You received a shared album from a friend or family member and want to accept it? Here’s how to do it on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
When you accept a shared album, you’ll be able to view the photos and videos in the album, and you’ll be able to add your own photos and videos to the album. You can also share the album with other people. Accepting a shared album is a great way to share photos and videos with friends and family, and it’s a great way to keep track of all of your photos and videos in one place.
Checking Your Shared Albums
To check your shared albums, follow these steps:
- Open the Photos app.
- Tap the Shared tab at the bottom of the screen.
- You will see a list of all the albums that have been shared with you.
If you want to view a shared album, simply tap on it. You can also tap on the More button in the top-right corner of the screen to view more options, such as adding photos to the album or downloading the album to your device.
| Steps to check your shared albums: |
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Accepting Shared Albums via Email
When you receive an email invitation to join a shared album, you can accept it by following these steps:
Open the Email Invitation
Check your email inbox for a message from Google Photos with the subject line "[Album name] – Invited to collaborate."
Click on the “Join Album” Button
The email will contain a large blue button labeled "Join Album." Click on this button to accept the invitation.
Customize Album Settings (Optional)
Once you join the album, you’ll be taken to a page where you can customize your album settings. You can choose to:
- Grant editing permissions: Allow other collaborators to edit the album and add or remove photos.
- Add people: Invite new collaborators to join the album.
- Share a link: Generate a link to the album that you can share with others.
Additional Information:
- If you don’t see the "Join Album" button in the email, try opening the email in a web browser.
- You can also accept an invitation by clicking on the "View album" link in the email.
- If you decline the invitation, you won’t be able to access the album.
- You can leave a shared album at any time by clicking on the "Leave album" button in the album settings.
Accepting Shared Albums from Photos App (iOS)
When you receive an invitation to a shared album in the Photos app on your iOS device, you’ll need to accept the invitation before you can view or interact with the album’s content.
1. Open the Photos App
Launch the Photos app on your iOS device. The app icon features a multicolored flower.
2. Tap the Shared Tab
At the bottom of the screen, tap the “Shared” tab. This will display a list of shared albums you’ve been invited to.
3. Find the Shared Album
Scroll through the list of shared albums until you find the one you want to accept. The album should have a title and a preview image.
4. Tap “Accept”
Tap the “Accept” button next to the shared album to accept the invitation and add the album to your Photos library. If the album is already accepted, you will see a “Joined” button instead. Tap it to open the shared album
| Status | Button Title | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Not Accepted | Accept | Adds the shared album to your Photos library |
| Accepted | Joined | Opens the shared album |
Accepting Shared Albums from Google Photos (Android)
When someone shares an album with you on Google Photos, you’ll receive a notification. To accept the shared album, follow these steps:
1. Open the Google Photos app on your Android device.
2. Tap the “Shared” tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Find the shared album you want to accept and tap on it.
4. Tap the “Accept” button.
5. The shared album will now be added to your Google Photos library.
Additional Sharing Options:
When you accept a shared album, you can choose to add it to your own library or view it as a guest. If you add it to your library, you’ll be able to edit and share the album with others. If you view it as a guest, you’ll only be able to view the album and its contents.
You can also choose to receive notifications for new photos and videos added to the shared album. To do this, tap the “Notifications” icon in the top right corner of the shared album and select “On”.
If you decide you no longer want to view a shared album, you can remove it from your library. To do this, tap the “Shared” tab at the bottom of the screen, find the shared album you want to remove, and tap the “Remove” button
Managing Permissions in Shared Albums
After you’ve created a shared album, you can manage who can view, add, and edit photos and videos within it. To do so, follow these steps:
- Open the shared album you want to manage.
- Click the “Share” button in the top-right corner.
- In the “People with access” section, click the “Manage permissions” link.
- A list of people with access to the album will appear. Click the “Change” link next to the person’s name whose permissions you want to change.
- Select the new permission level you want to grant the person. The options are “Can view,” “Can add,” “Can edit,” and “Can manage.”
- Click the “Save” button to save your changes.
Here’s a table summarizing the different permission levels:
| Permission level | What the person can do |
|---|---|
| Can view | The person can view the photos and videos in the album but cannot add, edit, or delete them. |
| Can add | The person can add photos and videos to the album but cannot edit or delete them. |
| Can edit | The person can add, edit, and delete photos and videos in the album. |
| Can manage | The person can add, edit, delete, and share the album with others. |
You can also use the “Add people” button to invite new people to the album and set their permission level. Simply enter the person’s email address or Google+ profile name and select the permission level you want to grant them.
How to Accept a Shared Album
Click the link in the email or text message invitation you received.
If you’re not already signed in to your Google Account, you’ll be prompted to do so.
Click “Accept.”
Sharing Shared Albums with Others
Once you’ve accepted a shared album, you can share it with others by clicking the “Share” button and entering their email addresses.
You can also invite others to collaborate on a shared album by clicking the “Collaborators” button and entering their email addresses.
Collaborators can add, edit, or delete photos and videos from the album. They can also invite other people to collaborate.
If you want to stop sharing a shared album, click the “Share” button and remove the people you want to stop sharing with.
You can also remove collaborators from a shared album by clicking the “Collaborators” button and removing their email addresses.
| Sharing Permissions | |
|
Can view |
Users can view the album and its contents. |
|
Can edit |
Users can add, edit, or delete photos and videos from the album. |
|
Can collaborate |
Users can add, edit, or delete photos and videos from the album, and they can invite other people to collaborate. |
Troubleshooting Issues with Shared Albums
Album Not Appearing
Ensure the album has been shared with your Google account by checking the shared link or contact the album owner. Verify you have an active internet connection and try refreshing the album page.
Access Denied
Confirm the album owner has granted you access by checking the sharing permissions. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and try reloading the album.
Low Image Quality
Verify the image size has not been reduced by the album owner. Some settings in Google Photos may optimize images for smaller sizes. You can check the original image quality by downloading it.
Can’t Add Photos or Comment
Make sure you have the necessary permissions set by the album owner. Try re-accepting the shared album or contacting the owner to verify your permissions.
Album Suddenly Disappeared
The album may have been deleted by the owner. Check with them to confirm or search for the album again in your Google Photos library.
Unable to Share or Download
Verify you have sufficient storage space in your Google Drive. Ensure sharing permissions have not been revoked by the album owner.
Issues with Live Albums
Live albums require the Google Photos app and a stable internet connection. Ensure your app is up to date and you have a strong network signal.
Not Receiving Notifications
Check if notifications are enabled in your Google Photos settings. Make sure your device has allowed notifications for the app and has a stable internet connection.
Slow Loading or Syncing Issues
Ensure you have a strong internet connection. Try refreshing the album or restarting the Google Photos app. If the issue persists, contact Google Photos support.
Accepting a Shared Album
To accept a shared album, simply click on the link in the email or text message you received. You will be prompted to sign in to your Google account, if you are not already signed in. Once you are signed in, you will be taken to the shared album. You can then view the photos and videos in the album, and you can also download them or share them with others.
Best Practices for Using Shared Albums
1. Use a descriptive title for your shared album.
This will help your friends and family easily identify the album and its contents.
2. Add a description to your shared album.
This is a great way to provide additional information about the album, such as the date and location of the photos or videos.
3. Invite the right people to your shared album.
Only invite people who you want to have access to your photos and videos.
4. Give your collaborators the right permissions.
You can choose to give your collaborators permission to view only, comment on, or add photos and videos to the album.
5. Keep your shared album organized.
Create subalbums to help you organize your photos and videos.
6. Share your shared album with a link.
This is a great way to share your album with people who don’t have a Google account.
7. Download your shared album.
You can download a copy of your shared album to your computer or mobile device.
8. Print your shared album.
You can order prints of your photos and videos from your shared album.
9. Create a photo book from your shared album.
You can create a photo book from your shared album using Google Photos.
10. Archive your shared album.
When you’re finished with a shared album, you can archive it to free up space in your Google account. You can still access your archived albums later, if you need to.
| Permissions | What collaborators can do |
|---|---|
| View | Can view photos and videos in the album |
| Comment | Can view photos and videos in the album, and can comment on them |
| Add | Can view, comment on, and add photos and videos to the album |
How To Accept A Shared Album
When someone shares an album with you via Google Photos, you’ll receive a notification. To accept the shared album, follow these steps:
- Open the Google Photos app on your device.
- Tap the “Sharing” tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the “Shared Albums” section.
- Find the album that you want to accept and tap on it.
- Tap the “Accept” button.
The shared album will now be added to your Google Photos library. You can view the photos and videos in the album, and you can add your own photos and videos to the album if the owner has given you permission.
People Also Ask
How do I know if someone has shared an album with me?
When someone shares an album with you, you’ll receive a notification in the Google Photos app. The notification will include the name of the person who shared the album and the name of the album.
Can I accept a shared album on my computer?
Yes, you can accept a shared album on your computer by visiting the Google Photos website. Sign in to your Google account and click on the “Sharing” tab. Then, click on the “Shared Albums” section and find the album that you want to accept. Click on the “Accept” button to add the album to your Google Photos library.
Why can’t I accept a shared album?
There are a few reasons why you might not be able to accept a shared album:
- You don’t have a Google account.
- The person who shared the album with you has not given you permission to accept the album.
- The shared album is full.
- The shared album has been deleted.
