Find out where the photos live
Before you copy anything, find out where your parent's photos are kept. Most iPhone users store them in iCloud Photos. Most Android users store them in Google Photos. Many parents have both, plus older pictures on a computer, a camera's memory card, or Facebook.
Ask your parent to open their photo app and look at the oldest pictures there. That tells you how far back the library goes and which account holds it. It's also a good moment to ask which photos matter most to them, because that's where the family should start.
Your small next steps
Make a full copy with your parent
The simplest protection is a second copy that doesn't depend on one account. Your parent can download their whole library while they still have access:
- Google Photos: Google Takeout at takeout.google.com lets your parent export their photos as files.
- iCloud Photos: your parent can download photos at icloud.com, or request a copy of their data at privacy.apple.com. On a Mac, the Photos app can export the library.
Large libraries can take hours or days to prepare. Save the copy to an external drive and keep it somewhere safe, such as with your parent's important papers or at a family member's home.
Your small next steps
Share the library with family
A copy on a drive protects the past. Sharing protects the photos your parent takes from now on. With iCloud Shared Photo Library, your parent can share a library with up to five other people, and everyone can add and see the photos. Google Photos offers partner sharing, which lets your parent share their photos automatically with one trusted person.
Talk about it before you turn it on. Everyone in an iCloud Shared Photo Library can also edit and delete photos, so agree on how the family will use it.
Your small next steps
Set up access for later
Even with copies, the original account deserves a plan. Ask your parent to add an Apple Legacy Contact or set up Google's Inactive Account Manager so a trusted person can request their photos after they die. Then write down where the photos live, where the backup drive is, and who has been named.
Your small next steps
The thing to remember
One account is one point of failure. A copy on a drive and a shared library mean the family's photos don't depend on a single login.
Official pages
General educational information only—not legal, financial, or security advice. Provider features and local laws can change. Use official provider guidance and consult a qualified professional for your circumstances.