Shared Photo Stream

Apple's iCloud service includes iCloud Photo Sharing, a free service Apple offers for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC. It lets you create shared albums that your friends, family, and co-workers can access, comment upon, and even add their own images and video. By default, iCloud Photo Sharing uses iCloud accounts, but you can also create a private iCloud.com website for non-iCloud users to view photos and video.

Why use a shared album instead of a service like Instagram or Facebook? iCloud's albums allow for greater privacy than both services — iCloud Photo Sharing is encrypted, and your activities are only shared with the people you've invited to the group instead of the general public.

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Here's how to set up iCloud Photo Sharing!

How to enable iCloud Photo Sharing

When you enable iCloud Photo Sharing, you can create and share albums with other people that also have an iCloud account. You can also be invited to share someone else's album after you've enabled it.

How to enable iCloud Photo Sharing on iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Scroll down and tap Photos.

  3. Toggle the iCloud Photo Sharing switch on.

    Launch Settings, tap Photos, tap the switch next to iCloud Photo Sharing

How to enable iCloud Photo Sharing on your Mac

  1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
  2. Select Photos from the app menu in the upper left corner.

  3. Select Preferences from the drop down menu.

    Launch Photos, then select Photos in the App menu, then select Preferences

  4. Select the iCloud tab.

  5. Tick the box for iCloud Photo Sharing.

    Click on iCloud, then tick or untick the box for iCloud Photo Sharing

You'll now see a Shared section in your Photos sidebar and in the Share sheet.

How to enable iCloud Photo Sharing on your PC

  1. On your PC, open the Start Menu and navigate to the iCloud folder.
  2. Open the iCloud application.

  3. In the box that pops up, click on the Options button next to Photos.

  4. Check the box labeled iCloud Photo Sharing to enable this option.

    iCloud Photos

How to disable iCloud Photo Sharing

Want to turn off iCloud's photo sharing features? You need only switch off the option in settings.

How to disable iCloud Photos sharing on iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Scroll down and tap Photos.

  3. Toggle the iCloud Photo Sharing switch off.

    Launch Settings, tap Photos, tap the switch next to iCloud Photo Sharing

How to disable iCloud Photo Sharing on your Mac

  1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
  2. Select Photos from the app menu in the upper left corner.

  3. Select Preferences from the drop down menu.

    Launch Photos, then select Photos in the App menu, then select Preferences

  4. Select the iCloud tab.
  5. Untick the box for iCloud Photo Sharing.

Click on iCloud, then tick or untick the box for iCloud Photo Sharing

How to disable iCloud Photo Sharing on your PC

  1. On your PC, open the Start Menu and navigate to the iCloud folder.
  2. Open the iCloud application.

  3. In the box that pops up, click on the Options button next to Photos.

  4. Uncheck the box labeled iCloud Photo Sharing.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about how to set up iCloud Photo Sharing? Put them in the comments and we'll help you out.

Updated May 2018: Updated to reflect the latest on iCloud Photo Sharing.

iCloud Photo Library: The Ultimate Guide

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