iCloud Family Sharing - how can I change Administrator?

Hi Ali Bally

Firstly, make sure you and all the other family members have a backup regime - Time Machine is the obvious one to mention. This is essential in preserving your data in the long-term.

I'm not clear on your current family group status; if you have one already or not other than your grandson's, or if you have joined his group. However, your mention of losing access to your portion of shared iCloud data if you lave a group suggests that you have joined his group.

Your data is not actually moved in the process and always remains private and separate from other family members (Share iCloud+ with your family). I think of it as more of an accounting model where each Apple Account in a group is bolted on to one bill. I've never detached a member from a group to observe the process, and reading the forums there seems not to be a definitive statement by Apple on how it works, but from other's experience I understand that when you detach from a group Apple retains your data as it exists and then you need to set up an individual iCloud+ plan to accommodate the data you require.

That part you quote from a support document is from Leave Family Sharing and is an alert that in the event of leaving a group you will not have access to content purchased by others in the group - but you will of course retain access to your own purchases.

As I said above, the first action you should take is to ensure that your data - including your photos - is safe in a backup, and there is nothing stopping you creating a second one just of your photos data to another external drive if it gives you confidence to move forward with your plans.

I too am the administrator of my group - and also the provocateur when it comes to updates. It's something that requires a bit of understanding when setting up. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Fortunately, this is the place to ask your questions.

Hello Ali Bally

There are a couple of things to consider.

Family Group administrators cannot be changed. To have a new administrator an existing group must be disbanded and set up again with the account of the new administrator.

It sounds as if you have not yet set up your group - with yourself as the administrator.

Purchase sharing operates from the account of the administrator. While this can be turned off so that each member of the group pays for their own content, it also turns off content sharing which is rather the point of being in a group. See How to share apps and purchases with your family - Apple Support

You can belong only to one Family Sharing group at a time. See Join a family group in Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support

Considering the above it might be easier for your oversight of the group and payments if your grandson disbands his group, cancels his family music plan, then joins yours when you set it up and commence a new Apple Music subscription. As you want to manage the payments there is no other way to do this and you are wise not to use your credit card on someone else's Apple account. I infer from your question that this is your preferred option.

Alternatively, you might conclude that it might not be important for him or for you that he be part of your group.

I don't have Apple Music so I can't comment on how soon after cancelling a plan that a new one can be started, given that the pre-payment has a subscription period following it before a renewal is required.

A pleasure, mate.