Creating a new album on Facebook

To create an album on Facebook, go to your profile and click the Photos tab near the top. On the left side, you'll see a button that says Create Album. Click it, and Facebook will open a window where you can name your album, add a description if you want to, and choose who can see it.

Before you upload any photos, Facebook asks you to set the privacy level. You can choose Public (anyone can see it), Friends (only your friends), Only Me (private), or a custom list. Pick the setting that matches what you want, then click Create Album. The album is now ready for photos.

Once the album is created, you can start adding photos right away. Facebook will prompt you to upload images from your computer or phone. You can add as many photos as you want in one session, or come back later to add more.

Key Takeaways

  • Start by clicking the Photos tab on your profile, then select Create Album from the left menu.
  • Give your album a name and set who can see it before you upload any photos.
  • You can add photos one at a time or upload multiple photos together in a single session.
  • After creating an album, you can edit the name, description, and privacy settings anytime by clicking the three dots on the album cover.
  • Photos in an album can be rearranged, deleted, or moved to a different album after they're uploaded.

Uploading photos to your album

After you create an album, Facebook shows you an upload screen. You can drag and drop photos directly onto the screen, or click Select Photos and Videos to browse your computer or phone. If you're uploading from a phone, you can also take a new photo right then and add it to the album.

Facebook lets you upload multiple photos at once. Select as many as you want from your device, and they'll all go into the album together. As the photos upload, you can add captions to individual photos by clicking on them and typing in the caption box. Captions are optional, but they help people understand what's in each photo.

Once all your photos are uploaded, click Done at the bottom of the screen. Your album is now live and visible to whoever you set the privacy level for.

Changing album privacy and settings after creation

If you want to change who can see your album after you've created it, go to your profile, click Photos, and find the album. Click the three dots in the top right corner of the album cover, then select Edit Album. From here you can change the name, description, location, and privacy level.

You can also change the album cover photo by clicking the three dots and selecting Change Album Cover. Facebook will show you all the photos in the album, and you can pick which one appears as the thumbnail when people see your albums list.

If you decide you want to delete the entire album, click the three dots and select Delete Album. Facebook will warn you that this removes all photos in the album permanently, so make sure that's what you want before confirming.

Moving photos between albums

If you upload a photo to the wrong album or want to reorganize your photos later, you can move them. Open the album where the photo currently is, click on the photo to open it, then click the three dots menu. Select Move to Another Album and choose which album you want it to go to from the list.

You can also move multiple photos at once. In the album view, click the checkbox next to each photo you want to move, then click Move at the top of the screen. Select the destination album, and all the checked photos will move together.

Using Facebook's automatic photo collections

Facebook automatically creates albums for you in some cases. If you upload photos from your phone using the Facebook app, they might go into an Uploads album automatically. Photos tagged with a location sometimes go into a Places album. Photos where you're tagged by other people appear in a Photos of You album.

These automatic albums follow the same privacy rules as albums you create yourself. You can change their privacy settings the same way — by clicking the three dots and selecting Edit Album. You can also remove photos from these albums if you don't want them there, though the original photo stays on Facebook.

Organizing multiple albums on your profile

As you create more albums, they'll all show up on your Photos tab. Facebook displays them in the order you created them, with the newest first. You can't manually reorder albums, but you can control which album appears as your profile picture album by making it your cover photo album.

To keep your albums organized, use clear names that describe what's in each one — like "Vacation 2024" or "Family Dinner" instead of generic names. You can also add descriptions to albums by editing them, which helps you remember what's inside and gives context to people viewing them.

If you have a lot of albums, consider making some private or visible to friends only, so your profile doesn't become cluttered with photos everyone can see. You can always change privacy settings later if you want to share an album more widely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add photos to an album after I create it?

Yes. Open the album, click the three dots, and select Add Photos and Videos. You can add new photos anytime, even months after creating the album. The new photos will appear at the end of the album unless you rearrange them.

What happens if I change an album from public to private?

Only the people you set the new privacy level for can see the album going forward. Anyone who could see it before but isn't in the new privacy group won't be able to view it anymore. The photos themselves don't change — only who can see them.

Can I download all the photos from an album at once?

Facebook doesn't have a built-in feature to download an entire album at once. You can download individual photos by clicking on them, then clicking the three dots and selecting Download. For multiple photos, you'll need to download them one by one or use a third-party tool.

What's the difference between an album and a post with multiple photos?

An album is a permanent collection that stays on your profile and can be organized and edited anytime. A post with multiple photos appears in your timeline and in your friends' feeds, but it's treated as a single post. Albums are better for organizing photos you want to keep together long-term.

Can other people add photos to my album?

No. Only you can add photos to albums you create. Other people can tag themselves in your photos or comment on them, but they can't upload new photos to your album. If you want to collect photos from multiple people, you'd need to ask them to send you the photos and you add them yourself.