105437
Level 1 (6 points)
iCloud

Q: Share iCloud photo library two Apple IDs

I have one Photos library that is currently on our Mac Mini at home. Many times, my wife and I would like to access this library via our MacBooks while at home. Would enabling iCloud Photo Library give us this ability? Will we each be able to use our own Apple IDs to access this iCloud Photo Library or will we have to use a single Apple ID on each of our MacBooks and all iOS devices. If so, that's going to be pretty inconvenient since we like to maintain our own Apple IDs for downloading apps, iCloud backups etc.

 

Thanks!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on May 16, 2016 11:44 AM

by Eric Root,Apple recommended
Eric Root Eric Root
Level 9 (71,941 points)
iTunes
A:

If you set up Family sharing, you can create a shared photo album.

 

Family Sharing

Posted on May 17, 2016 7:24 AM

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105437

Q: Share iCloud photo library two Apple IDs

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root May 17, 2016 7:24 AM in response to 105437
    Level 9 (71,941 points)
    iTunes
    May 17, 2016 7:24 AM in response to 105437

    If you set up Family sharing, you can create a shared photo album.

     

    Family Sharing

  • by 105437,

    105437 105437 May 17, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iCloud
    May 17, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Eric Root

    Thanks for the reply! So, from a practical standpoint... would it be cumbersome to the person I'm sharing with (wife) to share the entire library? Is that even possible with Family Share?

  • by LACAllen,Apple recommended

    LACAllen LACAllen May 17, 2016 8:49 PM in response to 105437
    Level 5 (5,003 points)
    iCloud
    May 17, 2016 8:49 PM in response to 105437

    I guess it's possible for partner A to continually place their new photos in a shared album so that partner B, using a different Apple ID, could always view them. Perhaps not practical.

     

    There are hard limits on the # of photos allowed in a shared album however, not a space limit.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-05-17 at 11.48.14 PM.png

  • by LACAllen,Apple recommended

    LACAllen LACAllen May 17, 2016 8:54 PM in response to 105437
    Level 5 (5,003 points)
    iCloud
    May 17, 2016 8:54 PM in response to 105437

    You may want to try this... create 2 User Accounts for your wife on your Mac.

     

    She should be able to sign in to iCloud on each account differently, One for her own unique Apple ID, and the other using yours. This would allow here to swap between IDs (and Photo Libraries) by changing accounts on the Mac, which sounds like what you want.

     

    Be sure to choose optimize photos or you may create a space issue locally on your Mac as there would be 2 libraries of yours being stored on the Mac.

     

    I shared another idea below as well.