A shared album is a collaborative iCloud Photos space where invited people can view, add, like, and comment on photos and videos. It is better than sending pictures one at a time when a family, trip group, wedding party, or team wants one common collection.
These steps apply to iCloud Shared Albums in Photos on iOS 15 or later.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if you want other people to see and contribute to the same album instead of managing a long message thread full of image attachments.
Create a Shared Album and Invite People
- Open Photos.
- Tap Albums.
- Tap the plus button and choose New Shared Album.
- Name the album and tap Next.
- Enter names, phone numbers, or email addresses, or choose people from Contacts.
- Tap Create.
Invited people receive a join notification. People with an Apple ID can contribute, and public website sharing can allow viewing through a link.
Add Photos to a Shared Album
- Open Photos, go to Albums, and open the shared album.
- Tap the plus button.
- Select the photos and videos you want to add.
- Tap Done.
- Add a caption if you want, then tap Post.
Subscribers can be notified when new items are added and can like or comment, giving the album a small private-feed feel.
Useful Shared Album Settings
Invite More People Later
Open the shared album, tap People, and use Invite People. You do not need to add everyone during the original setup.
Create a Public Website Link
In the People screen, turn on Public Website and share the generated link with people who need to view the album without joining through iCloud.
Reduce Notifications
If the album gets busy, open People and turn off Notifications so every new upload does not alert you.
Remove Someone or Leave
Album owners can open People, choose a subscriber, and remove them. If you joined someone else’s album, open People and choose Leave Shared Album.
Sources
- Apple Support: Set up and use iCloud Shared Albums
- Apple Support: Use iCloud Photos on iPhone
- Apple Support: Share albums with other people on iPhone