September 29, 2008, 11:11 AM — Facebook users know the social network has a robust picture-sharing system. However, many Facebook members also use Gmail, which automatically signs them up for Google's Picasa, a free picture-sharing and editing service. (Not sure how to find it? In Gmail, click on the "Photos" link on the upper left tool bar; it takes you to your Picasa account.)
Picasa comes in two forms. One is the aforementioned Web-based version in Gmail. It lets you upload photos and share them with friends or post them to a public website.
The second way to use Picasa - and this is the one that integrates with Facebook - is the Picasa desktop software, which runs on Windows. You can download the Picasa desktop software for free.
So assuming you have Picasa installed on your Windows desktop, and you have a Facebook account, let's get started.
1. Download Picasa Uploader on Facebook
Log into Facebook as you normally would. Go to the Picasa Uploader on Facebook. (If for some reason that link doesn't work, you can go to the Facebook applications menu and search for it.
This brings you to the Picasa Uploader page.
2. Install the Picasa Uploader Plug-In
Click "Install Plug In." A dialog box launches, which says, "Launch Picasa and Import Buttons." Click Yes.
Picasa launches, and a pop up window opens. You'll see, on the left hand column, "available buttons," including a Facebook button. Highlight it and click "Add" on the middle column. Hit "OK."
Adding this uploader will allow you to easily add Picasa albums to Facebook.
Exit Picasa, and then reopen it. At the bottom of the screen, you will now see a "Facebook" button.
3. Moving Pictures from Picasa to Facebook
To get your photos from Picasa into Facebook, you need to have Picasa open to the folder from which you wish to upload photos. Click on the photos to upload. (To upload more than one at a time, hold down the Control key as you click on them.) Once you select all your photos, click on the Facebook button. A pop up dialog asks you to log into Facebook. Log in.
You're greeted with a new pop up that has four fields: album, name, description and location. After you have filled them in with relevant information about the album, click Upload.
Now go to your home page on Facebook. In the right hand corner, under Requests, it should say, "1 pending album." Click on it. If you don't see that message, click on Photos in the application box. Then click on My Photos; the pending album should come up.
Very important: Your album is not done until you click on the photos and approve them. That's necessary before you can share your album on Facebook. Facebook's new privacy settings also allow you to control access to who sees these photos.
You must approve the photos before you can share them on Facebook.
Once you click "Approve Selected Photos," you're done and free to share the album on Facebook.
