iCloud Shared Photo Library

Q: How many people can join an iCloud Shared Photo Library?

Up to six people total can participate in an iCloud Shared Photo Library, including the person who creates it. All members have equal permissions to add, edit, and delete photos.

Q: What is the difference between Shared Library and Shared Albums?

Shared Albums allow multiple people to view and contribute to a single album, but each user keeps a separate library. iCloud Shared Photo Library merges full photos into a single library that everyone can edit equally, including organizing, captioning, and deleting.

iCloud Shared Photo Library is an Apple feature introduced in iOS 16.1 (October 2022) that lets up to six people share a single, collaborative photo library. All members can add, edit, favorite, caption, and delete photos and videos. Storage only counts against the library creator's iCloud quota.

How It Works

One person creates the Shared Library and invites up to five others. Photos can be moved into the Shared Library individually, in bulk, or automatically using rules based on date or detected people. Once in the Shared Library, every participant sees the same photos in their own Photos app, organized alongside their personal library.

Edits and deletions sync to everyone in real time. A small badge in the Photos app shows whether you're viewing your personal library, the shared library, or both at once. You can switch between views using a button in the top corner.

Key Features

Up to 6 people — including the creator
Equal permissions — everyone can add, edit, and delete
Storage on creator only — participants don't pay storage
Automatic sharing rules — share based on date, location, or who's in the photo
Camera shortcut — a toggle in the Camera app sends new photos straight to the shared library
Memories and Featured Photos — pull from the shared library for everyone

Shared Library vs Shared Albums

iCloud Shared Albums are a separate, older feature where each photo is shared individually as a downsized copy with limited resolution and no edit syncing. Shared Photo Library is much more powerful: full-resolution, full sync, and treated as part of each user's main library.

Requirements

Every participant must be running iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16.1, or macOS Ventura 13.1 or later, and must have iCloud Photos turned on. The library creator needs enough iCloud storage to hold all the shared content.

Related Terms

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people can join an iCloud Shared Photo Library?

Up to six people total, including the creator. All members have equal permissions.

Does the Shared Library count against my iCloud storage?

Photos in the Shared Library only count against the iCloud storage of the person who created the library, not other participants.

What is the difference between Shared Library and Shared Albums?

Shared Albums share individual photos as downsized copies. Shared Library merges full-resolution photos into a single library everyone can edit equally.

Tidy Up Before Sharing Your Library

Swype Photo Cleaner makes it easy to clean out blurry shots, screenshots, and duplicates before joining a shared library.

Download Swype Free