Sharing photos with friends and family is a joyful part of modern life, and iPhones make it incredibly easy to keep everyone connected through Shared Albums. Whether you’re looking to share vacation memories, family gatherings, or just everyday moments, understanding how to use Shared Albums on your iPhone is essential. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating, managing, and enjoying Shared Albums on your iPhone, ensuring your precious memories are easily shared with those you care about most.
Creating a Shared Album on Your iPhone
Starting a Shared Album is straightforward and can be done directly from your iPhone’s Photos app. Here’s how to create your first shared album:
- Open the Photos App: Launch the Photos app on your iPhone. This is where all your photos and videos are stored.
- Navigate to the Albums Tab: At the bottom of the screen, tap on the “Albums” tab. This will take you to the overview of all your photo albums.
- Scroll Down to Shared Albums: Scroll down the Albums screen until you find the “Shared Albums” section.
- Tap ‘Create’: Tap on “Shared Albums,” then tap “Create” to start a new shared album.
- Name Your Shared Album: Give your shared album a relevant and memorable name. This could be something like “Family Vacation 2023,” “Birthday Party,” or “Summer Adventures.”
- Select Photos to Add: Choose the photos and videos you want to include in your shared album right away. You can add more later, but selecting some initial content is a good way to start.
- Invite People to Share: Now, it’s time to invite people to view and contribute to your album. You can select contacts directly from your list, or type in email addresses or iMessage phone numbers of the people you want to invite.
- Tap ‘Done’: Once you’ve named your album and invited people, tap “Done” to finalize the creation of your shared album.
Creating a new shared album is initiated by tapping the ‘New Shared Album’ option, marked with a plus icon, within the Albums tab of the Photos app.
For users with iOS 17 or earlier, the process to create a shared album is slightly different in navigation but equally simple:
- Go to Albums Tab: Open Photos and go to the “Albums” tab.
- Tap the Add Button: Look for the “+” button, usually located at the top left corner of the screen. Tap this button.
- Select ‘New Shared Album’: From the options, tap “New Shared Album.”
- Name and Invite: Follow steps 3-7 from the iOS 18 and later instructions to name your album, select initial photos, and invite people.
- Tap ‘Create’: Tap “Create” to finish setting up your shared album.
Managing Your Shared Album
Once your shared album is created, you have several options to manage it effectively. Here’s how to handle key tasks like inviting more people, removing subscribers, adding content, and more.
Inviting More People to Your Shared Album
Want to include more friends or family members in your shared album? Here’s how to invite additional people:
- Open the Shared Album: Navigate to the “Shared Albums” section in your Photos app and open the album you wish to modify.
- Tap the More Button: Look for the “More” button, represented by three dots in a circle (●●●), usually located at the top right of the album view.
- Access Shared Album Details: Tap on “Shared Album Details” from the menu.
- Tap ‘Invite People’: Select “Invite People.”
- Enter Contacts or Details: Type in the names, email addresses, or phone numbers of the people you want to invite.
- Tap ‘Done’ or ‘Add’: Confirm your invitations by tapping “Done” or “Add.”
Removing Subscribers from a Shared Album
If you need to remove someone from accessing your shared album, perhaps due to privacy concerns or changes in your sharing group, you can easily remove a subscriber:
- Open Shared Album and Details: Follow steps 1-3 from the “Inviting More People” section to get to the “Shared Album Details.”
- Select Subscriber to Remove: Scroll through the list of subscribers and tap on the name of the person you want to remove.
- Tap ‘Remove Subscriber’: At the bottom of their contact info, you will see the option “Remove Subscriber.” Tap this to remove them from the album.
As the creator of the shared album, you have complete control over who can access and contribute to it.
Adding Photos and Videos to a Shared Album
Shared Albums are meant to be dynamic and grow with new memories. Adding photos and videos is simple:
- Select Photos to Share: From your main “Library” or any album, tap “Select” and choose the photos and videos you wish to add.
- Tap the Share Button: Tap the “Share” button, which looks like an upward-pointing arrow in a box, usually at the bottom left of the screen.
- Choose ‘Add to Shared Album’: From the share options, scroll and tap “Add to Shared Album.”
- Select the Album: Choose the specific shared album you want to add your selected media to.
- Tap ‘Post’: Tap “Post” to upload your photos and videos to the chosen shared album.
The Share button, depicted as an upward arrow emerging from a tray, is the gateway to sharing photos and videos to Shared Albums and other platforms.
Alternatively, if you are already viewing a shared album:
- Open the Shared Album: Go into the shared album where you want to add content.
- Tap the Add Button: Look for the “Add” button, often a “+” icon, within the album view.
- Select and Add Media: Select the photos and videos you want to add and tap “Done” or “Add.”
Deleting Photos and Videos from a Shared Album
Sometimes, you might need to remove content from a shared album. Here’s how:
- Open the Shared Album: Navigate to and open the shared album.
- Select the Media: Tap on the photo or video you want to delete.
- Tap the Trash Button: Look for the trash can icon, usually at the bottom right or top right corner of the screen. Tap it.
- Confirm Deletion: Tap “Delete Photo” or “Delete Video” to confirm.
The Trash button icon is universally recognized as the action to delete content, allowing users to remove photos or videos from a Shared Album.
Remember that if you are the owner of the shared album, you can delete any content. Subscribers can only delete what they have personally added. Deleting content from a shared album removes it for everyone.
Deleting a Shared Album
If a shared album is no longer needed, you can delete it entirely:
- Open the Shared Album: Go to the shared album you wish to delete.
- Tap the More Button: Tap the “More” button (●●●).
- Tap ‘Delete Album’: Select “Delete Album” from the options.
- Confirm Deletion: Confirm that you want to delete the album. Be aware that this action is permanent and will delete all photos and videos in the album for everyone.
Important: Before deleting a shared album, ensure everyone has saved any photos they want to keep, as deletion is permanent.
Accessing Shared Albums on Mac
While this guide focuses on iPhones, Shared Albums are also accessible and manageable on Macs, providing seamless integration across your Apple ecosystem. The functionalities are largely similar, ensuring a consistent experience whether you’re using your iPhone or Mac to share and manage your photo albums.
File Types and Storage Limits in Shared Albums
Shared Albums are versatile but do have some limitations regarding file types and storage:
Supported Image Formats:
- HEIF
- JPEG
- RAW*
- PNG
- GIF
- TIFF
Supported Video Formats:
- HEVC
- MP4
- QuickTime
- H.264
- MPEG-4
Videos are limited to fifteen minutes in length and are delivered at up to 720p resolution. Shared Albums can hold up to 5000 photos and videos in total. Importantly, content in Shared Albums does not count against your iCloud storage, making it a convenient way to share without impacting your personal storage limits.
Conclusion
Sharing photo albums on your iPhone using Shared Albums is a fantastic way to keep connected and share life’s moments with chosen individuals. It’s easy to set up, manage, and enjoy, whether you’re sharing vacation photos with family or event snapshots with friends. By following this guide, you’re now equipped to make the most of Shared Albums on your iPhone, ensuring your memories are shared and cherished effortlessly. Start creating and sharing your albums today!
