How to share photos between iPhone and Android friends

The simplest way to share photos between iPhone and Android users is a shared album that works on both, such as a Google Photos shared album or an event photo app. Apple's own tools, AirDrop and iCloud shared albums, are made for Apple devices, so Android friends can at best view the photos through a web link.

Almost every friend group in India is a mix of iPhones and Android phones, so this question comes up after nearly every trip and party. Here is what works.

Why AirDrop doesn't help

AirDrop is fast and keeps full quality, but it only works between Apple devices. Android has its own nearby sharing, and the two don't talk to each other. So if half the group is on Android, AirDrop splits the photos into two camps.

iCloud shared albums

iCloud shared albums are easy for iPhone users. Apple explains the setup in its guide to shared albums. You can also turn on a public website link for the album, which lets anyone with the link view the photos in a web browser, including Android users.

There are two catches. First, Android users can only view and download through that link. They cannot add their own photos to the album. Second, Apple stores photos in shared albums at a reduced resolution compared with your originals, so they are good for viewing but not for printing. For a group where everyone took photos, that only solves half the problem.

Google Photos shared albums

Google Photos runs on both Android and iPhone, so it is the most common answer. You create an album, turn on collaboration and share the link, as described in Google's help page. Everyone can add photos, and quality is kept.

The friction is that people generally need a Google account signed in to add photos, and iPhone users need to install the Google Photos app and get used to it. Many of them never quite do, and their photos stay on their phones. It works best when one person takes charge and reminds everyone to upload.

Sending files directly

For a few photos, you can always send them on WhatsApp or Telegram. On WhatsApp, attach them as documents to keep the original quality, which we explain in how to send photos on WhatsApp without losing quality. This is fine for a handful of pictures and tiring for a whole trip.

An app made for groups

Event photo apps are built for mixed groups from the start. Rollout works the same way on Android and iPhone. One person creates an event and shares a QR code or link, everyone joins with a few taps, and every photo anyone adds appears in one shared album for everyone, at full quality. Face search lets each person find the photos they are in with a selfie, so nobody has to scroll through every picture.

It is free for groups of up to 30 people, which covers most trips and parties. You can get it on Android or iPhone.

If you are sorting out photos after a holiday, read our guide to collecting trip photos from friends next.