Create a folder by opening the Photos app and using Albums
The Photos app on your iPhone does not work like a computer file system with nested folders. Instead, you organize photos using Albums, which act as collections within the app. To create an album, open the Photos app, tap the "Albums" tab at the bottom, then tap the plus sign (+) in the upper left corner and select "New Album". Give it a name — like "Vacation 2024" or "Family Events" — and tap "Save".
After you create the album, the app will ask you to select which photos to add to it. You can tap photos one at a time, or tap "Select" to choose multiple photos at once. Once you have selected the photos you want, tap "Done" and they will be added to your new album. The original photos stay in your main library; the album is just a way to group them together.
You can create as many albums as you want, and a single photo can belong to multiple albums at the same time. This is different from a computer folder, where a file lives in only one place.
Key Takeaways
- Albums in the Photos app work like collections or tags, not like computer folders — a photo can be in multiple albums at once.
- Create an album by opening Photos, tapping Albums, tapping the plus sign, naming the album, and then selecting which photos to add.
- You can add photos to an existing album later by opening the album, tapping "Select", and tapping the plus sign to add more photos.
- Shared Albums let you invite other people to view and add photos to the same collection, which is useful for group events or family photos.
Add photos to an album after you create it
You do not have to add all your photos when you first create the album. Open the Photos app, go to the Albums tab, and find the album you want to add to. Tap "Select" in the upper right corner, then tap the plus sign (+) that appears. This will show you all your photos. Tap any photo you want to add — a checkmark will appear — and tap "Done" when you are finished.
You can also add a photo to an album while you are viewing it. Open any photo in your library, tap the three dots (•••) at the bottom right, scroll down, and tap "Add to Album". A list of your existing albums will appear. Tap the album you want, and the photo will be added to it.
Use Smart Albums to organize photos automatically
Smart Albums sort your photos by rules you set, without you having to add them manually. When you create a new album, you have the option to make it a "Smart Album" instead of a regular one. Tap the plus sign in the Albums tab, select "New Smart Album", and then choose your sorting rules — like "Photos taken in the last month" or "Photos with a certain location".
Smart Albums update on their own as you take new photos. If you create a Smart Album for "Photos taken this week", it will automatically include any new photos you take this week, and old photos will drop out when the week ends. This is useful if you want to keep track of recent photos without managing the album yourself.
Organize albums into folders for easier browsing
If you have many albums, you can group them into folders to keep your Albums tab clean. In the Albums tab, tap "Edit" in the upper left corner. Then tap the plus sign and select "New Folder". Name the folder — like "Vacations" or "Kids" — and tap "Save".
Once the folder exists, you can drag albums into it. While still in Edit mode, tap and hold an album, then drag it into the folder. When you are done organizing, tap "Done" in the upper left. Your albums will now be grouped inside folders, and you can tap a folder to see all the albums inside it.
Share albums with family and friends
A Shared Album lets other people view photos you add to it, and they can add their own photos too. This is useful for group events, family photos, or collaborative projects. To create a Shared Album, tap the plus sign in the Albums tab and select "New Shared Album". Give it a name and tap "Next".
The app will ask you to invite people. You can add them by typing their name or phone number, or by selecting them from your contacts. They will receive an invitation and can accept it to join the album. Once they join, any photos they add will appear in the album for everyone to see. You can turn off comments or limit who can add photos if you want to keep the album read-only.
Back up your albums to iCloud
Your albums are stored on your iPhone, but they are also backed up to iCloud if you have iCloud Photos turned on. To check this, open Settings, tap your name at the top, tap "iCloud", then tap "Photos". Make sure "iCloud Photos" is toggled on. This way, if you lose your phone or get a new one, your albums and photos will still be there when you sign in with your Apple ID.
If you turn off iCloud Photos, your albums will stay on your iPhone but will not be backed up to the cloud. You can still use albums normally, but you will lose them if something happens to your phone and you do not have another backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move a photo from one album to another?
A photo can be in multiple albums at the same time, so you do not move it — you just add it to a new album. Open the photo, tap the three dots, tap "Add to Album", and select the new album. The photo will stay in your other albums too.
What happens to my album if I delete a photo?
If you delete a photo from your library, it will be removed from all albums that contain it. If you only want to remove it from one album, open the album, tap "Select", tap the photo, and tap "Remove". The photo will stay in your library and other albums.
Can I rename an album after I create it?
Yes. Go to the Albums tab, tap "Edit", then tap the album name. Type the new name and tap "Done". You can rename albums as many times as you want.
Do shared albums take up storage space on my iPhone?
Shared albums count toward your iCloud storage, not your iPhone storage. If you are running low on iCloud space, shared albums with many photos can fill it up. You can delete photos from a shared album to free up space, but other people in the album will still see them unless they delete them too.
Can I organize albums inside folders on my computer?
Folders only work in the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad. On a Mac or Windows computer, you can view your albums but cannot organize them into folders. You can create new albums on your computer, and they will sync to your iPhone through iCloud.