How to share photos with family using iCloud or Google Photos

Texting photos one at a time works, but they get lost in the conversation, and the quality often drops. A shared album is better. It’s a private photo collection that the whole family can see, comment on and add to. New photos show up on everyone’s phone automatically.

It’s free, and you don’t need Facebook or any social media.

Which one should you use?

• Everyone has an iPhone or iPad: use an iCloud Shared Album. It’s built in.
• The family is a mix of iPhone and Android: use Google Photos, which works on both. iCloud albums can also be shared with non-Apple users through a web link, which we’ll cover below.
• Grandparents just want to look, not post: either works. They can simply open the album and scroll.

iCloud Shared Albums (iPhone and iPad)

Turn the feature on

1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud, then Photos.
3. Turn on Shared Albums.

Create a shared album

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Scroll down to Shared Albums and tap it (on some versions, tap Albums, then the plus button).
3. Tap the plus button and choose New Shared Album.
4. Give it a name, like "Family Photos" or "Grandkids 2026."
5. Add people by typing their name, email or phone number from your contacts. They’ll get an invitation.
6. Tap Create.

Add photos

1. Open the shared album and tap the plus button inside it.
2. Tap the photos you want to add, then tap Add.
3. Write a short comment if you like, then tap Post.

You can also add from anywhere in your library: open a photo, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow), then Add to Shared Album.

Joining an album someone invited you to

You’ll get a notification or an email. Tap Accept, and the album will appear under Shared Albums in your Photos app.

Sharing with people who don’t have an iPhone

1. Open the shared album and tap the people icon.
2. Turn on Public Website.
3. Tap Share Link and text or email it.

Anyone with the link can see the photos in a web browser, so only share it with family. Shared Albums are good for viewing on a phone or TV, but they store a smaller version of each photo, not the full original. Keep your originals in your own photo library.

For close family: iCloud Shared Photo Library

If you and a spouse or grown child want to share everything, iCloud Shared Photo Library lets up to six people pool their photos into one library everyone can add to and edit. It’s under Settings > Apps > Photos > Shared Library. It uses the iCloud storage of the person who sets it up. It’s a bigger commitment than an album, so many families start with a shared album first.

Google Photos (iPhone and Android)

Google Photos comes on most Android phones and can be installed free on iPhone from the App Store. Everyone in the album needs a Google account (a Gmail address works) to add photos, though you can also share a view-only link.

Create a shared album

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap the plus button at the top (or Collections, then the plus), then choose Album.
3. Name the album and tap Select photos to add some.
4. Tap the Share button and choose family members, or tap Create link to text or email a link.

Let family add their own photos

Open the album, tap the three dots, then Options, and make sure Collaborate is turned on. Now everyone in the album can add photos too.

Partner sharing

For a spouse, Google’s Partner sharing automatically shares all photos, or just photos of certain people, with one other person. Tap your profile picture, then Photos settings, then Sharing, then Partner sharing.

Tips for a happy family album

• Pick one album, and stick to it. Many small albums get confusing. One "Family" album plus one per big event (a wedding, a trip) works well.
• Turn on notifications so grandparents know when new photos arrive.
• Watch it on the TV. On an Apple TV, Shared Albums appear in the Photos app. On many smart TVs and Chromecast devices, Google Photos can show albums on screen. See smart TV and streaming basics.
• Use a digital photo frame. Several frames can show a shared album automatically, which is lovely for someone who doesn’t want to use a phone at all.

Is it private?

Shared albums are only visible to people you invite, unless you turn on a public link. Think before adding anyone outside the family, since anyone in the album may be able to save the photos. For an iCloud album, you can remove someone anytime by tapping the people icon, tapping their name, and choosing Remove Subscriber.

When to get help

Getting a shared album set up across three generations, on a mix of iPhones and Android phones, can take some patience. We can set it up, invite everyone, and show a grandparent exactly where to tap to see new photos. If storage is full, we can sort that out too (see how to clear storage on an iPhone). Book a free 15-minute call to get started.