Apple gives iCloud users 5 GB of free storage, but that fills up fast with iCloud Photo Library, iOS backups, iBooks, and more. For some, the majority of iOS users, the free 5GBs of storage does not get them very far, if your someone who also uses iCloud storage for files on your computer additional storage is an absolute necessity. I have shared more than once that iCloud storage makes my job a lot easier.
Until iOS 11 and macOS 10.13 High Sierra, each person in a family had to buy extra iCloud space separately. Happily, Apple has now made it so everyone in a Family Sharing group can share a single 200 GB ($2.99 per month) or 2 TB ($9.99 per month) plan. The family organizer can start sharing storage in High Sierra or iOS 11 as follows: on the Mac, go to System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family > My Apps & Services > iCloud Storage; in iOS, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > iCloud Storage. Any other family member can then cancel their paid plan and join the Family Sharing plan using their iCloud Storage screen. Keeping your family organized and storage needs managed is made easier with this new update. Until my kids are old enough to have their own devices and files I’m still happy with my 50gb of individual storage, but it’s good to know and have this option available should the time come that I need additional cloud backup storage.