How to create shared albums in Photos on iPhone

With Shared Albums, you can create albums to share with just the people you choose, and they can add their own photos, videos, and comments for everyone to see. If you set up a shared album, you can also rename or delete it.

Before you start, Shared Albums needs to be turned on in your iCloud settings for Photos, and you need to be signed in to your Apple Account on every device you want to use with it.

Before you begin

Check that you’re signed in to your Apple Account on your iPhone and on any other devices you want to use with Shared Albums.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your name and tap iCloud. Tap Photos.
3. Turn on Shared Albums.

Create a shared album

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Collections, then tap Shared Albums.
3. Tap the Add button, then do the following:
   • Add photos and videos to the album: Tap Add Photos, select the items you want to add, and then tap the Done button.
   • Name the album: Type a name in the Shared Album Name text field.
   • Set sharing permissions: Tap Sharing Options. Then select People You Choose or Anyone with the Link.

     Note: If you select People You Choose and the link is shared with someone you didn’t invite, they can request access to the album. You can grant or deny the request.

   • Allow the album to expire: Turn on Make Album Temporary to set the album to expire after 30 days.
4. Tap the Done button to create the album.

Note: Whoever organizes a shared album provides the iCloud storage space for its content, but albums set to expire don’t use any iCloud storage.

Join a shared album

After selecting the link you received, select Join. You might need to sign in to your Apple Account, ask for access, or provide your email.

To save the album to your account after joining by email, select Join, then sign in to your Apple Account.

To view pending invitations, tap Collections, then tap your Apple Account profile.

View shared albums

There’s one place where you can view all of your shared albums.

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Collections.
3. Tap Shared Albums to see all of your shared albums and tap an album to view it.

Quick tip: Tap Activity to view what’s new in your shared albums, such as photos, reactions, and comments.

Rename a shared album

Whoever creates a shared album can change its name.

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Collections.
3. Tap Shared Albums and tap an album.
4. Tap the More button. Tap the current album name.
5. Enter a new name in the text field and then tap the Done button.

Delete or remove yourself from a shared album

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Collections.
3. Tap Shared Albums and tap an album.
4. Tap the More button. Tap Delete Shared Album if you created the album, or tap Leave Shared Album if you’re a participant.

Even if a shared album is deleted, or the person who created it stops sharing it, photos you saved or downloaded from it to your photo library stay in your library.