How to make Picasa Web photo albums private?

Picasa Web from Google is an awesome free photo hosting and sharing website. You can create a free account and directly upload photos from your computer directly (or use Picasa photo software). With so many people uploading personal and private photos – privacy is a serious issue. You can easily secure photos in your Picasa Web albums and prevent unwanted users from viewing them.

Make Picasa Web photo album private

1. Goto Picasa Web and login. Then click on specific photo album.
2. Click on Edit tab and then click on Album Properties option. You will see Edit Album Information settings window.

3. Select ”Sign-in required to view” visibility options at the bottom of the settings page to secure and make your Picasa Web albums private.

Public option will make Picasa Web album photos viewable to anyone who knows the URL of your public gallery. The URL is based on your Google Account username: http://picasaweb.google.com/[Username]. Your public albums may also appear in public search.

Unlisted option can help you limit users who can see your album. All unlisted albums have an authorization key in the web address. The key is a combination of letters and numbers which make the web address very difficult to guess. Anyone that has the exact web address will be able to see your unlisted album.

Sign-in required to view option allows highest level of privacy for your photo albums. You can specify who has permission to view them and visitors must sign in to their Google Account to verify their identity. Anyone not included on the album’s Shared with access list will be unable to view the album.

Hence to make your Picasa Web photo albums private you must select Sign-in required to view option. Only online users you explicitly specify can view your personal photos keeping it safe from unwanted users trying to access your personal photos.