How do I open the photos app and go to albums?

Open the Photos app on your iPhone. Tap the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down until you see a section called Shared Albums. If you have not made one before, this section may say "Start Sharing" or show a plus button. Tap the plus (+) button next to Shared Albums.

How do I name the album and invite people?

A screen will appear asking you to name the album. Type a name like "Family Photos," "Grandkids," or "2026 Vacation." Below the name field, there is an Invite People section. Tap the plus (+) button and type in the Apple ID email addresses of the family members you want to invite. Each person will receive a notification on their iPhone asking them to join. Tap Create when you are done entering names.

How do I invited members accept the invitation?

Each person you invited will receive a notification on their iPhone. They tap the notification or open the Photos app and go to the Shared Albums section to see your invitation. They tap Accept. Once they accept, they will see the album and can add photos. You will see their name appear as a contributor in the album's settings.

How do I add photos to the shared album?

Open the shared album (it will appear under Shared Albums in the Albums tab). Tap the plus (+) button inside the album to add photos. Your photo library will open. Select the photos or videos you want to share and tap Add. They will appear in the shared album and everyone with access will see them immediately.

How do I view, comment, and like photos?

Open the shared album and tap any photo to view it. Below the photo, you can tap the heart icon to like it, or tap the speech bubble to type a comment. Everyone in the album can see likes and comments. To see who added a specific photo, look at the contributor name shown below the photo. To subscribe to notifications when new photos are added, tap the person icon at the top of the album and make sure Notifications is turned on.

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A shared iCloud photo album is a private photo album in the Apple Photos app that multiple family members can all access. Anyone you invite can add photos to the album and see photos that others have added. You can think of it as a family photo album that lives on everyone's phones at the same time.

This is a popular way for families to share photos of grandchildren, vacations, holidays, and everyday moments without emailing or texting individual photos back and forth. Everyone with access sees the full album and can add their own photos whenever they like.

Here is what shared albums can do: - Multiple people can add photos and videos to the same album - Everyone in the album can see all photos added by any member - People can leave comments and react with a heart to individual photos - The album stays synced automatically — when someone adds a photo, everyone sees it - You choose exactly who is invited and can add or remove people at any time

Shared albums are free and do not count against your iCloud storage — the photos are stored separately in the shared album system.

One important note: each person you invite must have an Apple ID (the account linked to their iPhone or iPad) to join and contribute to a shared album. People without an Apple device or Apple ID can only view photos via a public website link that you can optionally enable — they cannot add photos.

Shared albums work across iPhones, iPads, and Macs. If a family member has an older iPhone or iPad running iOS 12 or later, they can use shared albums.

How to Create a Shared iCloud Photo Album for Your Family

Open the Photos app and go to Albums

Name the album and invite people

Invited members accept the invitation

Add photos to the shared album

View, comment, and like photos

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