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User profile for user: Mr Moto
Mr Moto Author
User level: Level 2
162 points

How can my wife and I have a common Photo library?

My wife and I have a combined Apple account. We share an iCloud storage of 200 Gb.

But we have separate Photo libraries. That means, if I make a picture that I want to share with my wife, I have to mail or Airdrop it to her. Or put it in a shared folder, as if she was just some friend.

Is not there a way that we share the same photo library, so we can see each others pics we make immediately? (But with our own folder with hidden pics, with photos you want to keep for yourself for whatever reason?)

Thanks for your help!

Mac mini

Posted on Aug 23, 2023 11:06 AM

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,297 points

Posted on Aug 23, 2023 11:30 AM

Which system version are you using on your Mac? An easy way share a library is to use the Shared iCloud Photos Library. See: What is iCloud Shared Photo Library in Photos on Mac? – Apple Support (UK)


You can each have an own iCloud Photos Library and move the photos and videos, that you want to be in your joint library to the shared library. Both of you can modify the items in the shared iCloud Photos Library, add adjustments, add titles etc. And each of you can view the the shared library and the personal library at the same time.

There is only one draw-back - currently we can only share the media (photos and videos), not the structure of the library. The Shared library requires macOS 13 or later, or iOS16/iPadOS 16 or later. When we move items to the Shared Library, they will not be visible on our devices with an older system version.



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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,297 points

Aug 23, 2023 11:30 AM in response to Mr Moto

Which system version are you using on your Mac? An easy way share a library is to use the Shared iCloud Photos Library. See: What is iCloud Shared Photo Library in Photos on Mac? – Apple Support (UK)


You can each have an own iCloud Photos Library and move the photos and videos, that you want to be in your joint library to the shared library. Both of you can modify the items in the shared iCloud Photos Library, add adjustments, add titles etc. And each of you can view the the shared library and the personal library at the same time.

There is only one draw-back - currently we can only share the media (photos and videos), not the structure of the library. The Shared library requires macOS 13 or later, or iOS16/iPadOS 16 or later. When we move items to the Shared Library, they will not be visible on our devices with an older system version.



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How can my wife and I have a common Photo library?

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