Apple Delays iCloud Shared Photo Library Feature for iOS 16 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Delays iCloud Shared Photo Library Feature for iOS 16

Apple appears to have delayed its new iCloud Shared Photo Library feature for iOS 16, which is scheduled to be officially released on Monday, September 12.

iOS 16 iCloud Photos Guide Feature
In iOS 16, currently still in beta, Apple has introduced an ‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library that aims to make it easer to share photos with your friends and family.

With the new ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Shared Photo Library in ‌iOS 16‌, a new option in the Photos app lets you create a shared library and then invite anyone with an Apple device to view the photos, contribute photos to the library, and edit the photos contained within it, including favoriting images and adding captions. There are no limitations, and all participants have the same permissions.

However, in a footnote at the bottom of its iPhone 14 press release, Apple says "‌iCloud‌ Shared Photo Library will be available in a future software update." It therefore looks like the new ‌Photos‌ ‌iCloud‌ feature will not make it to the first official version of iOS 16. We'll update this article if we learn more.

Popular Stories

iphone duo facetime

iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos

Wednesday October 21, 2026 11:36 am PDT by
The iPhone Duo's inner screen has an under-display front camera that's largely hidden from view. It's the first time we've seen an under-display camera on an iPhone, and it turns out there's a reason Apple hasn't used the technology before. Apple said the camera offers 1080p video recording, but didn't mention photo quality. Gizmodo said it's a 4-megapixel camera and described the photos as...
iCloud Link Harmful Content Feature 1

Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content Starting in iOS 27.3

Wednesday November 4, 2026 11:12 am PST by
Apple says it will start checking public iCloud links for harmful content in iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, and visionOS 27.3. Images in iCloud Photos and files in iCloud Drive shared using the "Anyone with the link" option will be "made accessible to Apple" for a content check. Apple doesn't define harmful content, but it could mean malware, malicious files, and/or child sexual abuse...
Siri AI Icon

Apple Continues to Say Some AI Features Will Have Fees for Extra Usage

Monday November 9, 2026 9:45 am PST by
Apple continues to advise customers that certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on its server-side Private Cloud Compute system have daily usage limits, with expanded access to such features to be "available for a fee in the future." Apple has repeatedly mentioned these upcoming fees in press releases over the past several months, but it has yet to provide any specific details about...

Top Rated Comments

55 months ago
My guess is it’ll be released once iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura is released. Otherwise you’ll have a shared library on your iPhone that you can’t access anywhere else.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bowens Avatar
55 months ago

I still don't understand what this is for!
I've been waiting on this feature for years. Never understood why it wasn't available before.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
55 months ago

There is Shared Albums you can use for that. Been using said feature for years to share vacation photos with my family.
That feature is a mess. Shared albums is a long list of albums, some shared with family, some with friends and you can’t make any subfolders. It is difficult to organize.

I just want a nice album called Vacations and have a subalbum for all the trips I’ve made. So that I can find the photos of one specific trip.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
55 months ago
Honestly iCloud Shared Photo Library could have been a great feature. But for some insane reason they don’t support albums in the shared library.

Why is it so hard for Apple to come up with a solution to share my vacation photos with my family? I don’t one long stream of photos or a random folder list that I individually share. Just albums!

My solution now is Google Photos, but I’d prefer to have it all on Apple
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
55 months ago

crazy people... can you imagine if you accidentally sent something you shouldn't send... to your KIDS.

stuff happens...

nope.
Can you imagine that they let you limit the shared library to just you and your partner?!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
55 months ago
Hopefully by the end of the year it will be released.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
9 hours ago
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
11 hours ago
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
12 hours ago
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
12 hours ago
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
13 hours ago
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
13 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
14 hours ago
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
14 hours ago
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
14 hours ago
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
15 hours ago
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
16 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
16 hours ago
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
16 hours ago
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
16 hours ago
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
16 hours ago
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
17 hours ago
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
17 hours ago
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
19 hours ago
Apple Launches Two Products Today
Apple Launches Two Products Today
20 hours ago
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
1 day ago
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
1 day ago
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
1 day ago
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
1 day ago
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
1 day ago
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
2 days ago
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
2 days ago
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
2 days ago
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
2 days ago
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
2 days ago
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
2 days ago