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 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

When Is iPhone 17 Coming Out?

Thursday July 24, 2025 9:11 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Saturday July 26, 2025 5:50 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should launch in late September, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Tipster: iPhone 17 Pro to Feature 8x Zoom, Pro Camera App, and More

Sunday July 27, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will have several new camera-related features, according to an anonymous tipster who contacted MacRumors today. The tipster claimed to be familiar with an iPhone 17 Pro commercial that is allegedly being produced by a film company that has publicly listed Apple as one of its clients. MacRumors has not independently confirmed any of the information shared ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Thursday July 24, 2025 7:08 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
Apple Partridge Creek

Apple Store in Michigan Permanently Closing Next Month

Saturday July 26, 2025 1:51 pm PDT by
Earlier this month, MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to permanently close its Partridge Creek store, just outside of Detroit, Michigan, and now the company has announced a closure date for the location. Apple Partridge Creek Apple Partridge Creek's final day of business will be Saturday, August 16, with the store set to close for good at 8 p.m. local time that day. All of ...
iOS 18

Apple Shares iOS 18.6 Release Notes

Thursday July 24, 2025 6:33 am PDT by
While the focus is now on iOS 26, there is still an iOS 18.6 update incoming. As noted by Aaron Zollo, Apple on Wednesday re-labeled iOS 18.6 Beta 4 as simply iOS 18.6, meaning that it is the Release Candidate version. This change effectively confirms that the update will be released to the public next week. Alongside the new label, Apple shared release notes for iOS 18.6, which is a...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Leaked

Friday July 25, 2025 6:20 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a Macworld report this month, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Tuesday July 22, 2025 5:00 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...

Top Rated Comments

noraa Avatar
38 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
38 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)
uberman15 Avatar
38 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)
Zyphrax Avatar
38 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)
Zyphrax Avatar
38 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)
jambon Avatar
38 months ago

only if the user had used the feature during the betas (at least it seems that way so far)
Ooh ok. Confusing. I deleted the shared library in advance of the install of RC. Upgraded and option to setup is still there. Photos are safe anyway!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)