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Immich has several ways to share photos with family, and they do different jobs: shared albums are for selected media and users on the same server; partner sharing gives a chosen user access to your library; public links work for recipients without Immich accounts. Which one fits depends on what you want to share and whether your family members have accounts on your Immich server.
Choose the sharing method that fits
| Method | Best for | Who can access it | What recipients can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared album | A selected collection of photos or videos | Users on the same Immich instance | Viewers can view; editors can view and add their own media |
| Partner sharing | Sharing your entire library with a chosen person | Users you choose | View and download your assets |
| Public link | Sharing selected photos, videos, or an album with someone who has no Immich account | Anyone with the link, subject to the link’s configured settings | Actions depend on the controls you set; options include expiration and password protection |
| People sharing | Sharing access to people across users in a cluster group | Users in the cluster group, if supported by the installed release | Read or write permissions, as described in Immich’s rollout announcement |
Immich’s sharing documentation explains the established album, partner, and public-link options. People sharing was described separately in a September 30, 2026 recap; check your installed version before relying on it.
How shared albums work
Use a shared album when you want family members with accounts on your Immich server to see a particular set of pictures or clips, rather than your whole library. The owner can invite users on the same instance and choose viewer or editor access.
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- Editor: Has read/write access and can add their own photos or videos.
This option suits a family trip, celebration, or ongoing album where several relatives can contribute. Access is tied to users on that Immich instance, not to anyone who happens to receive a link.
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When partner sharing is the better choice
Partner sharing is the documented option when you want a selected user to view and download your entire library. It is broader than sharing one album, so choose it only when library-wide access is what you intend. Immich’s documentation describes partner sharing as access for chosen users; it is distinct from a public link.
Sharing with relatives who do not have Immich accounts
Create a public link for selected photos, videos, or an album when recipients do not have accounts on your server. Immich describes the random URL as a secret that makes guessing difficult, but a link is not the same as access limited to named server users: anyone who obtains it may be able to open it under its configured settings.
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Before sharing, review the available controls. Immich documents options such as setting an expiration date, requiring a password, and limiting permitted actions. Choose settings appropriate to the media and audience; do not treat an unguessable URL as a substitute for carefully controlling who receives it.
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What the newer people-sharing feature changes
Immich’s September 30, 2026 recap describes sharing access to all people with users in a cluster group, with read/write permissions working in both directions. That could be useful when family members need shared access to people management rather than only a particular album or another user’s whole library.
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The recap says the improvements were available in release-candidate builds and expected in v3.3.0 the following week. That announcement establishes the rollout plan, not that stable v3.3.0 had shipped. The Immich Team’s v3.2.0 release post, dated September 10, 2026, lists cross-user people features among its highlights, but that does not establish the stable availability of the later improvements described in the recap. Confirm support in the version you run before following version-specific steps.
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- Pick a shared album for a specific collection when relatives have accounts on the same server; use viewer access for viewing only or editor access when they should contribute.
- Pick partner sharing when a chosen user should be able to view and download your entire library.
- Pick a public link when recipients do not have Immich accounts, and configure its protections and allowed actions before sending it.
- Consider people sharing only after confirming that your installed release supports the feature described in the rollout announcement.
Immich’s quick start describes using an Immich server and uploading photos to it. Sharing features therefore operate within the context of the server you use; the account and access options available to recipients depend on that setup.
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