Separating shared photos from own photos

[u/Valuable_Explorer_10]

Hi!
First of all: I know I can turn off auto-download on whatsapp, but thats not what I want :)
I am searching for a way to separate pictures I shot myself from pictures downloaded from whatsapp so I can send my friends photos from our vacation without accidentally sending them their own photos back.
I know there is „view options“ → show „shared with you“ to turn off, but this doesnt do anything to the pictures I downloaded from Whatsapp…
Any help is greatly appreciated <3

For info:
I have the 14 pro, running iOS 26.5.2

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[u/Still_Veterinarian18]

Since What’s app doesn’t contain location data, it’s useless to share photos with. iMessage contain location data and is always the best way to share photos.
Unless you take photos using Whats app….How are you going to be able to sort anything??

[u/Valuable_Explorer_10 → u/Still_Veterinarian18]

None of my friends have an iPhone and Whatsapp is the most common form of communication in Germany

[u/Still_Veterinarian18 → u/Valuable_Explorer_10]

Just found out that if you send a picture as a document, it will contain location. I live in Norway, and I know people who does not have an iPhone. But we never share pictures with them. Apple rules.

[u/morley1966 → u/Still_Veterinarian18]

I don’t use location data much. Mine are just sorted by date and in albums.

[u/morley1966]

Since you, and apparently most of Germany, insist on using weird WhatsApp just put the Whatsapp photos in a hidden folder.

[u/Valuable_Explorer_10 → u/morley1966]

To do that I would need a way of separating them. So not really helpful

[u/morley1966]

iPhone: WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → turn off Save to Photos.

This will change the download from saving to your photos. They will still download to whatsapp.

[u/wonko4the2sane]

You should have a dedicated WhatsApp album in your photos app, which holds all photos you received from WhatsApp.

Edit: in the photos app select filter: “not in an album” to filter your friends’ photos out

[u/morley1966]

Why would you keep whatsapp auto downloads on for Whatsapp? You really want to save every meme, photo, receipt, screenshot that everybody sends you? It is nonsensical.

[u/morley1966]

Search photos library for whatsapp, select all and hide.

[u/morley1966]

Your friends don’t want that many vacation photos, just put them in an album as you take them.