Family Sharing Doesn't Work

Strongbox supports Apple's Family Sharing for all versions of its Apps and for all License types (Monthly, Yearly, Lifetime In-App Purchase and Lifetime Outright Pro). No Exceptions. Some times though it can be tricky to get this working correctly, so here are some tips and tricks...

Troubleshooting

Here are some simple steps to help you get going with Strongbox for all your Family Sharing group.

1. Restore Purchases

Sometimes this can be as simple as tapping or clicking 'Restore Purchases' or 'Already Purchased' button on the Upgrade screen. Make sure you try this first.

2. Some Simple Checks

  • Restart the devices
  • Make sure you are logged in to the App Store with the correct Apple ID
  • Family Sharing AND Purchase Sharing must be enabled on ALL devices, not just the purchaser's device
  • You must all be in the same App Store region (e.g. the U.S. App Store or the German App Store)
  • You must also look under Purchased Items, it won’t be possible to share just via a search in the App Store

3. Sign Out and Back Into Media & Purchases/the App Store

On iPhone/iPad:

  1. Open the Settings app
  2. Tap your name at the top of the screen
  3. Tap Media & Purchases
  4. Tap Sign Out
  5. Sign back in

On Mac:

  1. Open the App Store app
  2. Click Store in the menu bar at the top of the screen
  3. Click Sign Out
  4. Sign back in

4. Check Your Purchase

Next, let's double check you can see Strongbox on your own device first. What do you see under your Purchased Items? Follow Apple's instruction below to find out:

View your purchase history for the App Store

5. Check the Purchase Is Available on Your Friend/Family Member’s Device

  1. Go to the App Store on their device
  2. Tap their profile picture at the top of the screen, then tap Purchased.
  3. Now tap the name of the person who purchased the App (not the current family member) to see your purchases on their device.

What do you see? You should see your purchase on their device. There is also some great troubleshooting on Apple's site below:

If you can't find your family's shared content

6. Check You’ve Downloaded the Correct Version of the App on Your Friend/Family Member’s Device

There are two versions of the app: a free version with in-app purchases and a lifetime version that you buy upfront (the name of which is 'Strongbox Pro (Lifetime) in the App Store).

If you have bought the lifetime app with an upfront payment ('Strongbox Pro (Lifetime)') then you will need to install this version on all of your devices. Using the free version with in-app purchases will not work.

(If you have more than one version installed, we also recommend uninstalling the one that you're not using.)

image

Still Having Trouble?

If that doesn't work, please get in touch with support (support@strongboxsafe.com) and include:

  1. A screenshot including the purchase ID and date from the Apple website we mention above, where you checked your purchase history, or of the email receipt
  2. The debug information from the "About" screen in Strongbox.
Dec 26, 2023