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Here’s how to set up an Apple Family Card and add co-owners

In Apple announced Apple Card Family, a new way for people to share their Apple Card, track purchases, manage spending, and build credit together with their Family Sharing group. It became available last month in the U.S.

Apple Card Family allows two people to co-own an Apple Card, and share and merge their credit lines while building credit together equally. It also enables parents to share Apple Card with their children, while offering optional spending limits and controls to help teach smart and safe financial habits, according to Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay. 

Bailey says these are the features of Apple Card Family:

° Apple Card customers can now add up to five people to their Apple Card account by sharing Apple Card with them in Wallet. All users must be part of the same Family Sharing group in order to be invited to Apple Card Family, and be 13 years of age or older.

° An Apple Card can be shared with any eligible customer who is 18 years or older as a co-owner, providing the opportunity for both to build credit history together, get the flexibility of a combined limit, provide transparency into each other’s spending, share the responsibility of making payments, and deliver the convenience of a single monthly bill to pay.

° An Apple Card can be shared with anyone who is 13 years or older as a participant, so they can learn how to spend independently and responsibly, while giving co-owners transparency and features that provide insight into purchases and control over their purchase limit. Participants over the age of 18 can also opt in to credit reporting.

° All account activity, including positive or negative payment history, will be reported to credit bureaus for participants who opt in to credit reporting as well as all Apple Card co-owners.

° Existing Apple Card customers can also merge their Apple Card accounts, giving the flexibility of a higher shared credit limit while keeping the lower APR of the two accounts.

° Co-owners and participants will each receive Daily Cash for their Apple Card purchases.

Interested? Here’s what you need:

  • Own a compatible iPhone or iPad with the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
  • The account owner must have an Apple Card account.
  • Set up Family Sharing or be part of a Family Sharing group.
  • Account co-owners must be 18 years or older and a member of your Family Sharing group.
  • Participants must be 13 years or older and a member of your Family Sharing group.
  • Make sure that your device region is set to the United States.

To invite an Apple Card Family participant or account co-owner:

  1. Open the Wallet app and tap your Apple Card.
  2. Tap the more button (three dots).
  3. Under People, tap Share My Card, then tap Continue.
  4. Select a member of your Family Sharing group. To invite someone to join your Family Sharing group, tap Invite Someone.
  5. To invite an account co-owner, tap Become Co-Owners. To invite a participant, tap Add as Participant.
  6. Follow the instructions on your screen to provide the requested information.
  7. Tap Send Invitation, then authenticate with your passcode.

On your iPad, open the Settings app > Wallet & Apple Pay > Apple Card > Info tab. Then follow these steps:

  1. Under People, tap Share My Card, then tap Continue.
  2. Select a member of your Family Sharing group. To invite someone to join your Family Sharing group, tap Invite Someone.
  3. To invite an account co-owner, tap Become Co-Owners. To invite a participant, tap Add as Participant.
  4. Follow the instructions on your screen to provide the requested information.
  5. Tap Send Invitation, then authenticate with your passcode.

If you invite a participant who is under 18 years old, you cash set up Apple Cash Family so that they can use their Daily Cash with Apple Cash.

To accept an Apple Card invitation:

  1. On your iPhone, tap the invite notification or open the Wallet app, then tap the badge notification in the upper-right corner.
  2. Tap Continue.
  3. If you’re a participant, tap Accept Apple Card. If you’re an account co-owner, follow the instructions on your screen to complete your Apple Card application. This includes a credit check.

On your iPad, tap the invite notification or open the Settings app > Wallet & Apple Pay. Under Pending Invitations, tap Apple Card to accept the invite.

To become an account co-owner, your application must be approved and you must accept your Apple Card offer.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.