EN How do I share Microsoft 365 Family?
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The subscription owner invites up to five other people, each using their own Microsoft account. Files and emails stay private.
As of 17 October 2026. The subscription owner can share Microsoft 365 Family with up to five other people. Each person uses Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneDrive with their own Microsoft account; files and emails stay private. New since 8 October 2026: new Family subscriptions get 2 TB of OneDrive storage that everyone shares.
How sharing Microsoft 365 Family works
Only the subscription owner can share. From the services and subscriptions page of their Microsoft account, they invite up to five people by email or link. Anyone who accepts automatically joins the owner's Microsoft family group and can install the apps straight away with their own account. Sharing only works while the person stays in that family group, and an invited member cannot pass the subscription on to anyone else.
If your account already belongs to another Microsoft family group, you must leave it before accepting. If you do not have a Microsoft account yet, you can create one for free when accepting.
2 TB of storage: what changed in October 2026
| Family subscription | OneDrive storage | Applies from |
|---|---|---|
| New or repurchased | 2 TB shared by everyone | 8 October 2026 |
| Existing | 1 TB per person so far, then 2 TB shared | first renewal from 2 May 2027 |
Shared storage means the owner and members use one common allowance. There is no fixed share per person – if one person stores a lot, everyone has less free space. Each person's mailbox, files and folders still stay private. According to Microsoft, storage can be extended to up to 10 TB for an additional charge. Older claims such as “1 TB per person” no longer apply to newly purchased Family subscriptions.
What other members see – and what stays private
According to Microsoft, your personal files, emails, appointments, contacts, photos and notebooks do not appear in the shared Family locations and are not shared with the subscription owner. The family group itself is visible, though: members see the names and email addresses of the other people.
All members can access shared Family areas such as the Family inbox, the family calendar and the Family notebook in OneNote. Anything you put there, the others can see. You only share other data such as screen time or browsing activity if you explicitly set this up in Microsoft Family Safety.
Copilot and AI features
According to Microsoft, AI features such as Copilot are reserved for the owner of a Family subscription; members do not receive them through the shared subscription. If you want to use Copilot in Word, Excel or Outlook yourself, you need your own subscription with AI features. Members can still use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook as desktop and mobile apps.
Devices and apps
Each person can install Microsoft 365 on PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone and, according to Microsoft, can be signed in on up to five devices at the same time. Included are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote as desktop and mobile apps, as well as OneDrive.
Stopping sharing or leaving the family group
If the owner stops sharing, the person loses all subscription benefits, including the extra OneDrive storage and the desktop apps. According to Microsoft, this does not automatically remove them from the family group; that is a separate step. Their files remain intact, but Office files can then only be viewed and printed, not edited.
How many people can I share Microsoft 365 Family with?
With up to five other people. Together with the subscription owner, up to six people use the subscription, each with their own Microsoft account.
Does each person get 1 TB of storage?
Not for new Family subscriptions since 8 October 2026: everyone shares 2 TB. According to Microsoft, existing subscriptions switch to shared storage when they renew from 2 May 2027; until then they keep 1 TB per person.
Can the subscription owner see my files and emails?
No. Personal files, emails, appointments and notebooks stay private. In the family group, however, members' names and email addresses are visible, and shared Family areas such as the family calendar are accessible to everyone.
Can members use Copilot?
According to Microsoft, not through the shared Family subscription: AI features such as Copilot are reserved for the subscription owner. Members can use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook as desktop and mobile apps.
Can I be in two family groups at the same time?
No. If you already belong to a family group, Microsoft requires you to leave it before you can accept a new invitation.
What happens when sharing ends?
Your files remain intact. The subscription benefits end, though: the extra OneDrive storage is removed and Office files can only be viewed and printed.