What a shared album is and why you'd use one

A shared album in Google Photos is a folder that multiple people can view and add photos to at the same time. You create it, invite others by email or link, and everyone with access can see what's there and contribute their own images. Unlike sending photos one at a time or creating a group chat, a shared album keeps everything in one place and stays organized as people keep adding to it.

The main reason to use one: a group of people (family at a holiday, friends at a wedding, coworkers on a project) all have photos from the same event, and instead of trading files back and forth, everyone uploads to the same album. Everyone sees everything in real time. No one has to ask "did you get a photo of that moment?"

Shared albums also solve a practical problem. If you're organizing a trip or event and want to collect photos from ten different people, a shared album means you don't have to read files from ten different text conversations or emails. The photos live in one searchable place that everyone can access later.

Key Takeaways

  • You create a shared album from the Google Photos app or website, then invite people by email address or send them a link to join.
  • People you invite can view all photos in the album and add their own, but cannot delete photos others have uploaded unless you change the album settings.
  • A shared album stays active until you delete it, and people can leave the album at any time without affecting what's already there.
  • You can invite up to 200 people to a single shared album, though most shared albums work best with smaller groups.

How to create a shared album on your phone or tablet

Open the Google Photos app on your phone or tablet. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Library tab (on iPhone) or look for the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on Android. Scroll down until you see the Utilities section, then tap Create album.

Select the photos you want to include. You can add as many or as few as you want — you can always add more later. Once you've chosen your photos, tap Create at the bottom right. Give the album a name (something like "Beach Trip 2024" or "Sarah's Birthday"), then tap Create album again.

The album now exists, but it's private. To share it, look for the Share button (usually a person with a plus sign, or an arrow pointing outward). Tap it. Google Photos will show you two options: Invite people or Get link. If you know the email addresses of the people you want to include, choose Invite people, type or paste their addresses, and tap Share. If you'd rather send a link that anyone can use, tap Get link instead, and Google Photos will create a shareable URL you can text, email, or post.

How to create a shared album on a computer

Go to photos.google.com in your web browser and sign in with your Google account. On the left side of the screen, click Create new, then select Album from the dropdown menu.

Type a name for the album, then click Create. Google Photos will open the new album. Now you need to add photos. Click the plus sign button (or Add photos) and select images from your computer or from photos already in your Google Photos library. Once you've added what you want, look for the Share button, usually near the top right of the album.

Click Share. You'll see the same two options: invite specific people by email, or get a shareable link. Type the email addresses of people you want to invite, or copy the link and send it however you prefer. People who receive an invitation will get an email asking them to view the album; people who get the link can start viewing and adding photos right away.

What people can and cannot do in a shared album

By default, anyone you invite to a shared album can view all the photos and add their own. They cannot delete photos that other people uploaded — they can only remove photos they added themselves. This protects the album from accidental or intentional deletion of other people's work.

If you want to change these rules, go back to the album and look for the Settings option (usually a gear icon or three dots). From there, you can turn off the ability for others to add photos, which converts the album to view-only. You can also remove individual people from the album at any time, and they'll lose access when ready.

The person who created the album (you) can always delete the entire album, which removes it for everyone. You can also delete any photo in the album, regardless of who uploaded it.

Inviting people after the album is created

You don't have to invite everyone at once. Open the album, tap or click the Share button again, and add more email addresses or send the link to new people. Existing members stay in the album, and new people get the same access as everyone else.

If someone's email address changes or they're no longer part of the group, open the album settings and look for the list of members. You can remove them by clicking the X or Remove button next to their name. They'll be notified that they've been removed and will no longer see the album.

Troubleshooting common problems

If someone says they didn't receive an invitation email, ask them to check their spam or promotions folder — Google's invitation emails sometimes land there. You can also resend the invitation by going back to the album settings and clicking the share button again.

If someone is trying to use the link but gets an error, make sure the link hasn't been accidentally modified. Copy it directly from Google Photos and paste it into a message rather than typing it by hand. If they're still having trouble, try removing them and re-inviting them by email instead.

If the album isn't showing up on someone's phone, have them close the Google Photos app completely and reopen it. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to display newly shared albums. On a computer, try refreshing the browser page or signing out and back in.

When to use a shared album instead of other options

A shared album works best when you want a permanent, organized collection that multiple people contribute to over time. If you just need to send a few photos to one person right now, the Share button on individual photos is faster. If you're having a real-time conversation about photos, a group chat or messaging app might feel more natural.

But if you're collecting photos from a group event, planning a trip where everyone will take pictures, or building a family archive that people will add to for months, a shared album is the right tool. It keeps everything searchable, prevents duplicates from piling up in different places, and makes sure no one misses a photo because it was buried in someone's email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add photos to a shared album after I create it?

Yes. Open the album and look for the Add photos or plus sign button. You can add photos from your device or from your Google Photos library at any time. Other people in the album can do the same.

What happens if I delete a shared album?

The album disappears for everyone who had access to it. Photos that people uploaded to the shared album are not deleted from their own Google Photos libraries — only the shared album itself is removed. If you want to keep the photos, read them first or ask people to save them.

Can I make a shared album private again?

Yes. Go to the album settings and remove all the people you invited. Once no one else has access, the album is private again. You can also delete the album entirely if you no longer need it.

Is there a limit to how many photos I can add to a shared album?

Google Photos doesn't set a hard limit on shared album size, but very large albums (thousands of photos) can become slow to load. For most purposes, shared albums work fine with hundreds of photos.

Do people need a Google account to view a shared album?

If you invite them by email, they need a Google account to accept the invitation. If you send them a link, they can view the album without signing in, though they won't be able to add photos unless they have a Google account.