{
  "slug": "shared-album-invite-not-working",
  "question": "Why isn't my shared album invite working?",
  "method": "primary-docs",
  "checkedAt": "2026-10-26",
  "tools": {
    "curl": "8.7.1",
    "python3": "3.9.6",
    "git": "2.54.0"
  },
  "inputs": [
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314",
      "title": "How to use Shared Albums in Photos on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro",
      "published": "2026-10-06"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/119865",
      "title": "How to accept a shared album invite",
      "published": "2026-03-25"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102503",
      "title": "How to resend a shared album invite",
      "published": "2026-09-14"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868",
      "title": "Shared Albums limits",
      "published": "2026-09-14"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/149096",
      "title": "Change participant permissions for a shared album",
      "published": "2026-10-06"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102529",
      "title": "About your Apple Account email addresses",
      "published": "not shown in the text read"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6131416?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid",
      "title": "Share photos & videos (Android)",
      "published": "no date shown"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9789702?hl=en",
      "title": "How shared album controls give your photos more privacy",
      "published": "no date shown"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link",
      "title": "How to share in Dropbox",
      "published": "no date shown"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://wetransfer.com/help-center/how-to/transfer-availability",
      "title": "How long are transfers available to download?",
      "published": "2026-09-30"
    },
    {
      "url": "code://apps/api/src/sharing/sharing.service.ts",
      "title": "Viallo source at origin/main e987687b4"
    },
    {
      "url": "code://apps/api/src/sharing/sharing.controller.ts",
      "title": "Viallo source at origin/main e987687b4"
    },
    {
      "url": "code://packages/shared/src/share-link-access.ts",
      "title": "Viallo source at origin/main e987687b4"
    },
    {
      "url": "code://packages/shared/src/subscription/tiers.ts",
      "title": "Viallo source at origin/main e987687b4"
    }
  ],
  "results": [
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "what_you_send",
      "value": "An invitation to an email address or iMessage phone number",
      "quote": "Choose people to invite from your contacts, or type an email address or iMessage phone number",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "recipient_needs",
      "value": "iCloud; people who do not use iCloud see the album only if the owner turns on Public Website",
      "quote": "To share an album with friends or family who don't use iCloud:",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "documented_failure",
      "value": "Shared Albums switched off on the iPhone; turn it on, then ask for the invitation again",
      "quote": "On your iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, and select Photos. Scroll down and make sure that you turned on Shared Albums. If this setting was turned off, ask your friend or family member to resend the shared album invitation",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/119865"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "what_you_send",
      "value": "A link, or invitations the owner approves",
      "quote": "Tap Sharing Options to choose whether to invite and approve participants, or share the album with a link.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "recipient_needs",
      "value": "Nothing: people can join on the web without an Apple Account or Apple device",
      "quote": "Friends and family will be able to join and contribute their own photos on the web, even without an Apple Account or Apple device.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "documented_failure",
      "value": "The owner can require approval, so a request waits until the owner approves it",
      "quote": "The album owner can choose in the album's Sharing Options to only allow people they invite or approve to access",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "what_you_send",
      "value": "A direct share to a Google Account, or a link for everyone else",
      "quote": "You can share directly to anyone with a Google Account if they're in your contacts or by search with their email address or phone number. For everyone else, you can create a link to share.",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6131416?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "recipient_needs",
      "value": "A Google Account for a direct share; nothing for a link",
      "quote": "If your contact doesn't have a Google Account, you can send them a link or share using another app instead.",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6131416?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "documented_failure",
      "value": "Removing someone does not cut off the link: anyone with it can still view the album",
      "quote": "If you remove someone from a shared album, but have link sharing turned on, anyone with the original link can still view the album.",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9789702?hl=en"
    },
    {
      "option": "Dropbox shared folder",
      "property": "what_you_send",
      "value": "An email with a link to the folder",
      "quote": "When you share a file or folder in Dropbox, the person you share it with will receive an email with a link to access it.",
      "url": "https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link"
    },
    {
      "option": "Dropbox shared folder",
      "property": "recipient_needs",
      "value": "A Dropbox account, logged in; without one the owner can send a view-only link",
      "quote": "To view or edit the shared content, the person must have a Dropbox account and be logged in. If they don't have an account or prefer not to log in, you can share a view-only link instead.",
      "url": "https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link"
    },
    {
      "option": "Dropbox shared folder",
      "property": "documented_failure",
      "value": "Shared with someone who has no Dropbox account, they can only preview it",
      "quote": "If you share with someone without a Dropbox account, they'll only be able to preview the file or folder.",
      "url": "https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo album link",
      "property": "what_you_send",
      "value": "A link whose id is 16 random bytes written as 32 hexadecimal characters",
      "quote": "shareId: randomBytes(16).toString('hex'),",
      "url": "code://apps/api/src/sharing/sharing.service.ts:198"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo album link",
      "property": "recipient_needs",
      "value": "Nothing: the endpoint that opens a share link is public",
      "quote": "@ApiOperation({ summary: 'Access shared album by link (public)' })",
      "url": "code://apps/api/src/sharing/sharing.controller.ts:388"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo album link",
      "property": "documented_failure",
      "value": "The owner revoked the link, or the expiry date the owner set has passed",
      "quote": "isActive: true, $or: [{ expiresAt: { $exists: false } }, { expiresAt: null }, { expiresAt: { $gt: now } }],",
      "url": "code://packages/shared/src/share-link-access.ts:16"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "where_invitations_appear",
      "value": "An invitation can be accepted in Notification Center, the Photos app or on iCloud.com",
      "quote": "you can accept the invite in Notification Center, the Photos app, or on iCloud.com.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/119865"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "join_any_device",
      "value": "People join by opening the album link on an Apple or non-Apple device",
      "quote": "by opening the link to the album on an Apple or non-Apple device",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "approve_request",
      "value": "The owner approves a request under Invitations and Access Requests",
      "quote": "tap Invitations and Access Requests. Tap Approve or Decline.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "Apple Account",
      "property": "add_address_path",
      "value": "Extra addresses are added at account.apple.com under Email & Phone Numbers",
      "quote": "Choose Email & Phone Numbers, then select the Add button",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102529"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "opt_out",
      "value": "A recipient who clicked Don't Send Me Shared Album Emails gets no invitations until they undo it from an old invitation email",
      "quote": "Open an invitation sent to your email address, then click Don't Send Me Shared Album Emails at the bottom of the message. A browser window opens and shows that you're no longer receiving Shared Album invitations. Click \"Undo this change.\"",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102503"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "opt_out_no_email",
      "value": "Without an old invitation, the remedy is Apple Support",
      "quote": "If you no longer have an invitation, contact Apple Support and ask to receive Shared Album invitations.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102503"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "ask_which_address",
      "value": "Apple's advice is to ask the sender which address the invitation went to",
      "quote": "Ask the person who invited you which email address that they used to send the invite.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/119865"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "resend",
      "value": "Resend Invitation, from the person's name in the subscriber list",
      "quote": "Select the person's name in the list of subscribers. Tap Resend Invitation.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102503"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "public_website",
      "value": "Public Website publishes the album to a page anyone can open in a browser",
      "quote": "Turn on Public Website. Your photos publish to a website that anyone can see in an up-to-date web browser.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "limits",
      "value": "100 subscribers per shared album",
      "quote": "Maximum subscribers per shared album: 100",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "limit_items",
      "value": "5000 photos and videos per shared album",
      "quote": "Maximum combined number of photos and videos from all contributors in any one shared album: 5000",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 26 or earlier",
      "property": "limit_invites_per_day",
      "value": "200 invites a day per owner",
      "quote": "Maximum number of invites a shared album owner may send per day: 200",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "resend",
      "value": "Resending means sharing the link again, or Copy Album Link",
      "quote": "Choose a contact or app to use to share the link to the shared album. You can also tap Copy Album Link to copy the link so that you can send or post it.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102503"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "software_version",
      "value": "A participant whose device is not on the latest software has to update it or use iCloud.com",
      "quote": "Any participants with devices that aren't on the latest software will have to update their devices or view the album on iCloud.com.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108314"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "limits",
      "value": "No cap on albums or items beyond the owner's iCloud storage",
      "quote": "There are no limits to the number of albums, or photos and videos in a shared album, beyond the owner's available iCloud storage.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "limit_participants",
      "value": "100 participants including the owner",
      "quote": "Maximum number of participants in a shared album, including the owner: 100",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/148868"
    },
    {
      "option": "iCloud Shared Albums, album created on iOS 27 or later",
      "property": "no_apple_account",
      "value": "Someone invited without an Apple Account can verify their email address and take part",
      "quote": "If you invite someone who doesn't have an Apple Account, they can verify their email address to view, comment, and add photos to the shared album.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/149096"
    },
    {
      "option": "Apple Account",
      "property": "extra_addresses",
      "value": "Extra addresses on an Apple Account help people find you on Photo Sharing",
      "quote": "Add extra email addresses to help friends and family find you on Apple services like FaceTime, Messages, Photo Sharing, and Find My.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102529"
    },
    {
      "option": "Apple Account",
      "property": "extra_address_conflict",
      "value": "An extra address cannot already belong to another Apple Account",
      "quote": "This additional email address can't already be associated with a different Apple Account.",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102529"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "link_contributes",
      "value": "Anyone with the album link can view and add photos",
      "quote": "When you share a link to your album, anyone with the link can view the photos and add to the album.",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6131416?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "collaborate_off",
      "value": "Turning off Collaborate stops others adding photos",
      "quote": "To prevent others with access from adding photos, under \"Options,\" turn off Collaborate",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9789702?hl=en"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "reset_link",
      "value": "Turning link sharing off and on again makes the old link stop working",
      "quote": "To reset the link, turn link sharing off and then back on. The old link will no longer work",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9789702?hl=en"
    },
    {
      "option": "Google Photos shared album",
      "property": "link_secrecy",
      "value": "The link is a URL people cannot guess",
      "quote": "A shared link is a URL that people can't guess on their own.",
      "url": "https://support.google.com/photos/answer/9789702?hl=en"
    },
    {
      "option": "Dropbox shared folder",
      "property": "join_folder",
      "value": "An individual Dropbox user has to join a shared folder",
      "quote": "If you share a folder with an individual Dropbox user, the user needs to join the folder.",
      "url": "https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link"
    },
    {
      "option": "WeTransfer",
      "property": "expiry",
      "value": "Free and Starter transfers stay online up to 3 days",
      "quote": "Free and Starter plans: uploads can be kept online for up to 3 days.",
      "url": "https://wetransfer.com/help-center/how-to/transfer-availability"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo album link",
      "property": "revoke",
      "value": "Revoking sets the link inactive",
      "quote": "link.isActive = false;",
      "url": "code://apps/api/src/sharing/sharing.service.ts:1223"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo plans",
      "property": "free_plan",
      "value": "2 albums, 200 photos, 10 GB",
      "quote": "maxAlbums: 2, maxPhotos: 200, maxStorageGB: 10,",
      "url": "code://packages/shared/src/subscription/tiers.ts:54"
    },
    {
      "option": "Viallo plans",
      "property": "plus_price",
      "value": "$6.99 a month",
      "quote": "monthly: 6.99, annual: 69.99,",
      "url": "code://packages/shared/src/subscription/tiers.ts:88"
    }
  ],
  "notes": [
    "Every vendor page was fetched with curl on 2026-10-26 with a desktop Chrome User-Agent and Accept-Language en-US; each returned HTTP 200.",
    "Google answer 6131416 carries the two quoted sentences only in its Android rendering (co=GENIE.Platform=Android); the default rendering of the same answer does not, so the Android URL is the one recorded.",
    "Apple's Mac guide phtf7fe6394, which the earlier version of the post quoted ('be sure to use the email addresses they use to sign in to their Apple Account'), now serves the macOS 27 guide and no longer carries that sentence. The quote was removed from the post.",
    "Not checked, no vendor page states it: which iCloud, Google or Dropbox failure is most common; Chrome opening a Google invitation as the wrong signed-in account; Dropbox requiring a verified email address; what a WeTransfer recipient needs (the WeTransfer page fetched covers expiry only).",
    "Viallo rows are read from the product source at origin/main (e987687b4), not a public page. check.py reads them through git when it runs inside the Viallo repository and reports them as skipped elsewhere.",
    "The 2026-07-29 version of this post called the iCloud invitation an address-to-Apple-Account match for every album. Apple's pages on 2026-10-26 split Shared Albums by the version the album was created on: albums created on iOS 27 or later are joined by link, on the web, without an Apple Account."
  ]
}