How to Create Live Albums in Google Photos

Google Photos Live Albums automatically add new photos and videos of specific people or pets to a shared album, so you can keep everyone in the loop without manually uploading each time. This guide walks you through creating a Live Album on Android, iOS, and the web, and covers what you need to get started.

What You’ll Need

A Google account (free) with Google Photos installed on your phone or access to the web version.
Photos of the person or pet already in your Google Photos library, so the face grouping feature can recognize them.
For pet albums, Google Photos must have identified the pet in your photos (this happens automatically over time).

Step-by-Step

On Android or iOS

Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
Tap the Library tab at the bottom (on iOS it might be a grid icon).
Tap New album (or the plus icon) and select Live Album.
You’ll see a list of suggested people and pets. Tap the circle next to the person or pet you want to include. You can select multiple.
If you don’t see the person or pet, tap Show more or See all to browse. You can also search for a name.
After selecting, tap Create (or the checkmark) at the top right.
Give the album a name (e.g., “Emma’s First Year”) and tap Save or Create.
To share it, open the album and tap the Share icon. Choose how to share: link, contacts, or social media.

On the Web (photos.google.com)

Go to photos.google.com and sign in.
In the left sidebar, click Albums.
Click the + icon and select Live Album.
Click on the faces of people or pets you want to include. You can search by name if you have many.
Click Create Album at the top right.
Name the album and click Create.
To share, open the album, click the Share icon, and choose your sharing method.

Common Mistakes

Selecting the wrong face: Google Photos groups faces, but sometimes a person appears in multiple groups (e.g., as a child and as an adult). Make sure you pick the correct group, or the album will miss photos.
Expecting manual uploads: Live Albums only include photos that are already in your library or that you add to the library later. If you share a photo directly to the album from another app, it may not appear automatically.
Forgetting to share: Creating a Live Album doesn’t automatically share it. You must explicitly share it with others, or they won’t see it.
Not enabling face grouping: If face grouping is off in your Google Photos settings, Live Albums for people won’t work. Check under Settings > Privacy.

Tips

Use multiple people: You can add several people or pets to one Live Album, which is great for family albums.
Rename the album clearly: A descriptive name helps others understand what the album is about.
Turn on notifications: If you’re the creator, you’ll get a notification when new photos are added. You can adjust this in the album settings.
Remove people later: You can edit the album anytime to add or remove people. Changes apply to future photos, not past ones.
Combine with shared libraries: If you have a partner who shares their library with you, their photos of the same person will also appear in the Live Album automatically.

Troubleshooting

No faces appear when creating a Live Album. Make sure you have photos of the person in your library and that face grouping is enabled. Go to Settings > Privacy > Face grouping and turn it on if off. It can take a few days for Google to process new photos.

New photos are not being added. Live Albums update when you take new photos and they are backed up to Google Photos. Check that backup is enabled and that the person is recognized in the new photo. If the person is not recognized, the photo won’t be added.

The album is not sharing with others. Verify that you have shared the album link or added people directly. If you shared a link, make sure the link is not restricted to your Google account only.

Can’t find the Live Album option. On the web, it’s under the + icon in the Albums tab. On mobile, it’s under New album. If you don’t see it, update the app to the latest version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add photos manually to a Live Album? Yes, you can add individual photos manually, but they will not be automatically included in the future unless they are of the selected people.

Do Live Albums count against my storage? No, the album itself is just a view. The photos themselves are stored in your library and count against your storage as usual.

Can I create a Live Album for a pet? Yes, Google Photos can recognize pets and you can create a Live Album for them, just like for people.

What happens if I delete a photo from the Live Album? Deleting a photo from the album removes it from the album but does not delete it from your library. To delete it from your library, you must do so from the main Photos tab.

Can I share a Live Album with someone who doesn’t have Google Photos? Yes, you can share a link that anyone can view, even without a Google account. They just won’t be able to add photos.

How do I stop a Live Album from updating? You can either remove the person from the album’s settings or delete the album entirely. Deleting the album does not delete the photos.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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