Google Photos is a popular app for storing and organizing your photos and videos. But did you know that you can also create and share collaborative albums with your friends and family? This feature allows you to share photos and videos with a specific person or a group, and let them add their own media and comments to the album. It’s like a mini photo album that both of you can contribute to, edit, and comment on. Here’s how to use this feature in Google Photos.
Create a Shared Album in Google Photos
To create a shared album in Google Photos, you need to have the app installed on your mobile device or access the website on your computer. You also need to sign in with your Google account. Then, follow these steps:
- On your mobile device, open the Google Photos app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner. Then, tap Share your library. On your computer, go to the Google Photos website and click on the settings icon (gear) in the top right corner. Then, click on Partner sharing.
- Choose the person you want to share with from your contacts list, or type in their name, phone number, or email address. You can also create a new group by selecting multiple people.
- Decide what photos and videos you want to share with them. You can choose to share All photos, Photos of specific people, or Photos from a specific date. If you select Photos of specific people, you can select specific face groups to share photos containing those individuals. If you select Photos from a specific date, you can choose a date range to share photos within that period.
- Tap or click Send invitation. The person or group you invited will receive a notification and can accept or decline your invitation. If they accept, they will be able to see the shared album in their Google Photos app or website, and add their own photos and videos to it.
Manage Your Shared Album in Google Photos
Once you have created a shared album, you can manage it in various ways. You can:
- Add or remove photos and videos from the shared album. To do this, open the shared album and tap or click on the Add photos icon. Then, select the photos and videos you want to add or remove.
- Edit or delete the shared album. To do this, open the shared album and tap or click on the More icon (three vertical dots). Then, select Edit album or Delete album. Note that deleting the shared album will remove it from both your and your partner’s Google Photos, but it will not delete the original photos and videos from your devices.
- Comment or like the photos and videos in the shared album. To do this, open the shared album and tap or click on the Comment icon (speech bubble) or the Like icon (heart) under each photo or video. You can also see the comments and likes from your partner or group members.
- Stop sharing the album with your partner or group. To do this, open the shared album and tap or click on the More icon. Then, select Leave album. This will remove you from the shared album, and all the photos, videos, comments, and likes you have added will be deleted. However, your partner or group members will still have access to the shared album and their own contributions.
Benefits of Using Shared Albums in Google Photos
Using shared albums in Google Photos has many benefits, such as:
- It allows you to collaborate with your friends and family on a photo collection, adding pictures, videos, and comments together.
- It saves you time and storage space, as you don’t have to upload or download the same photos and videos multiple times.
- It gives you more control over your privacy, as you can choose who to share with and what to share with them.
- It lets you enjoy your memories with your loved ones, as you can view and relive the moments you captured together.
