How To Use the New iCloud Shared Photo Library

You can now have a shared photo library between you and other members of your family. Each person can edit and manage the photos in the library and you can view photos in it alongside photos in your own personal library.

Comments: 12 Responses to “How To Use the New iCloud Shared Photo Library”

    David Rose
    1 year ago

    Another great video, thanks
    On my Mac I have a large Photo Library - about 300GB run from a separate SSD and backed up to a 2TB cloud service. I have the 200GB iCloud package but been reluctant to move up to the next level as never had a need. However, I like the idea of Shared Photo Library but if I enable iCloud to use Photos (which I need to do to use the Shared Photo Library feature) this will use up all my storage. Is there any way round this or is 2TB icloud storage the only option?

    1 year ago

    David: You'd need to up your storage, yes. No way around that. You can't fit 300GB into a 200GB space.

    Will
    1 year ago

    Great video. Thanks.

    Paul Nielan
    1 year ago

    Excellent video. Great pacing. Only thing I'm not clear on is Favorites and the Shared Library. Are ALL (even past) Favorited photos automatically shared, or just from now on, or something else? And it this configurable?

    1 year ago

    Paul: "Favorites" is a tag, essentially. Anything tagged as a favorite and is in the Shared Library will show up for everyone as tagged a favorite in their Shared Library.

    Randy
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary, I have combined my and my wife's photos about 10 days ago. It showed about 10 duplicates but no more? I am certain there are at least 200 duplicates. Can't figure out what I have done wrong. I am choosing both libraries but doesn't seem to matter...

    1 year ago

    Randy: Perhaps you overestimated. Or, maybe you just haven't waited long enough for it to find them?

    Pat Arnold
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary, Is it possible to copy/import a photo from another participant in a shared library into own’s own personal library?
    For example, my wife has a stack of photos she took and put on her shared library with me and I want to keep one of the photos but I don’t want her to lose it from her own library.
    Sorry if you explained this but I missed this on your excellent tutorial.

    1 year ago

    Pat: Yes, you can use the Duplicate function to create a copy of a Photo in the Shared library that is in your Personal Library. But one of the main points of having a Shared Library is that you don't need to do this. If they are in your Shared Library you have the photos. No need for a duplicate.

    Graham Hoare
    1 year ago

    Gary - great video, it has helped my understanding of how to use shared library - Thanks

    Dave R
    11 months ago

    Great tutorial and great explanation

    Betsy RC
    11 months ago

    Very helpful - I did not know about the Affinity connection. I am still (with an old MacMini) on Mojave but am thinking about upgrading to a Mini M2/Pro (maybe the Pro), hoping that Photos has also improved.

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