iOS 16: How to Control When iPhone Camera Shots Are Saved to Your iCloud Shared Photo Library - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iOS 16: How to Control When iPhone Camera Shots Are Saved to Your iCloud Shared Photo Library

by

In iOS 16, it's possible to create a shared iCloud Photo Library that allows up to five other friends with Apple products to contribute photos to.

iOS 16 Photos and Camera Guide Feature
This means if you are all at the same event, you can have your iPhone camera automatically upload new shots to the same shared library for you to enjoy and look back on together.

In the Camera app, you can tap a new icon that looks like two people to swap between automatic uploading to the shared library and your personal library. Using Bluetooth, your iPhone can even detect when you're in the same location as other participants in the library and set the Camera app to automatically add photos and videos to the shared library.

camera
If you don't like the Sharing from Camera app option for whatever reason, you can manually disable it, and if you change your mind, you can re-enable it anytime, so long as you still have a Shared ‌iCloud Photo Library‌ active. The following steps show you how it's done on an iPhone running iOS 16.

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap Photos.
  3. Under "Library," tap Shared Library.
  4. Tap Sharing From Camera.
  5. Toggle the switch on or off next to Sharing from Camera.

settings

If you choose to enable Sharing from Camera, you can use the same menu of options to set the Camera to Share Automatically or Share Manually, with the latter option allowing you to make use of the new upload button in the Camera app, as outlined above.

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...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launches Two Products Today

Friday November 13, 2026 2:37 am PST by
Apple is releasing two new products today, Friday, November 13: the all-new Apple HomeView and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, both of which have been available to pre-order since mid-October. Apple HomeView: Apple's new smart home display, powered by Apple Intelligence with Siri AI, for entertainment and managing the home. Available in tabletop and wall-mounted models, it can recognize up...
imac video apple feature

November 20 to Mark the End of an Era at Apple

Wednesday November 11, 2026 7:51 am PST by
Apple has announced that the long-running Apple Support Community discussion forums for user-to-user tech support will be permanently closing on Friday, November 20. The forums have existed in some form for nearly 30 years, so it is the end of an era. Effective immediately, the Apple Support Community forums are in a read-only state, with new posts no longer being accepted. The final message ...
Latest Stories
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
HomeView Tidbits: Mirror, Sleep Timer, and Other Details
11 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
13 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
14 hours ago
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
15 hours ago
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
15 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
16 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
16 hours ago
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
17 hours ago
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
17 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
18 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
18 hours ago
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
18 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
18 hours ago
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
19 hours ago
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
19 hours ago
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
19 hours ago
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
21 hours ago
Apple Launches Two Products Today
Apple Launches Two Products Today
23 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
2 days ago
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
2 days 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