How to See Google Photos Shared With Me (Albums and Saved Photos)

Someone sends you a Google Photos album from a wedding, a team day out or a client shoot, and you can't see where it went. I've had that moment, and the answer is usually one tap away once you know the menu.

I've used Google's own help page for the iPhone and iPad version of the steps. Google changes the app often, so a label may look a little different on your screen.

Finding albums that were shared with you in Google Photos

1. Open the Google Photos app and sign in to your Google Account.
2. At the bottom, tap Collections.
3. Tap Albums.
4. At the top, tap Shared with me.

That list holds the albums other people have shared with you. Google says you can sort it by tapping Sort by and choosing Album title, Last modified or Most recent photo. If you've got lots, Last modified is a quick way to bring the newest share to the top.

Google also suggests using Search to find a shared album, or looking in the All albums view if you can't spot it straight away.

Spotting shared Google Photos in your search results

Photos and videos from an album you've joined may show up when you search your library. Google says they carry a shared content badge at the bottom left of the item, so you can tell them apart from your own pictures.

If that clutters your results, Google says you can hide them. At the top right of the search results, tap More, then Shared with me. That setting changes what appears in your search only; the albums themselves are still in Collections.

Working out who shared a photo with you

Shared items show an ownership tag. Tap the owner's profile picture or initial at the top left of the item, and Google Photos shows which album or conversation it came from. It's handy when you've been added to several shared albums by different people and you've forgotten who is who.

How you find out something was shared with you

According to Google's help page, when someone shares an album or conversation with you, you get an email. If you already use Google Photos, you also get an in-app notification and a push notification, and the share appears on your Updates page.

Google's help page doesn't spell out how to open the Updates page on iPhone or change the notification settings, so if you aren't getting alerts, check your iPhone's own notification settings for the app, or look in the Google Photos help centre. When something is missing, I'd check the email first. If you like looking back at shared moments, my guide to seeing your memories on Facebook covers the same habit in another app.

Saving photos shared with you to your own Google Photos library

Looking at a shared album isn't the same as owning the photos. Google explains that saving a shared item creates a copy in your library. If the owner edits the original later, those edits don't apply to your saved copy.

To save an item that came in a conversation:

1. Open the conversation.
2. Scroll to the photo or video.
3. Tap Save below it.

Two more things from Google's page. Saved items count toward your storage, except in some partner sharing cases. And to find saved items in your phone's own gallery app, you need to download them. Saving to Google Photos doesn't put them in your iPhone's Photos app on its own.

Telling shared Google Photos from partner sharing

People mix these up. Shared albums and conversations are things someone sends you. Partner sharing is a different setup, where a person chooses to share their library with a partner. Google's page mentions partner sharing only briefly, saying some partner-shared items don't count toward your storage, and points to a separate help article for the steps. I haven't covered those steps here because the page I read doesn't list them.

Seeing what you've shared with other people in Google Photos

If you need the other side of the story, Google says to tap your profile picture or initial, then Photos settings, then Sharing, then Manage sharing activity. That's where you review your shared links, shared memories and conversations. It's useful if you've sent a client album and you want to check what is still out there.

Using shared Google Photos albums for work and community projects

Shared albums are a tidy way to collect pictures from an event, a team shoot or a club. If you're the one receiving them, save the ones you need into your own library so they don't vanish if the owner removes the album. When you want to post a few of them together, my guide to editing an Instagram post with multiple pictures is the next stop.

One safety note. If a shared album comes from someone you don't know or you don't want it, Google says you can block or report the sender. If you ever feel unsafe because of what you're sent, report it to the platform and contact the police if you're in danger.

If you can't find Google Photos shared with you

1. Check you're signed in to the same Google Account the person shared with.
2. Look under Collections, Albums, then Shared with me, and try sorting by Last modified.
3. Look in your email for the share notification.
4. Use Search, or the All albums view.
5. Ask the sender to check they shared with the right email address.
6. Update the app and try again.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Shared with me in Google Photos on iPhone?

Tap Collections at the bottom, then Albums, then Shared with me at the top.

Can I sort shared albums?

Yes. Tap Sort by and choose Album title, Last modified or Most recent photo.

Do shared photos appear in my search?

They can, with a shared content badge. To hide them, tap More at the top right of the results, then Shared with me.

How do I save a shared photo to my own library?

Open the conversation, scroll to the item and tap Save below it. Google says this creates a copy that later edits to the original won't change.

Does saving a shared photo use my storage?

Google says saved items count toward your storage, except in some partner sharing cases.

How do I see what I've shared with others?

Tap your profile picture or initial, then Photos settings, Sharing, then Manage sharing activity.