105437
Level 1 (5 points)
iCloud

Q: iCloud Photo - Two Apple IDs share storage and use iCloud Photo Library?

My wife and I each currently have our own Apple ID. Under my Apple ID, I purchased enough storage to turn on iCloud Photo Library on our only Apple Photos library which resides on a MacBook. This library is where we store all our family photos etc. After a couple of days, all 55GB of the Photos library transferred to iCloud... so that part is good to go.

 

Next step, I turned on iCloud Photo Library on my iPhone and everything looks like it should and I can now see all of the content from our Photos library in addition to the content on my phone.

 

Now, I'd like my wife to be able access our Photos library from her phone just like I can while at this same time sharing the iCloud storage so she can turn on iCloud Photo Library.

 

Is this possible or do I have to manually share each and every album in Apple Photos and invite her? How about sharing the storage?

 

Thanks

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

Posted on Aug 21, 2016 3:44 PM

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105437

Q: iCloud Photo - Two Apple IDs share storage and use iCloud Photo Library?

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 21, 2016 4:31 PM in response to 105437
    Level 10 (105,801 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 21, 2016 4:31 PM in response to 105437

    Now, I'd like my wife to be able access our Photos library from her phone just like I can while at this same time sharing the iCloud storage so she can turn on iCloud Photo Library.

    The iCloud Photo Library is tied to an AppleID. To access it from a device, you have to use the  same AppleID on all devices and cannot share the iCloud Photo Library between AppleIDs.  See this link:  iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support

     

    To share photos with others use Shared Albums.  The Shared Albums do not count against your paid iCloud storage. See this link:   iCloud: iCloud Photo Sharing FAQ

     

    Because Shared albums do not count against the iCloud Storage description, there are upload limits, see this list:

    iCloud: Photo Stream limits

  • by 105437,

    105437 105437 Aug 21, 2016 7:42 PM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 21, 2016 7:42 PM in response to léonie

    Thanks for the reply... I guess we're just unique in that we both want all our pictures to go to one central library.

     

    So what if she uses my Apple ID on her iPhone, would that allow her to have the same access I do? I suppose the only real issue with that would be that all of our Contacts, Calendar, Notes etc. would be merged together.

  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Aug 21, 2016 9:10 PM in response to 105437
    Level 7 (25,734 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 21, 2016 9:10 PM in response to 105437

    One other option would be to use Family Sharing:

     

    http://www.apple.com/icloud/family-sharing/

     

    You would be able to have a Shared Photo Album where you could both put photos into, and which would then show each of you all of the photos you have added.

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen Aug 21, 2016 9:22 PM in response to 105437
    Level 5 (4,596 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 21, 2016 9:22 PM in response to 105437

    Plus SMS Messages, FaceTime calls, iMessages.

     

    To the outside world, except for cellular phone calls, both your phones belong to one person. And with Continuity that can change.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Aug 22, 2016 7:47 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 10 (105,801 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 22, 2016 7:47 AM in response to gail from maine

    You would be able to have a Shared Photo Album where you could both put photos into, and which would then show each of you all of the photos you have added.

    One problem with Shared albums is, that the photos in the Shared albums do not have the full resolution of the original photos in the Photos Libary. Shared Albums are meant to show off your photos to family and friends, but not to transfer photos between libraries.

  • by 105437,

    105437 105437 Aug 22, 2016 4:10 PM in response to 105437
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 22, 2016 4:10 PM in response to 105437

    Thanks for the replies everyone... I guess I thought this would be simple. One iCloud Photo Library common to my wife and I. Guess I'll give Google Photos a try. At least that way I can create a Google account and sign in to it on any of our devices.

  • by LACAllen,

    LACAllen LACAllen Aug 22, 2016 9:40 PM in response to 105437
    Level 5 (4,596 points)
    iCloud
    Aug 22, 2016 9:40 PM in response to 105437

    I think you'll find the same issue there my friend.

     

    Google accounts, like Apple IDs are designed for a single user.

     

    What you said you wanted was one photo library for 2 accounts. I don't think you're going to get that with Google Photos. To have "her" photos populate in "your" Google Photos library, she will sign in to "your" account.