To download shared photos in Google Photos, the primary step is to add them to your personal Google Photos library. Once they are part of your library, you can then download them like any other photo you own.
Based on the reference, the process begins by incorporating the shared photos into your own collection:
Follow these steps to save photos from a shared album to your library:
- Open the Album: Navigate to and open the specific shared album that contains the photos you want to download (or save).
- Save to Your Library: Save these photos that were shared with you to your Google Photos library.
This process effectively makes a copy of the shared photos and adds them to your personal Google Photos account.
Why Save Shared Photos to Your Library?
Saving shared photos to your library is a necessary step because, as the reference explains, you cannot typically edit a photo directly from a shared album that you don't own. You need to make a copy of it for yourself in your library before you can perform actions like editing.
By saving the photos to your library, you integrate them into your personal collection within Google Photos. Once they are in your library, they are treated as your own photos, which allows you to download them to your device, edit them, include them in other albums you create, and manage them alongside the rest of your pictures.
