PlayInfoBox

Home /Education /How to Create a Shared Album in iCloud Photos

How to Create a Shared Album in iCloud Photos

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Turn on iCloud Shared Albums

    In the Settings app, go to [your name] > iCloud > Photos, and make sure the "Shared Albums" toggle is turned on.

  2. Create a new shared album

    In the Photos app's "Albums" tab, tap the "+" button in the top left, choose "New Shared Album," and give it a name.

  3. Invite participants

    Enter the email address or phone number of the people you want to invite, or select "Create a shareable link" to invite people using a link instead.

  4. Add photos to the album

    Select the photos you want in the Photos app, tap the share button, and choose the shared album you just created to add them.

  5. Let participants add photos and comments

    Depending on the album's settings, invited participants can add their own photos too, and everyone can like or leave comments under each photo.

  6. Manage your notification settings

    You can individually turn notifications on or off in the album's settings for whenever a new photo or comment is posted.

Bring everyone's photos into one place

Instead of sending photos from a trip or gathering one at a time in a group chat, a shared album gives everyone a single space to upload photos together and leave comments about the memories.

A few tips for keeping a shared album usable

Naming the album clearly, setting expectations upfront about who can add photos, and periodically muting notifications for very active albums all help keep a shared album pleasant to use over the long run instead of turning into noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do people I invite need an iPhone to join?

No -- if you invite someone using a shareable link, people using Android or Windows can also view the album and add photos through a web browser.

Do photos in a shared album count against my storage?

Photos in a shared album are not counted against your personal iCloud storage -- they're kept in a separate space reserved just for sharing.