Google Play gets family sharing feature

Share future purchases with up to six family members.
Text: Morten Bækkelund
Published 2016-07-29

If you use Android devices and have family members who do the same, the newest Google Play feature is for you. It's called "Family Library" and it does exactly what the name suggests, by linking up the accounts of up to six family members so they can share purchases across their devices.

"For families like mine, who bond over shared entertainment, we're introducing Family Library, a way for up to six family members to share purchases on Google Play", Google Play product manager Raj Iyengar explains on the Google Blog. "When you buy an eligible app, game, movie, TV show, or book in the Play Store, you can now share it with your family - across devices - with no additional sign-up fee."

The feature will rollout in 12 countries to begin with, including the UK, the US, France, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Italy and Australia.

Alongside normal individual payments, Family Library will allow users to set up a joint payment option, and if needs be you can choose not to share a particular product upon purchasing it.

Family sharing will be available for all purchases from now on, while opening up past purchases for your family is dependent on a solution from the developer of said product.

Back