It’s also possible to share other Google services In the Google Play Family Library like:

One may have trouble sharing Google Play Family Library purchases before the summer of 2016 (July 2nd to be exact). This was actually around the time that the Google Play Family Library was first introduced. Although, everything purchased after that date should work just fine.

Are there any digital downloads that cannot be shared in the Google Play Family Library?

I believe that music albums, tracks, and singles are excluded from this program. You will need to pay for a separate Google Music family plan if you want to use the sharing privilege. Unfortunately, in-app purchases or similar add-ons cannot be shared either.

Why are certain apps and media unavailable in the Google Play Family Library?

Certain app developers and publishers have rebelled against this idea. Some have even gone as far as refusing to allow their mobile apps to be featured in the Google Play Family Library. In fairness, this can be done at their discretion.

I can definitely understand this from a business perspective. One will ideally want to earn as much money from their hard work as possible. Nobody likes to feel like they are being shortchanged after spending time and effort creating an app.

Who can I share with in the Google Play Family Library?

One will be able to share with no more than 5 other people (forming a family group of 6 in total). The word “family” is used extremely loosely here. Your Google Play Family Library can be made up of:

friends
housemates
work colleagues
acquaintances
anyone else you feel like sharing with

How much money can people save by using the Google Play Family Library?

Is Google Play Family Library free? How much money does this cost? Accessing this feature won’t cost you a thing. According to one statistic, global users spent approximately $42.3 billion last year on games and mobile apps in the Google Play Store (Business of Apps).

I’m sure this number would be a lot lower if more users were fully taking advantage of the Family Library. Many folks don’t even know about it so just imagine the monetary savings if this were to happen.

Even with the family library enabled, new apps and media will still cost someone money to buy for your whole group. In this case, I would suggest making the most of cashback platforms like topcashback. Something like this will save you a lot of money and cut expenses on other brands too.

What are the main benefits of Google Play Family Library?

How does Google Play Family Library work? The Google Play Family Library allows you to share your purchased content with other people.

This can save a surprising amount of money if you and someone you know are planning on making the same digital transaction. Why pay more than once? You just need to discuss this with your friends ahead of time and be organized about it.

“The core of what Google is about is bringing information to people.”
Sundar Pichai (Businessman & CEO of Google)

Google Play Family Library Eligibility & Rules

Everyone in the Family Library will need to sign up for a Google account if they haven’t done so already. In addition, any children under the age of 13 will be ineligible for this.

As exceptions go, a 13 year old can participate under one condition. This is for the family manager (who must share the same country of residence) to create a Google account on their behalf.

The rules also state that one will need to wait at least a year before moving to a different Family Library. Furthermore, it is against the rules for any one person to be part of two separate Family Libraries.

How to Manage Google Play Family Library

The person who sets up the Family Library from their account is known as the family manager. This person is essentially in charge of the group.

It is mandatory that this individual must be at least 18 years old. The required age may differ depending on where you are in the world.

Joint Payment Method

There are countless benefits of Google Play Family Library, but there are disadvantages that come with it. One hurdle that you may struggle to clear is the joint payment method that is required. Apparently, participants will need to have a joint debit or credit card in order for this to work.

There are a few options out there for Google Play Family Library payment methods. On the other hand, there may also be a way around this if you are using Google Play Store gift cards and vouchers.

On the other hand, the concept of a joint payment method can come with downsides for some. You really need to trust your family members not to abuse this financially (accidental or not). I’ve definitely heard horror stories before about children spending their parent’s money on apps.

Parental Control

Obviously, not all content you have purchased will be age appropriate for all the family. You clearly don’t want your kids watching that gory horror movie that you downloaded. Luckily, you have the power to pick and choose what you want to share for this reason.

This may even involve adding and removing members in Family Library. With a little tinkering, you can easily adjust the parental controls and restrictions on your Family Library.

Alternatives to Google Play Family Library

Can Google Play Store be installed on iPhone? You can do something similar to this for Apple devices. Although, with them, I believe it is called the family sharing plan.

This is great if you own a smartphone or tablet (like an iPad) that runs on iOS rather than Android. You can also share membership privileges with Amazon Prime.

a list of different mobile apps on a screen — photo by LoboStudioHamburg from pixabay

Conclusion

If you live in a close-knit household then it is pretty much pointless buying the same product or service twice. This can apply to lots of different things but probably digital downloads most of all.

The benefits of Google Play Family Library are also impressive when you consider all the different types of media and entertainment that are included here.

First and foremost, I suggest downloading and installing the Google Play Store app. You can then configure your Google Play Store account so that you can share your content.

I would also ask the members of your household if this is something that they would want to take part in. They may also be able to return the favor with the content on their account. It can be a win-win for all.

If you need further assistance setting up this feature then you should take a look at alphr and gadgetstouse. Can you think of anybody you are close with who would benefit from this feature? Which digital purchases are you most excited to share with friends or family and why?

Please don’t forget to share this with your friends and like it on social media. You can subscribe to our newsletter and comment below too. Thanks for reading!

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