Family Sharing does not share your photo library. Apple says that with a shared iCloud+ plan, your photos and documents stay private. Photos reach family in 3 other ways: a Shared Library, a Shared Album, or a device that is signed in to your Apple Account. Check them in that order.
Shared Library: leave it
An iCloud Shared Photo Library has up to 5 other people. Everyone in it can add, edit and delete content. Check what is in it before you leave, because you choose what to copy out.
Stay signed in to iCloud, with iCloud Photos on, until the process ends.
- Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Photos. On iOS 17 or earlier, open Settings, then tap Photos.
- Tap Shared Library, then tap Leave Shared Library.
- Copy everything to your Personal Library, or only what you added.
- Tap Leave Shared Library again.
Shared Album: remove a person or delete the album
Only the people you invite see a Shared Album. You find your albums under Collections in Photos.
- Remove one person. Open the album that you made. On iOS 27 or later, tap Manage Shared Album, tap the person, then tap Remove Participant. On iOS 26, tap More, tap the album name, tap the person, then tap Remove Subscriber.
- End the album. Delete it. Apple says this deletes all its photos for good. Photos that you already saved to your own library stay there.
A family device on your Apple Account shows your photos
If a relative’s iPad or Mac is signed in to your Apple Account with iCloud Photos on, your photos appear on it.
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Scroll to the device list and tap the device that you do not want.
- Tap Remove from Account and confirm.
You can also turn off iCloud Photos on that device. Choose Download Photos & Videos first, so you keep your own copy. The guide on stopping iCloud Photos from syncing to other devices has the steps.
These settings cannot take a photo out of Photos
Each setting above decides who sees your photos inside Photos. A private photo still sits in your library next to all the others, ready for the next album or family device. Photos has no other place for it.
Import the photo, then delete the original in Photos yourself. Vault9 never deletes anything there. With iCloud Photos on, that deletion also removes the photo from your other devices. Empty Recently Deleted too.
Vault9 cannot share with other people. An exported photo is a normal file, and the vault no longer controls it. A relative who uses your phone while the vault is open can see it. For more checks, see whether Family Sharing can see your photos.
Sources
- Apple Support: How to use iCloud Shared Photo Library (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Leave iCloud Shared Photo Library (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: How to use Shared Albums in Photos (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Review devices signed in to your Apple Account (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Share iCloud+ with your Family Sharing group (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: How to turn off iCloud Photos (checked 2026-11-06)
- Apple Support: Delete photos on your iPhone or iPad (checked 2026-11-06)
