In this step-by-step tutorial, we show Android users how to upload their photos and videos to shared iCloud albums created by iPhone, iPad, and Mac users.
With the latest iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate update, you – an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user – can let your family members and friends who have an Android phone add their own photos and videos to your shared iCloud album.
But one important thing to note is that Android users still cannot create new iCloud shared albums; they can only join one created by their Apple user friend. This is similar to how Android and Windows PC users can only join an existing FaceTime call, not start one on their own.
In case you’re wondering, before iOS 27, if you tried to invite a non-Apple user to your shared iCloud album, the invitation failed to send. However, you could still turn your album into a free iCloud website that your non-Apple friends could view. But they couldn’t add photos to it.
What’s needed
- The person who creates the iCloud album should update their iPhone, iPad, or Mac to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27 Golden Gate.
- The Android person must have a working email address to receive the code from Apple.
- The Apple user can see the Android user’s full email address, and vice versa.
- Unless the album is temporary, any photos and videos Android users add to the shared album will count toward your (Apple user’s) iCloud storage.
Add photos to iCloud shared album from Android phone
It involves two steps: an Apple user creates a shared album, then an Android user adds photos to it. The steps for Windows PC are similar, but you can also view shared albums in the Photos app for PC.
1) Open the Photos app on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and create a new shared iCloud album.
- You can make it permanent (requires enabling iCloud Photos) or temporary, which will auto-delete after 30 days.
- For Sharing Options, you can choose to allow only people you approve. Or allow anyone with the link. If you select the former, the Android user will need your approval before they can join, view photos, or add photos. Selecting the latter will allow them to view the photos without your approval. They can also add photos without your approval, but they will need to enter their email and verify with an OTP; you’ll be able to see their email address and remove them as a participant if you want.
2) Once the shared album is created, tap the share icon and send the invitation to your Android friend
3) The Android user must tap the iCloud link.
- If anyone with the link can access the shared iCloud album, tapping it gives them access to it, but uploading photos still requires them to verify their email address with an OTP.
- If this album is accessible only to approved users, they must enter their email address, verify with the OTP, and request access.
4) You (i.e., the Apple user) will get a Photos app notification on your device. Attend to it to approve or decline the Android user’s request to join your shared iCloud album. This step doesn’t apply if the album access is set to anyone with the link.
5) Once the Apple user approves, the iCloud albums page should auto-refresh on the Android phone. If not, refresh the page manually.
- View existing photos of this shared album.
- Tap a photo to download it, react to it with an emoji, see photo information, or leave a comment.
- Use the Download button to save all photos of this album to their phone.
- Tap Activity to see activity history.
- Add their own photos using the picture-with-a-plus icon at the top.
- Tap the two-person icon to see the participants of this shared album, copy the album link for saving or sharing with others, or leave the shared album.
- Tap the three-dots menu icon to do the above things, including starting a slideshow.
6) Once the photo upload is complete from the Android phone, all participants of this album, irrespective of which device they are on, will be able to see it.
If the Android user can’t add photos and videos
If the add photos icon is missing on the Android phone user’s end, that means the original album owner (i.e., the Apple user) has only given them the rights to view the album and comment on existing photos and videos.
The shared album owner can change this by tapping the Android user’s email address in the Shared Album settings and changing their permission from “Can View and Comment” to “Can Add Photos.”
Can Android users delete photos from a shared iCloud album?
Android users can delete the photos and videos they added to the album. They can’t delete stuff added by others. However, the original album owner (i.e., the Apple user) can delete the photos added by their Android friend.
- How to filter photos by members in shared iCloud album
- iOS 27: Shared iCloud photo albums will now take up your iCloud space
