This article explains what happens when a PhotoSpring Sharing group or PhotoSpring Gift expires.
You are probably here because you received an email from us regarding the expiration of a Share or Gift group which you either created or were invited to. The email looks something like this:
What is a Photospring Group?
Photospring creates groups to help people share photos with each other and to one or more Photospring frames. Anyone can create a group to share photos free of charge.
There are two main types of groups:
Share Groups - these are groups created to share photos between people
Examples of share groups:
- Parents may create a share group to post photos for a Little League baseball team
- Travel companions may create a share group to share vacation photos
- Wedding planners may create a share group for guest to post photos during a wedding. The group can be connected to one or more frames, which can receive and display the shared photos in real time at the wedding.
Gift Groups - these are groups created to personalize a Photospring frame prior to gifting
This gift group allows the gift giver to preload the frame with photos remotely without ever opening the box. The gift giver can perform the following tasks prior to gift giving:
- Add a gift message and gift photo that the recipient will see when they first turn the frame on
- Add albums and photos to the frame. These photos will be downloaded to the frame after the gift recipient sets up their frame.
- Invite family and friends to contribute photos to the gift. Not only can others contribute photos, they can also view all the photos people have uploaded - and download the ones they like.
Click here for more information on gift setup.
Why is the Group Expiring?
Groups are meant to be a temporarily place to store photos so group members can share them amongst each other. Because groups are created by PhotoSpring free of charge, we need to expire them so that we don't bear the cost of storing photos and videos indefinitely.
The exact date the group will expire can be seen in the upper right corner of the groups home page: "Contents will be deleted MM/DD/YY".
What Happens to Photos and Videos Uploaded to the Group After it Expires?
During Gift Setup, your uploaded photos are stored on our servers for roughly 80 days. During this 80 day period you can continue to upload photos to the group. Prior to the group expiring we email all members of the group of the impending expiration. Finally at 80 days, we will delete the group and all the photos contained inside.
Photos that have already been received by frames that are connected to the group will remain on the frames. To put it another way: photos are only deleted from our servers - the photos currently on frames will not be affected.
Is My Photospring Account Expiring?
Groups and Accounts are two different things in the Photospring system
- A password is not required to access a Group. You access a group via a link we send you when you create the group or when you are invited to a group. Groups store photos to make it easy for group members to share photos with each other or to a Photospring frame. Groups expire.
- An email and password is required to access an account. Accounts are connected to one or more frames and allow you to send photos and videos to frames as long as the account is active. Accounts remain active until you delete the account. Accounts are not used to store photos.
Here's a summary of each of the differences between Accounts and Groups:
Feature |
Accounts |
Groups |
| Login | Login via Email and Password | No login required. Access via link we email group members |
| Photo Storage | Photos and videos are stored on our servers long enough for a frame to download the photos - with a max of 21 days. | Photos are stored for 80 days |
| Access | Your account is password protected. Only you can see photos you send. | Everyone in the group can see photos added to the group. |
| Frames | Accounts can send photos & videos directly to connected frames | Frames can be added to the group. Any photos added to the group will automatically be sent to frames added to the group |
| Expiration | Accounts are active until they are deleted by its owner | Groups expire in 80 days |
I Use the Group to Send Photos to a Frame. How Can I Continue to Send Photos?
You have several choices:
- You can send photos to the frame via its frame email address. You will need to get this address from the frame owner.
- You can create a PhotoSpring account, connect to a frame and then send photos to the frame. You will need to ask the frame owner for the frame code of the frame you want to connect to.
- You can create a new group, and add the frame to the group (via frame code). Note: this group will eventually expire as well so it's probably not a good option.