Amazon Prime subscribers in the US can now invite up to five family members and friends to access their entire catalog of pictures and videos, via a new service the company calls Family Vault. Photos and videos can be uploaded to the Family Vault individually, or in batches, by any of the people approved for access, and can be sifted through using Prime's new search function, which Amazon says can find photos with specific topics, dates, or people as search terms.

Prime subscribers could previously send direct links to photos to other people, but the new feature means that they are able to share the benefits of unlimited photo storage with their nearest and dearest. The deal also includes 5GB of storage for videos and other files. Users can upload photos either on the web, through Amazon's Prime Photos page, or via the Prime Photos app on iOS and Android. The Prime subscriber in charge of the Vault can also order photo books, cards, and prints of the pictures uploaded by family members directly from Amazon, with free shipping via Prime.

The introduction of the new plan comes after Amazon spiked its previous Unlimited Photos plan, which had been available for $12 a year. The new Family Vault system means that you'll need to be a Prime subscriber to share your photos with your family and friends, but in a crowded market of photo storage options, it looks like an easier way to keep track of your memories.