GoKawiilApple upgrades iCloud Shared Albums with full-res media and custom reactions in iOS 27
Apple's iOS 27 update brings major improvements to iCloud Shared Albums, including support for full-resolution photos and videos, custom emoji reactions instead of just likes, and easier one-tap saving. Android and Windows users can now contribute content via the web rather than only viewing shared photos, and users gain new participant permission controls plus the option to set album expiration dates.
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Shared Albums has long lagged behind Apple's other Photos features despite being a popular way for families and friends to privately swap memories. These changes make the feature more flexible and cross-platform friendly, closing the gap between Apple's private sharing tool and mainstream social apps while addressing long-standing user complaints about quality loss and limited interaction options.
- Full-resolution photo and video support finally arrives in Shared Albums
- Users can now react with any emoji, not just a simple like
- Android and Windows users can contribute photos via the web, not just view them
Apple iPhone 17 — If Photos is your most-used app, the iPhone 17 is the device that makes it shine, with a camera system built for capturing the memories you'll drop into iCloud Shared Albums. It's also the natural home for iOS updates like full-resolution shared photos and videos.
See Apple iPhone 17 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Ryan Christoffel, 2026-08-28
Published there as: “Apple Photos in iOS 27 upgrades one of my favorite features in a big way”
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