Overview
Family is the same subscription as Personal, shared with up to five other people. Each person signs in with their own Microsoft account, gets their own 1 TB of OneDrive and their own app installs — nobody sees anybody else's documents.
Per person, it is the cheapest way Microsoft sells Office. Two people already make it better value than two Personal subscriptions, and the other members do not need to live in your house — sharing is by invitation to a Microsoft account.
Key specifications
- Licence type: Subscription (annual or monthly)
- People covered: Up to 6
- Cloud storage: 1 TB each, 6 TB total
- Simultaneous sign-ins: Up to 5 devices per person
- Apps included: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and more
- Family safety: Location sharing and screen-time tools
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web
- Sharing: Each member gets their own private account and storage
Microsoft changes what its plans include from time to time. Check the current comparison on microsoft.com before buying or renewing.
Features at a glance
- Covers up to six people, each with a separate account
- 1 TB of OneDrive per person — 6 TB total
- Premium Office apps on every device
- Microsoft Family Safety features
- Each person's files stay private to them
Who the Microsoft 365 Family is for
Households, or any group of up to six people, who each want their own Office apps and terabyte of storage under one renewal.
Common problems and how to fix them
An invited family member cannot activate the apps
The invitation has to be accepted by the same Microsoft account they then sign into Office with. Using a different address for the invite than for sign-in is the usual cause — re-send it to the correct account and have them accept before installing.
You want to remove someone from the subscription
Remove them from the sharing page in your Microsoft account. Their apps drop to read-only and their OneDrive reverts to the free tier, so warn them to get under the free quota first or older files become read-only too.
Storage seems shared rather than separate
It is not shared — each member has a private 1 TB. If someone appears to be short, check they are signed into their own account rather than the subscription owner's.
Frequently asked questions
Do the six people have to live together?
No. You share by inviting Microsoft accounts; there is no household check.
Can other members see my files?
No. Each person gets their own account and their own 1 TB of OneDrive, private by default.
Is Family worth it over Personal?
If two or more people need Office, yes — the price difference is small and each extra person gets a full allocation.
Still stuck?
Our technicians work with Microsoft every day. Call +1-8887342713 any time, or send us the details and we will get back to you.