photos iconIn iOS 12, Apple has added the ability to share pictures or video in your Photo Library using an iCloud.com link that lasts for 30 days.

Not only is sharing a link quicker and less burdensome on your data allowance than sending several images or gigabytes of video, you can also share the same link as many times as you want within the expiry limit.

For the new photo link option to appear, you'll need to ensure iCloud Photos is enabled on your iOS device. To do so, launch the Settings app, tap your Apple ID at the top, select iCloud -> Photos, and make sure the toggle next to iCloud Photos is on.

How to Share an iCloud Photo Link in iOS 12

  1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad
  2. Tap the photo you want to link to. If you want to share a link to several photos, tap Select in the upper right corner of the screen and tap the photos you want to include.
  3. Next, tap the Share Sheet button at the lower left corner of the screen.
    how to share an icloud photo link in ios 12 01

  4. Tap the Copy Link button in the third row of the Share Sheet.
  5. Wait a moment while iCloud prepares your link.
  6. Launch the app or service you want to use to share the link. We're using Messages in our example.
    how to share an icloud photo link in ios 12 02

  7. In the message text field, tap and hold your finger.
  8. Tap Paste.
  9. Send the message to share the link.

If you share the link over Messages and the recipient is using an iOS device, they'll see a tappable thumbnail of the shared photo(s). If they're on an Android device, they'll just see the URL.

how to share an icloud photo link in ios 12 04
Tapping the thumbnail/URL link will take them to an iCloud.com web page similar to the one above, with a preview image, the author's name, the photo's title, an expiry date, and an option to download the photo or add it to an existing Apple ‌Photos‌ library. If several photos have been shared, the recipient can select which ones they'd like to add or download.

To share the same link again within the 30-day time limit, or simply stop sharing the photo altogether, launch the ‌Photos‌ app and navigate to the For You tab, where you'll find a Recently Shared section.

how to share an icloud photo link in ios 12 03
Tap the photo you shared and then tap the blue dotted button in the upper right corner of the screen, and you should see two options: Copy Link and Stop Sharing.

Top Rated Comments

codemonkey85 Avatar
85 months ago
Does anyone know if this can be done with multiple selected photos? Ie share 5 photos at once from a single link?
Yes, you can share a group of photos the same way.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac 128 Avatar
85 months ago
How many years has it been since we could share links via Mobile Me?

I wish this didn't attach my real name to photos I share. I sometimes share photos to communities (like this one!) where I don't share my real info, and that pretty much makes this feature useless for that.
Agreed, this is pretty much useless to me. Not sure how this is going to work in message forums where a link is entered into an image box.

Has the expiring link always been a part of this? I thought that, in the past, iCloud albums had a persistent link I could share. Is that not (or no longer) the case? Is it different for albums than for a (or a handful of) picture(s)?
I like that the link can be set to expire, and easily managed, but the 30 day expiration is a problem. My biggest pet peeve is searching for an old thread on a forum, and finding all the picture images I would have greatly benefitted from have broken links from photo services that are defunct.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RightMACatU Avatar
85 months ago
This is useful and almost seamless, though it is easy to accidentally upload a temporary copy. It would be useful to see all currently shared photos, with an option to “Stop Sharing” all.
+1
I think it's all part of a grand scheme to free users from an ability to know where their stuff is and who has access. What individual files and photos have I shared? with who? is there an easy way to know? where are my files, local or Cloud or Dropbox? etc. And I won't go there as this implies trust in every parts of the ecosystem that you use.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Keane16 Avatar
85 months ago
Not sure how this is going to work in message forums where a link is entered into an image box.
Don't use this then? It's trivial to set up Workflow to upload to something like Imgur and auto copy the link ready for pasting.

This is handy for sharing to friends and family. I personally don't want to share anything from my personal iCloud account to the wider internet.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xenc Avatar
85 months ago
This is useful and almost seamless, though it is easy to accidentally upload a temporary copy. It would be useful to see all currently shared photos, with an option to “Stop Sharing” all.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac 128 Avatar
85 months ago
Don't use this then? It's trivial to set up Workflow to upload to something like Imgur and auto copy the link ready for pasting.

This is handy for sharing to friends and family. I personally don't want to share anything from my personal iCloud account to the wider internet.
And why would I want some of those links to ever expire then, especially for friends and family? Can’t really imagine how this is useful. Friends and family are the least of my concerns for managing sharing.

Not sure exactly why you think it’s a bad thing to share a direct link to something in your iCloud account tho ...
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple Teases Its Next Major Product Launch

Friday February 14, 2025 9:38 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the imminent Apple product "launch" that is widely expected to be the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos In a social media post on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of...