iOS 15 has brought a new way to share images, videos, links, etc. universally: Shared with You. It works across apps like Safari, Photos, and Notes and allows users to share the files and information from those apps with others. This article takes a look at how to share photos and links using “Shared With You” share menu in iOS 15.
Also read: How to Transfer Data to a New iPhone or iPad
How “Share With You” Works in Safari
We share links to interesting web pages and articles with friends all the time. You read something like a new healthy recipe or some local news, and you want to share a link to it with someone you know.
In previous iOS versions, the recipient would have to open the Messages app, dig deep into the conversation to find the link shared, and tap on it to open it in Safari. Now, with “Shared With You”, things are much simpler.
Let’s say someone sends me a link to an interesting article. Instead of messing around in the Messages app, It will be automatically added to Safari. It doesn’t asks for any permissions; however, you can control them from settings.
The link will appear on the home page under the “Shared with You” heading. Simply tap on the link to open it in a Safari tab. It’s that easy.
The feature works in all messaging apps and not just iMessage. iOS 15 scans and collects all links and displays them in Safari.
You will also notice the name of the person who shared the link below in Safari. Tap on it to open the conversation in the Messages app. Tap and hold to send a reply in a pop-up or remove the link and declutter the space.
How do you find the link again in a sea of links in the Messages app? Simple. Long-press the link and find the option to pin it. You can now find these pinned links in the Messages search menu, Shared With You, and the conversation’s Details view.
How Does “Share With You” Work in the Photos App
Whenever someone shares a photo with you, it will appear in the Photos app under a new “Shared With You” section located under the “For You” tab in the Photos app. It could be an image you received in the Messages app or some other chat app.
You will see a download icon next to the image in the Messages app. In previous iOS versions, you would need to tap on that to download and save the image to the Photos app.
Now, you don’t need to download it initially. Open the Photos app to view all shared images under the “Shared With You” section in the “For You” tab. As seen in the below screenshot, you will see the profile picture of the sender at the top. Tapping on the same will lead you back to the conversation in the Messages app where the image was first seen.
Not shown in the image is a link at the bottom that says “Save Shared Photo,” which allows you to save the photo so that is no longer only connected to the original message. Once you save the image, the option will no longer appear.
You may want to save the photo if you are the type to often delete old messages. If you delete the message before saving the photo, the photo will be gone.
If you are receiving files in the Messages app, you can easily save it for later use.
How to Share Photos From iCloud Directly
With iOS 15, you can now share photos via an iCloud link instead of sharing the actual photo. Open the Photos app and long-press on the photo that you want to share with someone. Tap on the “Share” button, then select “Copy iCloud link.”
If you don’t see the iCloud link option, make sure “iCloud Photos and Shared Albums” is enabled under “Settings -> Profile Picture -> iCloud -> Photos.”
The generated link can be shared via any messaging app you use. If you think the photo shouldn’t be shared anymore or was shared mistakenly, you can quickly stop sharing the photo. Open the Photos app and locate the photo you shared under the “For You” tab. Tap once to open it and select the three-dot menu icon to find the “Stop Sharing” button.
Disable “Shared with You” Completely
Yes, you can disable it for all apps or for individual apps too. Open “Settings -> Messages -> Shared with You.” Here you can toggle this setting system-wide or for individual apps like Music, TV, Safari, and Photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why can’t I see “Shared With You” in Photos?
There are many people reporting on social media sites like Reddit and Twitter about this. It is not working for some users, but that is expected to be fixed in subsequent iOS updates, hopefully.
2. When do the shared links for iCloud Photos expire?
The link is available for 30 days, after which it will expire automatically. The recipient will be greeted with a “Failed to Retrieve” message after that. A new link would have to be generated then.
Wrapping Up
This is a neat feature that would make lives easier for many people. The rollout could have been smoother though. Shared With You works in a number of apps and collects valuable data and displays it in the apps. All links are available in the Safari browser, while all photos are visible in Photos app.
It will be interesting to see where Apple takes Shared With You in future updates.
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