Yes, it is possible to change the order of photos in an album on most photo sharing platforms and apps. The ability to rearrange photos allows you to customize the storytelling flow or chronology of your album.
Why Would You Want to Change the Photo Order?
There are a few key reasons you may want to change the order of your photos in an album:
- To create a logical narrative or chronological sequence – For example, ordering photos from your vacation to show where you went each day
- To prioritize your favorite or best photos – You can move your best shots to the beginning of the album
- For aesthetic reasons – Rearranging photos allows you to space out photos with similar colors, styles or subjects
- To deprioritize or hide unwanted photos – You can move photos you don’t want to show as much to the end of the album or omit them altogether
The order of photos in an album can impact the story and emotions the album conveys. Changing the sequence allows you to take control over how viewers will experience the photos.
How to Change Photo Order in Common Apps and Websites
Here is an overview of how to reorder photos in some popular photo apps and websites:
On Facebook, you can change the order of photos in any album you created:
- Go to your Facebook profile and click “Photos”
- Click on the album cover image for the album you want to edit
- Click “Rearrange Photos” under the album title
- Drag and drop photos to reorder them
- Click “Save Changes” when you’re done
To reorder photos on Instagram:
- Go to your profile and tap the three dots icon in the top right corner
- Select “Archive”
- Tap on a post to expand it, then tap the three dots icon
- Select “Edit” and tap “Reorder”
- Drag and drop the photos into your preferred order
- Tap “Done” to save the changes
Google Photos
Google Photos makes it easy to reorder your photos:
- Open the Google Photos app or visit photos.google.com
- Navigate to the album you want to edit
- Tap the three dot “More” menu icon
- Select “Edit album”
- Drag and drop photos to rearrange them
- Tap “Save” when you’re finished
Apple Photos
For iPhone, iPad, or Mac devices, use the Apple Photos app to reorder:
- Open the Photos app and select the album to edit
- Tap “Select” in the upper right
- Tap each photo you want to move to select it
- Tap the “Rearrange” icon (three lines with arrow)
- Drag photos to rearrange and tap “Done” when finished
Flickr
Flickr also lets you reorder photos in your albums:
- Go to your photostream on Flickr and select an album
- Click the settings gear icon and choose “Edit photos”
- Drag and drop to rearrange photos in the album
- Click “Save order” when you’re done
Microsoft OneDrive
In OneDrive, you can reorder photos on both desktop and mobile apps:
- On Desktop: Click the album > Click “Manage” > Drag and drop photos to reorder > Click “Save”
- On Mobile: Tap the album > Tap “Edit” > Drag and drop photos > Tap “Done”
Dropbox
Dropbox also provides desktop and mobile options to reorder photos:
- On Desktop: Right click the album > Choose “Rearrange photos” > Drag and drop to reorder > Click “Done”
- On Mobile: Tap menu icon > Select “Rearrange” > Drag and drop photos > Tap “Done”
Google Drive
If storing photos in Google Drive, use either the web or mobile apps:
- On Web: Right click the folder > Choose “Manage folder” > Drag and drop files > Click “Done”
- On Mobile: Tap the folder > Tap menu icon > Select “Manage” > Reorder files > Tap “Done”
Conclusion
While steps may slightly vary between apps, reordering photos in an album only takes a few taps and drags. Just open the album, find the “Edit” or “Rearrange” option, drag photos into new positions, and save the changes. Taking the time to reorder your albums allows you to shape the narrative and highlight your best shots.
App/Site | How to Reorder Photos |
---|---|
Go to album > Click “Rearrange Photos” > Drag and drop > Click “Save Changes” | |
Go to archive > Tap photo to expand > Tap “Edit” > Tap “Reorder” > Drag and drop > Tap “Done” | |
Google Photos | Open album > Tap menu > Select “Edit album” > Drag and drop > Tap “Save” |
Apple Photos | Select album > Tap “Select” > Select photos > Tap “Rearrange” > Drag and drop > Tap “Done” |
Flickr | Select album > Click settings icon > Choose “Edit photos” > Drag and drop > Click “Save order” |
Tips for Reordering Photos
- Put your best, sharpest images up front for high impact
- Organize chronologically to show the sequence of events
- Break up similar looking photos by spacing them out
- Make sure key subjects stand out and aren’t crowded together
- Tell a cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end
Other Editing Options to Enhance Albums
In addition to rearranging photos, most services provide additional album editing options:
- Adding or removing photos
- Cropping, filtering, and adjusting photos
- Editing album titles and descriptions
- Sharing albums with select people or making them public
- Deleting albums
- Downloading albums to store locally
Explore all the customization tools available to make your photo albums look their best and precisely match your preferred order and style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you reorder photos on Facebook?
Yes, Facebook allows reordering photos in any album you created. Go to the album, click “Rearrange Photos”, drag and drop them into your preferred order, and click “Save Changes”.
How do I reorder pictures on Instagram?
On Instagram, tap the archive icon, expand a post, tap the three dots, select “Edit”, tap “Reorder”, drag and drop photos, and tap “Done” to save.
Is there a way to reorder photos on Google Photos?
Google Photos provides an easy way to reorder your photos. Just open the web or mobile app, go to the album, tap the menu icon, choose “Edit album”, drag and drop photos, and tap “Save”.
Can you change the order of photos in iCloud?
Yes, in the Apple Photos app, you can reorder photos stored in iCloud. Tap the album, tap “Select”, select the photos, tap “Rearrange”, drag and drop into order, and tap “Done”.
How do you sort photos on Dropbox?
On desktop, right click the Dropbox album, choose “Rearrange photos”, drag and drop, and click “Done”. On mobile, tap the menu icon, select “Rearrange”, drag and drop, and tap “Done”.
Summary
– Rearranging photos lets you customize and control the narrative of your albums.
– Most major photo apps and websites enable reordering album photos.
– The general steps are to open the album, find the “Edit” or “Rearrange” option, drag and drop to reorder, and save changes.
– Putting your best shots first and organizing chronologically are common ways to reorder.
– Explore other editing options too like adding titles, descriptions and sharing access.
Conclusion
The ability to reorder the photos within an album is a handy feature offered in just about every photo service today. Take advantage of it to showcase your best pictures, tell a cohesive story, and shape the narrative flow of your albums. With just a little dragging and dropping, you can instantly boost the quality and impact of your photo collections.