How to Setup Home Sharing feature on Mac/iPad/iPhone

With the release of the Home Sharing feature, iTunes gained massive popularity. The feature enables users to share media libraries over the same network with different Apple devices. However, to use the feature, you need to set it up. This post discusses Home Sharing and how to set it up on Mac and iPhone/iPad. But before that, a quick guide to understanding what home sharing is will help you to understand the subject in a better way.

What is Home Sharing?

Home Sharing is an impressive feature of iTunes. It was introduced with iTunes 9. This feature allows users to access and share different media libraries across multiple devices. You can now stream and share movies, podcasts, music, TV shows, photos, audiobooks, and much more over the home network.

The supported devices include iPads, iPhones, iPods, etc. Users can share the library with up to five computers over the Home Ethernet or Wi-Fi network.

What are the Requirements for Home Sharing?

Often, users report problems with the Home Sharing feature. In most cases, the cause is the lack of knowledge about its requirements. That is why it is vital to know more about its requirements before setting it up.

Take a look at the specifications mentioned here –

• All the devices over the Home Sharing network must have the same Apple ID.
• All the devices must be connected via the same network (wireless).
• Apple TV: 2nd generation (tvOS 4.2.1 or later), 3rd generation or later.
• Computer: Mac and PC with iTunes 9 or later.
• iOS devices: iPad, iPod, and iPhone with iOS 4.3 or later.
• The devices must be awake, and iTunes opened to use Home Sharing.

How to Setup the Home Sharing Feature on Mac/iPad/iPhone?

You need to follow a set of steps to set up the Home Sharing feature on your iPad, iPhone, and Mac. First, we will start with setting up the home sharing feature on Mac, followed by iPhone and iPad. Have a look!

1. How to Setup Home Sharing Feature on Mac?
2. How to Setup Home Sharing Feature on iPhone/iPad?

Make sure you have access to your Apple account.

1] How to Setup Home Sharing Feature on Mac?

• Go to the Apple menu. From the drop-down menu, click on the System Preferences option.
• Select Sharing option once you are in the System Preferences screen.
• Once in the Sharing settings, tick on the Media Sharing option from the left sidebar, followed by Home Sharing on the right-hand settings.
• It will ask you to sign in with the Apple ID. Remember that you need to use the same Apple ID for all the devices on the Home Sharing network.
• You need to turn on the Home Sharing feature again. Or you will get the confirmation pop-up that you need to use the same Apple ID, which is for personal use. Click on OK, and you are done.

That’s it. This is how you set up the home-sharing feature on Mac. Let’s move to the next section, where we will learn how to set up the home sharing feature on iPhone or iPad.

2] How to Setup Home Sharing Feature on iPhone/iPad?

• Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Scroll down a little and select Music or Video to enable the Home Sharing feature.
• Scroll down to the end of the screen, and press the Sign in option. Here, you need to type the Apple ID and the password. Make sure you use the same Apple ID for all the devices where you want the Home Sharing feature to work.

This is it. That’s how you can easily enable the Home Sharing feature on iPhone or iPad.

Conclusion

These steps enable users to set up the Home Sharing feature on their Apple devices. The steps are slightly different for Mac and iPhone/iPad. So, wait no more! Set up Home Sharing and start sharing iTunes libraries right away!

Why Is My Home Sharing Not Working?

Multiple reasons may lead to the Home Sharing not working. One of the prominent reasons is that the feature is not enabled on the device. You need to go to the Settings option on your iPhone/iPad. Afterward, go to the Music or Video option, and turn the toggle on for Home Sharing.

Is Home Sharing and Family Sharing the Same?

No, Home Sharing and Family Sharing are not the same. Home Sharing lets users share the iTunes library with other Apple devices on the same network. On the other hand, Family Sharing lets users share iTunes purchases with other group members.

Can the Firewall Prevent Home Sharing From Not Working?

Yes, the firewall can cause interference with the Home Sharing not working. For that, you need to check if you have blocked Home Sharing or not. If the firewall of the Mac blocks incoming connections, you need to go to System Preferences. After that, go to Firewall and edit the settings.