---
title: "iPhone Shared Albums: Who Can See Your Photos (2026)"
description: "How iPhone Shared Albums work: who can see your photos, what Public Website does, what happens when you stop sharing or delete, and how to share privately."
url: https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/iphone-shared-album-privacy
lang: en
published: 2026-10-29
updated: 2026-10-29
author: "VaultForYou Editorial Team"
publisher: VaultForYou
---

# iPhone Shared Albums: how they work and who can see your photos

> Shared Albums make it easy to show photos to family and friends, but it's less obvious who can actually see them and what happens when you stop. Here's how they work, and how to share privately.

Published 2026-10-29 - Updated 2026-10-29 - By VaultForYou Editorial Team

## Quick answer

Create a Shared Album in Photos -> Collections -> Shared Albums and invite people. Generally only people you invite or approve can see it, but on iOS 26 and earlier, turning on Public Website lets anyone with the link view it. Deleting a shared album permanently deletes its photos, though copies people already saved stay with them.

- **Where to start:** Photos -> Collections -> Shared Albums -> Add. Turn on Shared Albums in Settings -> your name -> iCloud -> Photos first.
- **Who can see it:** People you invite or approve. On iOS 27 and later, anyone with the album link can join, depending on your Sharing Options.
- **Public Website:** iOS 26 and earlier only. It publishes the album to a site anyone can view in a current browser.
- **If you delete it:** The album and its photos are permanently deleted. Photos people already saved to their own library stay there.

Shared Albums are the easiest way to put a batch of photos in front of family or friends. But once you've pressed share, a few questions come up: who can actually see the album, can they keep the photos, and what happens when you stop?

Short version: people you invite or approve can see a Shared Album. Depending on your iOS version, a link or a public web address can widen that, so it's worth checking. Menu names change between versions, so this guide covers iOS 26 and earlier and iOS 27 and later separately.

## How do iPhone Shared Albums work?

A Shared Album is a separate album you share with chosen people. It contains only the photos and videos you add to it, not your whole library.

To use it, Apple says to sign in with the same Apple Account on every device you'll use, then go to Settings -> your name -> iCloud -> Photos and turn on Shared Albums. On iOS 27 and later, iCloud Photos must also be on.

iOS 27 added link-based sharing, access requests, and temporary albums. If your screens look different from the steps below, check your iOS version first.

## How to create a shared album and invite people

Open Photos, tap Collections, tap Shared Albums, and tap Add. Name the album, pick some photos, then choose who joins.

1. **Turn on Shared Albums** Go to Settings -> your name -> iCloud -> Photos and turn on Shared Albums. On iOS 27 and later, iCloud Photos must be on too.
2. **Add a new shared album** Open Photos, tap Collections, tap Shared Albums, then tap the Add button.
3. **Name it and pick photos** Give the album a name and choose the photos you want to start with.
4. **Choose who joins** On iOS 26 and earlier, invite people from your contacts or by email or iMessage phone number. On iOS 27 and later, tap Sharing Options to invite and approve people, or share the album with a link.
5. **Check the permissions and the people** Decide whether others can add photos and videos, then review the participant list after you create the album to make sure only the people you meant are in it.

How you invite people depends on your version:

- **iOS 26 and earlier:** invite people from your contacts or by email or iMessage phone number.
- **iOS 27 and later:** tap Sharing Options to choose whether to invite and approve participants or share the album with a link. Later, open the album, tap Manage Shared Album, and use Invite Participants or Copy Album Link.

Set the audience when you create the album. It's easy to forget about it later.

## Who can see a shared album, and what can they do?

People you invite or approve can see it. Depending on the version and settings, people with a link or web address can see it too.

| How it's shared | Who can see it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation (iOS 26 and earlier) | People you invited | Only the contacts or addresses you chose |
| Invite and approve (iOS 27 and later) | People you invite or approve | People with the link must ask to join, and you approve or decline |
| Album link (iOS 27 and later) | Anyone with the link | Depending on Sharing Options, people can join without approval |
| Public Website (iOS 26 and earlier) | Anyone with the address | Published to a site anyone can view in a current browser |

### What participants can do

According to Apple, people in a shared album can:

- **Save** photos and videos: tap the item, tap Share, then Save Image or Save Video.
- **Add** photos and videos, but only if the owner allows it.
- **Delete** only what they added themselves.

The owner, and people with permission to manage the album, can delete anyone's photos, videos or comments, and can remove people at any time. Child Accounts can join only if an adult in their Family Sharing group participates.

## The Public Website setting: why to be careful

On iOS 26 and earlier, you can open a shared album, tap More, tap Shared Album Details and turn on Public Website. Your photos publish to a website that anyone can see in an up-to-date web browser. It's meant for friends and family who don't use iCloud.

That convenience comes with a trade-off: there's no sign-in and no approval step. Anyone who gets the address can open it, including people you never meant to include.

- Skip it if the people you're sharing with all use iCloud.
- If an old album has it on, check Shared Album Details and turn it off if you don't need it.
- For photos you wouldn't want a stranger to see, don't put them in a shared album at all.

Apple's guidance for iOS 27 and later doesn't mention Public Website. You control the audience with Sharing Options and the album link instead.

## How to stop sharing or delete a shared album

Removing a person ends their access. Deleting the album removes it for everyone. What happens to the photos differs.

### Remove someone

The owner can remove a participant at any time. On iOS 27 and later, select them in Manage Shared Album and tap Remove Participant. On iOS 26 and earlier, select them under the album name and tap Remove Subscriber.

### Delete the album

Open the album, tap More, then tap Delete Shared Album, then Delete. Apple says the album is removed from all your devices and your subscribers' devices, and from the web if Public Website was on.

The important part: **deleting a shared album permanently deletes all of its photos.** Save anything you want to keep first. Photos that people already saved to their own library stay there, even after the album is deleted or the owner stops sharing.

That means you can't take back a photo someone has already saved. Only share with people you're comfortable having a copy. On iOS 27 and later, you can also make an album temporary, which deletes it in 30 days.

## Shared Albums vs. Shared Library vs. Family Sharing vs. a link

These get mixed up constantly. They do different jobs.

| | Shared Album | iCloud Shared Photo Library | Family Sharing | Encrypted link (VaultForYou) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's shared | Photos in that album | Photos in the shared library | Services like iCloud+ | A vault you choose |
| People | Those you invite or approve | Up to five others | Your family group | Whoever you send the link to |
| Who can edit or delete | Owner and managers can delete anything | Every participant | Photos aren't shared | Recipient views what you sent |
| Taking it back | Remove people or delete the album | Leave the library | n/a | Revoke the link any time |

Apple says an iCloud Shared Photo Library lets you share with up to five other people, and every participant can add, edit and delete content. Family Sharing is different again: when each person uses their own Apple Account, Apple says you share access to services while your photos and documents stay private. If photos from a shared Apple Account keep showing up on other people's devices, see [how to stop iCloud Photos syncing](/blog/stop-icloud-photos-syncing).

## Shared photos can carry location

A photo can include where it was taken. Apple says that when you share photos with location metadata, the people you share with may be able to see where they were taken. Apple's page doesn't say how this applies to Shared Albums in particular, so don't assume it's stripped.

To remove it from a photo, open it, tap More, then Adjust Info, Adjust Location and No Location. Our guide to [removing location from photos on iPhone](/blog/remove-location-from-photos-iphone) covers this, plus how to stop the Camera saving it.

## For photos too private for an album: an encrypted link

A Shared Album is great for holiday snaps. For photos you'd hate to lose control of, it has limits: people can save them, and a wrong setting can widen who sees them.

With VaultForYou, you can send an encrypted vault to someone you trust via a link. It works over iMessage, WhatsApp, LINE or email, and:

- **The recipient doesn't need an account.**
- **No identity or metadata travels with it.**
- **It's end-to-end encrypted.**
- **You can revoke the link at any time.**

Revoking doesn't erase what someone already saved or screenshotted, so share with people you trust. We make VaultForYou, so weigh our pick accordingly.

> **Send private photos with a link you control.** Encrypted, no account for the recipient, revocable any time. [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000)

If photos shouldn't sit in your camera roll at all, see [how to hide photos on iPhone](/blog/hide-photos-on-iphone). If you want to compare vault apps, read our [best photo vault apps for iPhone](/blog/best-photo-vault-apps-iphone).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who can see photos in an iPhone Shared Album?

Generally the people you invite or approve. On iOS 27 and later you can also share a link, and depending on your Sharing Options people with it can join with or without your approval. On iOS 26 and earlier, turning on Public Website lets anyone with the web address view the album, so check each album's setting.

### What happens to photos when I delete a shared album?

Deleting a shared album removes it from your devices and your subscribers' devices, and from the web if Public Website was on. Apple notes that all of its photos are permanently deleted, so save anything you want first. Photos people already saved to their own libraries stay there.

### What can people in a shared album do?

They can save photos and videos to their own library. They can add their own photos and videos only if the owner allows it, and they can delete only what they added. The owner can delete anyone's photos, videos or comments and can remove people from the album at any time.

### How is a Shared Album different from iCloud Shared Photo Library?

A Shared Album is a separate album of chosen photos you share with people you pick. An iCloud Shared Photo Library is a second library you share with up to five other people, and every participant can add, edit and delete content. Photos you contribute move out of your personal library.

### Do shared photos include my location?

They can. Apple says that when you share photos with location metadata, the people you share them with may be able to see where they were taken. Apple's page doesn't say how this applies to Shared Albums specifically, so remove location first: open the photo, tap More, Adjust Info, Adjust Location, then No Location.

### How can I share a private photo without a Shared Album?

Use a link you control instead of an album that others can save from. With VaultForYou you can send an encrypted vault to someone you trust via a link over iMessage, WhatsApp, LINE or email. The recipient needs no account, no identity or metadata travels with it, and you can revoke the link at any time.

## Bottom line

A Shared Album shows your photos to the people you invite or approve. Depending on your iOS version, a link (iOS 27 and later) or Public Website (iOS 26 and earlier) can widen that audience, so check the setting for every album.

To stop sharing, remove people or delete the album. Deleting permanently deletes the album's photos, but copies people already saved stay with them. Remove location from photos you don't want to reveal, and for anything truly private, share an encrypted link you can revoke instead.

## Sources

- [Apple Support: How to use Shared Albums in Photos on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314)
- [Apple Support: How to use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone or iPad](https://support.apple.com/en-us/118229)
- [Apple Support: Manage location metadata in Photos](https://support.apple.com/guide/personal-safety/manage-location-metadata-in-photos-ips0d7a5df82/web)
- [Apple Support (Japanese): Share iCloud+ with a Family Sharing group](https://support.apple.com/ja-jp/108783)

## Keep reading

- [How to Remove Location From Photos on iPhone (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/remove-location-from-photos-iphone): Remove location from photos on iPhone in a few taps: turn off Location in the share sheet, strip it from a photo with Adjust Location and stop Camera saving it.
- [Turn Off iCloud Photos Syncing Without Deleting (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/stop-icloud-photos-syncing): Turn off iCloud Photos syncing on your iPhone, iPad or Mac without losing pictures: which device to switch off, which option to pick and what stays in iCloud.
- [How to Hide Photos on iPhone: Hidden Album Guide (2026)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/hide-photos-on-iphone): Hide photos on iPhone in seconds, find your hidden photos in the Hidden album, and see who can still open them, what syncs to iCloud and when a vault is better.
- [8 Best Photo Vault Apps for iPhone in 2026 (Free and Paid)](https://www.vaultforyou.app/blog/best-photo-vault-apps-iphone): We compared 8 iPhone photo vault apps, free and paid, on encryption claims, unlock, decoys, backup, accounts and App Store privacy labels. Checked Oct 2026.

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Our guides are written and fact-checked by the VaultForYou team against Apple's own documentation. We make VaultForYou, a private vault app for iPhone. Download on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/vaultforyou/id0000000000