{
  "id": 2140715,
  "title": "iOS 27 Shared Albums Go Full Res at the Cost of Your iCloud Storage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/ios-27-shared-albums-go-full-res-at-the-cost-of-your-icloud-storage",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-20T12:48:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MacRumors",
    "slug": "macrumors",
    "url": "https://www.macrumors.com/2026/08/20/ios-27-shared-albums-eat-into-icloud-storage/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In iOS 27, Shared Albums created in the Photos app now preserve full-resolution quality, a first-time improvement, but this comes at the expense of iCloud storage. Previously, photos in a Shared Album were automatically reduced to 2,048 pixels on the long edge, barring panoramic images, which could be up to 5,400 pixels wide. However, iOS 27 maintains the full resolution, but at the cost of increased iCloud storage consumption. Apple previously permitted up to 5,000 photos and videos to be stored in Shared Albums without impacting the user's iCloud storage limit; that is no longer the case in iOS 27. Moreover, if someone invited to a Shared Album adds their own photos and videos, it too will count against the user's iCloud storage. Apple has also made it simpler to invite people to Shared Albums, allowing friends and family to join and collaborate via the web, including Android and Windows users who can contribute via iCloud.com. This increased likelihood of participants adding content may result in more substantial storage usage. On the brighter side, iOS 27 introduces free temporary Shared Albums, enabling collaborative projects without consuming iCloud storage for 30 days. However, any photos and videos not saved to the user's library are deleted after this period. Fortunately, existing Shared Albums are unaffected by the changes by default. An 'Upgrade Shared Album' option is available for those who want to enhance the quality of their contents, but this comes at the cost of iCloud storage. Apple has not yet updated its support documentation to reflect the upcoming changes. iOS 27 is currently in public beta and is expected to be released in September alongside new iPhone models that include 5GB of free iCloud storage.",
  "summary": "In iOS 27, new Shared Albums you create in the Photos app retain full-resolution quality for the first time, but they now eat into your iCloud storage – and that includes any items added by other people invited to contribute. Currently, photos in a Shared Album are automatically reduced to 2,048 pixels on the long edge (except for panoramic photos, which can be up to 5,400 pixels wide). In iOS 27…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}