Can't subscribe to shared album (Photos)

[kirkbross]

Someone sent me a link to a shared Photos album and I when I click the Subscribe link in my email I get this:

Shared albums are not available for this device. To subscribe to John Doe's “Photo Album” shared album on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, open your invitation in the Mail app, and click the Subscribe button in the message.

I'm on a Mac running Catalina with Photos open, I'm logged into iCloud and I have Photos turned on in iCloud Preferences.

Why is it not letting me access the shared album?

 

[0128672]

Have you enabled Shared Albums in the Photos settings?

 

[kirkbross]

Have you enabled Shared Albums in the Photos settings?

Yes. If someone was trying to share an album that was private, wouldn't OS X / Photos prevent them from sharing it? And / or, wouldn't the error message say "The album you're trying to join is private" or something like that?

 

[0128672]

Are you able to subscribe via an iOS/iPadOS device?

 

[kirkbross]

Are you able to subscribe via an iOS/iPadOS device?

Yes. I was able to join on my iPhone 11, but I had to turn on Shared Albums in iOS settings. Not sure why it didn't work on my Mac Mini which had Photos and had Shared albums turned on.

I never use Photos or iCloud for anything so I'm not too familiar with how everything syncs and / or which settings are device-specific.

 

[0128672]

If it happened on my Mac, I would toggle Shared Albums in settings and possibly reboot for good measure.

 

[kirkbross]

If it happened on my Mac, I would toggle Shared Albums in settings and possibly reboot for good measure.

Thank you kindly for your thoughts.

 

[ebonhawkabc]

If it happened on my Mac, I would toggle Shared Albums in settings and possibly reboot for good measure.

Thank you kindly for your thoughts.

I was having the same problem as @kirkbross, and unchecking and re-checking the Shared Albums setting got my album to sync. Thanks!