Find out how to create a temporary shared iCloud album in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27 Golden Gate and set it to delete automatically after 30 days.
You can create a shared iCloud album and add family and friends to it to easily share photos and videos.
Until the new OS 27 update, you could create a permanent album. And if you no longer want to keep the album or share photos, you can remove one or all participants or delete the album completely.
iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 Golden Gate made major fundamental changes to the way iCloud albums work.
First, you can now share photos and videos in full resolution, and this counts towards your iCloud storage. You also need to turn on iCloud Photos. I talked more about these new changes here: iOS 27: iCloud shared photo albums will now take up your iCloud space.
Another new feature is creation temporary shared iCloud albums. And as before, these don’t seem to count towards your iCloud space. Also, you can create them even if iCloud Photos is turned off.
Temporary iCloud shared albums are a great way to share photos and videos on the go with everyone. Interested participants can save them to their photo library. After 30 days, everything is deleted automatically; You no longer have to worry about removing it manually.
Important: After 30 days, the photo and video will only be deleted from the shared iCloud album; they will stay in your photo library (unless you manually remove them from there).
Create a temporary shared iCloud photo album
1) Open the A photo app on your iPhone running iOS 27.
2) Go to Collections tab and press Shared Albums.
3) Tap that plus (+) button at the top of the It was shared tab to create a new album.
4) Give your album a name, add photos (or do it later), and choose your sharing options. Then, confirm that “Make the Album Temporary” is turned on (if iCloud Photos is turned off, this is enabled by default, and you can’t turn it off unless you turn on iCloud Photos). Finally, tap marker icon to create a shared iCloud photo album.
A shared iCloud album will automatically display an expiration date. The expiration date is also displayed when you access the temporary iCloud album.
5) Tap the people icon to manage the album. You can:
- Change the name of the album.
- Add, remove, or edit participant permissions.
- Copy the album link to share it with others.
- Choose how you want to share this album.
- Make a temporary album permanent by turning off “Make Temporary Album.”
- Receive notifications when changes are made to this album (eg, when a participant adds new photos).
- Delete the album before it is automatically deleted.
If you choose to use a Mac, update it to macOS 27, click the button a small plus button (+) next to Shared Albums in the left sidebar, and turn on “Create Temporary Album.”
How participants can save photos and videos to a temporary iCloud album
Participants in your temporary iCloud album will also see when it expires. But it would be nice if you remind them from your end to save photos and videos so they can do it. And the good thing is that Apple makes it very easy to save them, as explained below.
Save all shared photos and videos
- Open the A photo appgo off Collections tab, press A shared albumthen he goes inside one.
- Tap that the three-dot menu iconand select Save All Shared Items import all photos and videos from this temporary shared album to the photo library, keeping them safe from automatic deletion.
Save selected photos and videos
- Open the shared iCloud album, press Selectthen mark one or more photos and videos you want to save.
- Tap Save to Library (n).
Save a single photo or video
Touch and hold a shared photo or video and touch Save to Library. Or tap to open the shared media item, then tap save button (down arrow).
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