diff --git a/backend/app/routers/sharing.py b/backend/app/routers/sharing.py
index 1602b68..9620f4e 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/sharing.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/sharing.py
@@ -59,6 +59,34 @@ class SharedFolderResponse(BaseModel):
     photo_count: int
 
 
+class ShareableUser(BaseModel):
+    id: str
+    username: str
+
+
+# ── Shareable users ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+@router.get("/users", response_model=list[ShareableUser])
+async def list_shareable_users(
+    db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
+    current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user),
+):
+    """List every active user other than the caller, for the share-picker
+    dropdown. Sharing only requires knowing a username today, so surfacing
+    the list is no wider an attack surface than the free-text input it
+    replaces. Inactive accounts are filtered out."""
+    result = await db.execute(
+        select(User)
+        .where(User.id != current_user.id)
+        .where(User.is_active.is_(True))
+        .order_by(User.username)
+    )
+    return [
+        ShareableUser(id=str(u.id), username=u.username)
+        for u in result.scalars().all()
+    ]
+
+
 # ── Heap sharing ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 @router.get("/heaps/shared-with-me")
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/sharing/ShareDialog.tsx b/frontend/src/components/sharing/ShareDialog.tsx
index 47a4695..c84988f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/sharing/ShareDialog.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/sharing/ShareDialog.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { Users, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
-import { sharing, type ShareInfo } from '../../services/api'
+import {
+  sharing,
+  type ShareInfo,
+  type ShareableUser,
+} from '../../services/api'
+import { formatApiError } from '../../lib/apiError'
 import {
   SHARED_HEAPS_KEY,
   SHARED_FOLDERS_KEY,
@@ -13,7 +18,6 @@ import {
   DialogTitle,
 } from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
-import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input'
 import {
   Select,
   SelectContent,
@@ -54,6 +58,24 @@ export function ShareDialog({
     enabled: isOpen,
   })
 
+  // All users that can be shared with (the caller is filtered out
+  // server-side). Only fetched while the dialog is open. Cached for 60s
+  // because the user directory changes slowly.
+  const { data: allUsers = [], isLoading: isLoadingUsers } = useQuery<
+    ShareableUser[]
+  >({
+    queryKey: ['sharing', 'users'],
+    queryFn: sharing.listUsers,
+    enabled: isOpen,
+    staleTime: 60_000,
+  })
+
+  // Users who don't already have a share on this target.
+  const availableUsers = useMemo(() => {
+    const taken = new Set(shares.map((s) => s.shared_with_username))
+    return allUsers.filter((u) => !taken.has(u.username))
+  }, [allUsers, shares])
+
   const addMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: () =>
       type === 'heap'
@@ -68,8 +90,8 @@ export function ShareDialog({
         queryKey: type === 'heap' ? SHARED_HEAPS_KEY : SHARED_FOLDERS_KEY,
       })
     },
-    onError: (err: any) => {
-      setError(err?.response?.data?.detail || 'Failed to share')
+    onError: (err) => {
+      setError(formatApiError(err, 'Failed to share'))
     },
   })
 
@@ -149,17 +171,33 @@ export function ShareDialog({
           className="space-y-3"
         >
           <div className="flex gap-2">
-            <Input
-              type="text"
+            <Select
               value={username}
-              onChange={(e) => {
-                setUsername(e.target.value)
+              onValueChange={(v) => {
+                setUsername(v)
                 setError(null)
               }}
-              placeholder="Username"
-              className="flex-1"
-              autoFocus
-            />
+              disabled={isLoadingUsers || availableUsers.length === 0}
+            >
+              <SelectTrigger className="flex-1">
+                <SelectValue
+                  placeholder={
+                    isLoadingUsers
+                      ? 'Loading users…'
+                      : availableUsers.length === 0
+                        ? 'No users to share with'
+                        : 'Select a user'
+                  }
+                />
+              </SelectTrigger>
+              <SelectContent>
+                {availableUsers.map((u) => (
+                  <SelectItem key={u.id} value={u.username}>
+                    {u.username}
+                  </SelectItem>
+                ))}
+              </SelectContent>
+            </Select>
             <Select
               value={permission}
               onValueChange={(v) => setPermission(v as 'read' | 'write')}
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
index d253e85..ead380a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
@@ -806,7 +806,18 @@ export interface ShareInfo {
   created_at: string
 }
 
+export interface ShareableUser {
+  id: string
+  username: string
+}
+
 export const sharing = {
+  // Shareable user directory for the share-dialog picker.
+  listUsers: async (): Promise<ShareableUser[]> => {
+    const response = await api.get('/sharing/users')
+    return response.data
+  },
+
   // Heap shares
   shareHeap: async (heapId: string, username: string, permission: 'read' | 'write' = 'read') => {
     const response = await api.post(`/sharing/heaps/${heapId}`, { username, permission })