Facebook Albums expands beyond photos with text, check-ins, and video

Facebook is updating its photo albums — only the word “photo” is no longer quite the right one. Today, June 1, Facebook began rolling out updates to Albums that allows users to include videos, text and check-ins as well as the usual photos.

The update allows users to put more than just photos into one place, organizing a collection of memories around a certain topic. By moving beyond just photos, the platform makes it possible to share road-trip check-ins and text posts along with photos and videos from the same trip in one album.

Along with the expanded content types, users can now follow (and unfollow) albums. Unlike a single status update, albums are designed to gather related content over time into one central location, but album updates sometimes have a tendency to get overlooked in the news feed.  The new follow feature allows users to make sure they see everything added to that album. Notifications can be turned on and off, with the posts still popping up in the News Feed for any followed albums.

Albums also no longer need to be sourced just from one person. Users can invite collaborators to add their own content, so group trips, for example, can be shared by the entire group.

Favorite albums can also be highlighted inside users’ profiles by tagging albums as a favorite, which lists the collection directly on the profile. Favorite albums are required to use the public privacy setting.

The process for creating an album isn’t changing — users can still navigate to Photos from their page and click “create album.” Albums continue to maintain the long-term format, with the ability to add new content to the same album later on.

Facebook says the update is designed to give users more ways to share their memories on the social media platform.

Some Android and desktop users will already see the new additions as the rollout begins today, June 1. While iOS users will have to wait for the new Album features, Facebook says the update is coming soon.