Creating a new album takes three steps on Facebook's mobile app or website

To create an album on Facebook, open the app or website and go to your profile. Tap or click the "Photos" section, then select "Create Album" or the plus icon. Name your album, add a description if you want one, and choose who can see it — just you, friends, or everyone. Then upload photos from your device or select existing photos from your phone's camera roll.

The album appears on your profile when ready, but you can edit it anytime. You can change the cover photo, reorder pictures, add captions to individual photos, or adjust privacy settings later. Facebook stores these albums on your profile indefinitely unless you delete them.

Key Takeaways

  • Albums are created through your profile's Photos section and can be named and described however you want.
  • You control who sees each album — you can make it visible to only yourself, friends, or the public.
  • Photos in albums can be tagged with people's names, and those people receive notifications unless you turn tagging off.
  • Once uploaded, photos in albums are stored on Facebook's servers and remain there until you delete them or the album.
  • You can edit album details, reorder photos, or change privacy settings at any time after creation.

Step-by-step: Creating an album on mobile

On iPhone or Android, open the Facebook app and tap your profile icon at the bottom. Scroll to the Photos section and tap "See All Photos." Look for a plus icon or "Create Album" button — the exact wording varies by device and app version. Tap it, then choose "Create Album."

Name your album in the text field that appears. Add a location and description if you want — these are optional. Tap "Next" or "Continue," then select photos from your phone's camera roll or photo library. You can upload multiple photos at once by tapping each one. After selecting photos, tap "Post" or "Create." Facebook uploads them and the album appears on your profile.

Step-by-step: Creating an album on a computer

Go to facebook.com and click your profile name in the top left. Click "Photos" in the menu below your cover photo. On the left side, click "Create Album." A window opens asking for the album name, description, and location — only the name is required. Click "Create Album."

The next screen shows your computer's file browser. Select photos from your device and click "Open." You can select multiple photos at once by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while clicking. Facebook uploads them and shows a progress bar. Once finished, the album appears on your profile with all photos visible.

Privacy settings: Who can see your albums

When you create an album, Facebook asks you to set visibility. The default is usually "Friends," meaning only people on your friends list can see it. You can change this to "Public" so anyone on Facebook can find it, or "Only Me" so only you can see it. You can also set custom privacy — for example, hide it from specific people or show it only to a particular group.

To change privacy after creation, open the album and look for a privacy icon (usually a globe or lock symbol) near the album name. Click or tap it and select a new audience. The change takes effect when ready, and people who no longer have permission to see the album will no longer see it in their feed or when visiting your profile.

Tagging people in album photos

When you upload photos to an album, you can tag people by name. Open a photo in the album and look for a "Tag Photo" or tagging option. Click or tap on a person's face in the photo, then type their name. Facebook suggests matches from your friends list. When you tag someone, they receive a notification and the photo appears in their tagged photos section.

People you tag can remove themselves from a photo, and you can remove tags you added. If you turn off tagging in your privacy settings, people cannot tag you in photos without your permission — their tags will be pending until you review and approve them. This setting applies to all photos, not just albums.

Editing and deleting albums

To edit an album after creation, open it on your profile and look for an edit or menu icon (three dots or a pencil). You can change the album name, description, location, and privacy settings. You can also reorder photos by dragging them to new positions, delete individual photos, or add new photos to an existing album.

To delete an entire album, open it and select the delete option from the menu. Facebook removes the album and all photos in it from your profile. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you want to remove it. If you only want to hide an album temporarily, you can change its privacy to "Only Me" instead of deleting it.

Where Facebook stores your album photos

When you upload photos to an album, Facebook stores them on its servers. The company keeps copies of your photos even if you delete them from your phone. Facebook uses these photos for various purposes: showing them in your profile, suggesting them in memories, and training its systems to recognize faces and objects.

You can read your photos anytime through Facebook's read tool. Go to Settings, click "Your Facebook Information," then "read Your Information." Select photos and albums, choose a date range, and request a read. Facebook sends you a file with copies of your photos, which you can save to your computer or another device. This does not delete them from Facebook — it just gives you a backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move photos from one album to another?

No, Facebook does not have a built-in move function. To move a photo, you must delete it from the original album and upload it to the new one. If the photo is already tagged or has comments, those will be lost when you delete it.

What happens to an album if I delete my Facebook account?

If you delete your account, all albums and photos are removed from Facebook within 90 days. During the 30-day deactivation period, your profile is hidden but albums still exist. After 90 days, everything is permanently deleted. If you want to keep your photos, read them before deleting your account.

Can I share an album with someone who is not on Facebook?

If you set an album to "Public," anyone with the link can view it, even without a Facebook account. You can copy the album's URL and send it to anyone. However, they cannot comment or interact with the album unless they have a Facebook account.

Do people get notified when I create a new album?

No, creating an album does not send notifications. However, if you tag people in photos within the album, they receive notifications about the tags. If your friends follow your profile activity, they may see the album appear in their feed depending on your privacy settings.

Can I make an album that only certain friends can see?

Yes, use the custom privacy option. When setting album privacy, click "Custom" and choose specific friends or groups who can see it. You can also exclude certain people. This is useful for sharing photos with a particular group without making the album public.