How to Create a Shared Album in Google Photos

Create the shared album on iPhone or Android

1. Open Google Photos and sign in to the account that should own the album. Open the Photos tab.
2. For several pictures, touch and hold to select them, then choose Create → Album. For one picture, open it and choose Add → Album → New Album.
3. Give the album a recognizable name, such as “Family weekends,” then select Done.
4. Open Share and choose the people to invite. Check the email addresses rather than relying only on profile pictures.

Google documents these steps for Android and iPhone/iPad. Labels can vary with app updates. If you already have an album, open it and use Share instead of creating a duplicate.

Create it on a computer

1. Visit photos.google.com and sign in. Select the pictures you want to include.
2. Choose Add → Album → New album. Name the album and finish with Done.
3. Open the album’s sharing control and choose the recipients, then send the invitation.

Google’s computer album instructions cover creating the collection; its sharing instructions cover inviting people. Use your own account as owner, rather than borrowing a relative’s login. That makes it clear who should manage the album later.

Choose account invitations or a viewing link

For a small family circle, start with named Google Account invitations and leave Link sharing off unless you need it. A viewing link is useful for someone who does not use Google Photos or have a Google Account, but it can be forwarded. “Anyone with the link” is a wider audience than “the people I sent it to.”

Named invitations also have a limit worth understanding: Google says people who already have access can add others. Review the audience over time rather than assuming the original invitation list can never expand. Google explains these behaviors in its shared-album privacy controls and Photos safety overview.

Check who can add photos

Open the album’s menu and look for Sharing or Sharing settings; on the web, look under Options. Turn Collaborate off if the album should be a collection you publish for others to view. Google says this is an album-wide control: you cannot use it to block contributions from only one selected person. Existing contributions remain unless removed. See Google’s contribution settings.

Agree on the album’s purpose before inviting everyone. A holiday collection where several adults upload photos needs a different routine from a baby-update album curated by one parent. Put that expectation in the invitation: “Please add your holiday photos here,” or “We’ll add updates here; please ask before reposting.”

Run a small family check before adding private photos

• Invite one relative first. Ask them to open the album on the phone or browser they normally use.
• Confirm they can see the sample photos. If they should contribute, ask them to add one ordinary picture.
• Check the account names in the album. If a name is unfamiliar, resolve it before adding personal pictures.
• Review Link sharing and Collaborate again. Decide whether the tested setup matches your intended audience.
• Keep your original files separately. Treat this album as a sharing arrangement, not your only recovery plan.

This check is a suggested family routine, not a claim that we tested your devices. If you are still choosing between services, our Google Photos alternative comparison explains the separate decision of keeping a backup library versus creating a dedicated family feed.

Stop access when the audience changes

As owner, open the album’s sharing controls and remove the person. If Link sharing is still on, disable it too: removing a member alone does not invalidate a link they already hold. To stop sharing the album altogether, remove all members and turn Link sharing off. Google warns that stopping sharing removes other people’s contributions and comments, so save anything you are entitled to keep first. Google’s stop-sharing guide documents these controls.

You cannot recall downloads or other copies already made. For that reason, choose an audience you trust with the actual pictures, not only with the invitation. If copying is your main concern, read what shared albums can and cannot do about screenshots.

Avoid automatic additions until you understand them

Google Photos also supports live albums that add matching people or pets automatically, where available. That is a separate choice from manually selecting photos. Start with a manually curated album if you want to approve each picture. Review Google’s live-album instructions before enabling automatic additions.

When a paid family app is worth considering

Keep Google Photos if its shared album does the job you want. Consider Clann if you want a dedicated family space and its subscription-funded privacy model. Clann does not sell user data, show ads, or use family photos and videos to train AI. New family groups are end-to-end encrypted by default; the security reference explains the scope and limits.

The family subscription pays for that service. Clann’s current advertised US pricing is $59.99 per year after a seven-day free trial, or $11.99 monthly. Check the plan and localized price shown in your mobile store before subscribing. See the current plan explanation.

Related guides: Sharing across iPhone and Android · Helping grandparents view photos · Compare Google Photos and Clann

Try a dedicated family space

Download Clann on iPhone or Android and start your trial inside the app. Try a small family group before deciding whether to make it your everyday sharing space.