Move Photos to iCloud Shared Photo Library in iOS 16/iPadOS 16 on iPhone and iPad 

First and foremost, make sure to check out the requirements so that you have a clear understanding of the iCloud Shared Photo Library. 

What are the Requirements for iCloud Shared Photo Library? 

To begin with, ensure that your device is running iOS 16/iPadOS 16 or later. As iCloud Shared Photo Library will use your iCloud storage, make sure you have sufficient iCloud storage. Else, you won’t be able to use this photo storage service. Apple provides 50GB of cloud storage for $0.99/month, 200GB for $2.99/month and 2TB for $9.99/month. To upgrade your iCloud storage, head over to the Settings app on your iPhone -> Apple ID banner/your profile -> iCloud -> scroll down and tap on Upgrade to iCloud+ at the bottom of the screen. Then, follow the instructions to upgrade the storage. 

Set Up iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone and iPad 

  1. To get started, launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Now, scroll down to find Photos and tap on it.
  3. Next, make sure iCloud Photos is enabled. Then, tap Shared Library.
  4. On the next screen, you will get a brief description of the iCloud Shared Photo Library. Tap on the Get Started option at the bottom to proceed.
  5. Next up, tap “Add Participants” and then invite your friends through the Messages app or a link.
  6. Up next up, you will get three options:

All My Photos and Videos: Move all of your photos and videos to the shared library. Choose by Date: Select photos by date. Choose Photos Manually: Manually select the photos you would like to add to the shared library.

Now, choose the preferred way to store your photos in the iCloud Shared Photo Library and you are good to go!

10 Important Things You Need to Know About iCloud Shared Photo Library

  1. Note that Apple lets you share an ‌iCloud Photo Library‌ with up to five other people. In other words, only six people (including you) in total can take part in a shared photo library. 
  2. As outlined above, the person who creates an ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library is recognized as the ” host,” and their ‌iCloud‌ storage space is used for the shared items. 
  3. You are allowed to have only one shared iCloud photo library.
  4. Do note that the added photos are automatically moved from the personal library to the shared library. It’s done to manage the storage smartly.
  5. Everyone who has been invited to participate in an ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library will be able to add, edit, and even delete photos. 
  6. Since there are no restrictions, all participants can manage the shared photo library in line with their preferences. 
  7. If you wish to keep a track of all the updates, you can choose to get a notification when someone deletes photos from the shared library.
  8. If any participant deletes a photo in the shared photo library, the person who had originally shared the photo has the option to move the image to their personal library. 
  9. Moreover, all the deleted images are automatically stored in the Recently Deleted Photos folder to ensure you can recover the photos later if need be. ‌10. Lastly, the photos‌ from the shared library show up at many places such as Features Photos, Photos widget, and Memories. 

Set Up and Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone and iPad

That’s all there is to it! iCloud Shared Photo Library is a secure and reliable way to store and share photos with friends and dear ones. While I’m quite pleased with this photo storage service, I wish Apple slightly increased the capacity of the free storage. At a time when even 100GB of cloud space seems to be too little, 5GB of free iCloud space is insufficient for most. That means unless you subscribe to the iCloud+ plan, you may not be able to take advantage of the iCloud Shared Photo Library. And that’s a huge disappointment. What do you have to say about this limitation? Make sure to share your feedback with us. Read more: How to Lock Photos with Face ID or Touch ID on iPhone in iOS 16