How to make a shared album can feel confusing when you simply want everyone to see the same photos without sending dozens of images one by one.
The process becomes even less clear when some people use Android or cannot find the Shared Albums option on their iPhone. Fortunately, Apple’s built-in Shared Albums feature lets you organize photos in one place, invite others, and control who can contribute.
Follow the steps below to create your album correctly, avoid common sharing issues, and choose the right option when your group uses different devices.
1. Before You Start: Enable Shared Albums
The Shared Albums feature must be turned on in your iCloud settings before it appears in the Photos app. This is a one-time step. If you skip it, the option to create a shared album will not show up.
Follow these steps:
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Tap your name at the top
- Tap iCloud
- Tap Photos
- Toggle Shared Albums ON
Once the toggle is on, return to the Photos app to carry out how to make a shared album
2. How to Make a Shared Album on iPhone
There are two ways to set up a shared album, depending on the iOS version your iPhone is running. Check which version you have before starting, then follow the steps that match your device.
Create the Shared Album
iOS 26 steps:
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone
- Tap Collections at the bottom of the screen
- Scroll down to Shared Albums and tap it
- Tap the Add (+) button
- Tap Add Photos and select the photos or videos you want to include
- Type a name for the album
- Tap Add Participants, then enter a contact name or an email address or phone number associated with the recipient’s Apple Account
- Tap Done
- Tap Create
iOS 18 steps (alternative):
- Open the Photos app
- Scroll down to Shared Albums
- Tap Shared Albums
- Tap Create
- Type a name for the album and choose the photos you want to include
- Choose people from your contacts, or enter an email address or iMessage phone number
- Tap Done
- Tap Create
iOS 17 or earlier:
- Open Photos and tap the Albums tab
- Tap the + button in the top-left corner
- Tap New Shared Album
- Type a name and tap Next
- Add participants and tap Create
Note: You cannot convert an existing personal album into a shared album. You must create a new shared album and then add the photos you want to include.
Add Photos and Manage the Album
To add photos, you should follow the 4 steps below:
- To add photos, follow the steps below:
- Open the shared album
- Tap the More (···) button
- Tap Add Photos
- Select the photos or videos you want to share
- Tap Done
Participants receive a notification when you add new content. They can also add their own photos and videos if Participants Can Add Photos is turned on.
Invite more people after creation:
- Open the shared album
- Tap the More (···) button
- Tap the album name
- Tap Add Participants and enter their details
However, you may know some key limits:
- Up to 100 subscribers per shared album
- Up to 5,000 photos and videos total
- Photos are compressed to 2048 pixels on the long edge
- Shared Album photos do not count against your iCloud storage
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3. Can You Turn an Existing Album into a Shared Album?
No. iPhone does not allow you to convert a personal album into a shared album directly. The only way to share photos from an existing album is to create a new shared album and add the photos you want to include.
The process takes under a minute. Open the shared album after creating it, tap Add Photos, and select the images from your existing album. They copy into the shared album without removing them from your personal library.
4. Can You Do a Shared Album With Androids?
How to make a shared album for an Android device?
Android users can view an iPhone Shared Album, but they cannot upload their own photos through Apple’s Public Website link.
Android users can view and download the shared content through a public website link generated from the album settings. However, anyone who receives or obtains the link can access the album. If you need Android users to contribute photos, use a cross-platform service such as Google Photos instead.
Option 1: Public website link (view only for Android users)
- Open the shared album
- Tap the More (···) button
- Tap the album name
- Toggle Public Website ON
- Tap Share Link and send it through Messages, Mail, or another app
- Tap Done
Anyone with the link can access the album in a supported browser. They cannot add photos or videos through the public link.
Option 2: Use Google Photos for full cross-platform sharing
- Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone or Android phone
- Select the photos or videos you want to include
- Tap Add or Create
- Tap Album and enter an album title
- Tap Share
- Choose the people you want to invite or generate a sharing link
Make sure collaboration is allowed if you want other Google Account users to add their own photos and videos.
Both iPhone and Android users can view the album. Users signed in to a Google Account can also contribute when collaboration is enabled.
5. How to Fix if the Shared Album is Not Working?
If you cannot find the shared album option or an invitation is not appearing for someone, check the most common causes how to make a shared album is not working below.
| Issue | What It Means | Quick Fix |
| Shared Albums option not showing in Photos | The Shared Albums toggle is off in iCloud | Go to Settings > your name > iCloud > Photos and toggle Shared Albums ON |
| Participant is not receiving the invitation | The invitation may have been sent to contact information that is not connected to the recipient’s Apple Account or iMessage | Invite the person using a contact name, email address, or phone number connected to their Apple Account. You can also open the album, tap More, tap the album name, select the participant, and tap Resend Invitation |
| Android users cannot add photos | This is expected behavior | Enable Public Website or switch to Google Photos for two-way Android sharing |
| The invitation disappeared before it was accepted | Notification was dismissed | Open the shared album, tap More (···), tap the album name, tap the participant’s name, and tap Resend Invitation |
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6. FAQ
Q1. Do photos in a shared album count against my iCloud storage?
No. Photos and videos in Shared Albums do not count against your iCloud storage. However, shared copies may be compressed, so they may not keep the original resolution.
Q2. What is the difference between a Shared Album and iCloud Shared Photo Library?
A Shared Album is best for sharing selected photos with up to 100 subscribers. iCloud Shared Photo Library supports up to six people who can add, edit, and delete photos in one shared library.
Q3. How to make an album a shared album
You cannot directly convert an existing album into a Shared Album. To learn how to make an album a shared album, create a new Shared Album and add the photos from your existing album.
Final Words
Now you know how to make a shared album on iPhone, invite participants, and manage who can view and add photos.
Make sure Shared Albums is turned on in your iCloud settings first; without this step, the option will not appear in the Photos app.
If your group includes Android users who need to upload photos, Google Photos is the most reliable cross-platform option. Open Settings right now, tap your name, tap iCloud, tap Photos, and turn on Shared Albums to get started.
