Why doesn't my partner upload photos with me to their social networks?

People upload photos to their social networks for many reasons such as keeping in touch with friends and followers, document memories and experiences, show interest, and even seek attention and validation from others. Social media not only allows us to tell the world about ourselves, but also about our romantic relationships. For this reason, publications in the networks also have an important impact on sentimental relationships.

Often, photos with your partner on social media are used as a way to “officialize” the relationship, showing it off to friends and family. If, despite being in a consolidated relationship, your partner never uploads posts with you or mentions you on their social networks, it is normal for you to wonder why. In this Psychology-Online article, we will explain Why doesn't my partner upload photos with me to their social networks?.

Index

1. What does it mean when your partner doesn't want to post photos with you on social media?
2. Why doesn't my boyfriend put photos with me on WhatsApp or on his social networks?
3. What to do if your partner uploads photos to social networks but never with you

There have always been ways to communicate your romantic relationship status with others. The public nature of social media has changed the way people report on romantic relationships. Often, people indicate their relationship status on their social media profile, use a photo with their partner as their profile picture, and post photos and updates with them.

According to Krueger and Forest^[1], post photos of your relationship on social networks can protect it. Researchers have found that uploading photos of your partner to social media is a way to remove the threats from possible rivals, reducing their chances and attempts, seeing that the person is in a relationship exclusive.

In fact, other research^[2] has shown that concern for a partner's loyalty can encourage more photos of the partner to be uploaded to social media. What does it mean to upload photos of your partner? This research claims that showing off your relationships on social media serves two purposes: to make you feel more connected with your partner and protect your relationship from other people who might be interested in you or your couple.

Therefore, we cannot deny the impact that photos on social networks have on romantic relationships. If your partner does not upload photos with you to their social networks, it is normal for you to wonder what it means. Feeling like your partner isn't posting photos with you can be problematic if you feel that hides you or keeps you secret. This can damage trust in the relationship and make you feel insecure and unable to understand how he really feels about you.

In the next section, we explain the reasons why my partner does not upload photos with me to their social networks.

If you wonder why my boyfriend doesn't put photos with me on WhatsApp, there are several reasons why he may not want to put photos of you on his social networks. Next, we show you which are the most common:

• Your partner is not ready to make the relationship “official”: Sometimes people can feel like they're in a relationship, but aren't sure their feelings are strong or long-lasting enough to make it “official”. If your partner is not sure about their feelings towards you, or if the relationship is the right one, they may prefer not to post photos with you on their social networks.
• Your partner may be afraid of how other people might react– You may worry about how you will be perceived or judged by other people on social media. In that case, he will avoid posting photos of the relationship to avoid any criticism or negative comments.
• Your partner may not want to expose your relationship to public attention: Some people just aren't comfortable sharing their private lives on social media. If this is the case with your partner, you may prefer to keep your relationship out of the public sphere. If your boyfriend doesn't post photos with you on WhatsApp, he may prefer to keep his personal life private. Your partner may not feel comfortable sharing intimate details of their relationship, or they may simply not have the time or interest to share their life on social media.

If your partner doesn't usually post photos, isn't interested in social media, and doesn't post photos with you, don't take it personally or related to your relationship. On the other hand, if your partner is active on social networks and uploads photos on a regular basis, it will probably cause you discomfort that he does not mention it to you. Here are tips on what to do if your partner uploads photos to social media but never with you:

• Do not keep what you feel: It is possible that you are afraid of exposing your discomfort to your partner for fear of how they might react or to avoid a conflict. However, if you avoid having a conversation about something that is important to you, in the long run, it will only create emotional distance with your partner.
• Communicate openly and honestly: If you don't express your feelings, your partner may not realize that it affects you that they don't upload photos with you and therefore the problem may not be solved and may lead to resentment. If it happens to you, in this article you will see how to overcome resentment.
• let him know how you feel: Your partner may not realize that you feel left out or hurt. In those cases, tell him how you feel so he knows what's wrong with you. It is also an opportunity for him/her to explain himself/herself so that you can understand why. Your partner may have a valid reason for not sharing photos together, and it's important that you both listen and understand each other's point of view.
• propose solutions: If you feel uncomfortable or upset about your boyfriend not uploading photos with you, you can suggest solutions to address the problem. You can agree not to post relationship photos on social media or do so from time to time. The ideal solution should collect and validate your feelings, but also those of your partner. For this reason, it is important that you approach it together and not as a problem of yours or theirs.

If you can't come to an agreement together on how to handle the situation, you may need to seek professional help to resolve the issue. A therapist can help you communicate better and find a healthy solution to this situation. In this article you will find information about how to improve communication in the couple.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why doesn't my partner upload photos with me to their social networks?, we recommend that you enter our category of Couple therapy.

1. Kruger, K. L., & Forest, A. L. (2020). Communicating commitment: A relationship-protection account of dyadic displays on social media. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46(7), 1059-1073.
2. Emery, L. F., Muise, A., Dix, E. L., & Le, B. (2014). Can you tell that I'm in a relationship? Attachment and relationship visibility on Facebook. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(11), 1466-1479.

• Fox, J., Warber, K. M., & Makstaller, D. c. (2013). The role of Facebook in romantic relationship development: An exploration of Knapp's relational stage model. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(6), 771-794.