If Shared Albums aren't working

Find out what to do if you can't see your shared albums, if your shared album isn't syncing or updating, or if you need to resend a shared album invite.

• If you can't see your shared album or your shared album isn't syncing

• If you need to resend a shared album invite

• If you're missing shared album data

• If you need help with a shared album invite

• How to back up a shared album

If you can't see your shared album or your shared album isn't syncing

1. Make sure that your device meets the minimum system requirements for Shared Albums.

2. Check the internet connection on all your devices by going to apple.com or iCloud.com.

3. Check whether the album or content is accessible on a different device or by another subscriber of the shared album.

4. Back up the photos in your Shared Album. Then, turn Shared Albums off and back on again: Go to Settings > Apps > Photos. In iOS 17 or earlier, go to Settings > Photos. Then turn off Shared Albums. Wait 10 minutes. Turn Shared Albums back on again.

If you need to resend a shared album invite

On your iPhone or iPad

1. Open Photos, then scroll down to Shared Albums. In iOS 17 or earlier, tap the Albums tab.

2. Tap a shared album that you created, then tap the More button. Select Shared Album Details. In iOS 17 or earlier, tap a shared album you’ve created, then go to the People tab.

   

3. Select the person's name in the list of subscribers.

4. Tap Resend Invitation.

   

5. If you previously removed this person from the list of subscribers, tap Invite People, type their name to invite them from your Contacts, then tap Add.

On your Mac

1. Open the Photos app.

2. Under Shared Albums in the sidebar, select a shared album that you created.

3. Click the People button in the toolbar.

4. In the list of subscribers, click the arrow next to the person's name.

5. Choose Resend Invitation.

6. If you previously removed this person from the list of subscribers, click the Add button to open the Contacts panel, then choose people to invite from your contacts.

On your PC using iCloud for Windows:

1. Open iCloud Shared Albums, and double-click the shared album that you created to open it.

2. Click Options in the toolbar.

3. Click the name of the person who wants to subscribe.

4. Click "Resend invitation", then click Done.

If you're missing shared album data

If you're missing comments or likes on content in a shared album:

1. Go to the System Status page to check for issues affecting Photos.

2. Check the internet connection on all your devices by going to apple.com or iCloud.com.

3. Back up the photos in your Shared Album. Then, turn Shared Albums off and back on again: Go to Settings > Photos, then turn off Shared Albums. Wait 10 minutes. Turn Shared Albums back on again.

If you need help with a shared album invite

• Shared album invitations show up in Notification Centre. If you can't find your invitation there, you can check the Photos app. Find out what to do if you can't find a shared album invitation.

• If you chose not to receive shared album invitations and now want to subscribe to a shared album: Open an invitation sent to your email address, then click Don’t Send Me Shared Album Emails at the bottom of the message. A browser window opens and shows that you're no longer receiving Shared Album invitations. Click "Undo this change". If you no longer have an invitation, contact Apple Support and ask to receive Shared Album invitations.

• If you receive a shared album invitation from someone you don't recognise, click Report Junk in the email invitation or go to the invitation from the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac and choose Report Junk > Delete and Report Junk.

• If you see a message that the shared album is no longer shared, contact the owner of the shared album to ask whether it was deleted, or if they can re-send the invitation.

How to back up a shared album

Shared Album content isn't automatically backed up. When shared, photos are reduced to 2048 pixels on the long edge, panoramic photos can be up to 5400 pixels wide, and videos are delivered at up to 720p resolution. To have a copy in its original resolution, keep your originals in your photo library. If you delete content from your photo library after uploading to a shared album, you no longer have access to the full resolution file.

If you want to save a photo or video from a shared album, add it to your photo library.

• On your iPhone or iPad: Select the photos that you want to save, tap the Share button, then tap Save Image.

• On your Mac: Control-click the photo or video, then select Import.

Any comments or likes attached to a photo or video in a shared album aren't saved with the photo or video.

Get more help with how to use Shared Albums