Where Are Photos Stored on Mac | How to Find Them

While everybody loves taking photos and saving them on their Macs, some may not know where are photos stored on mac. On a Mac, the Photos App manages all photos and images saved in the following path.

 ~/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Masters/

However, you might not be able to locate a particular photo if you use an app other than the Photos app to save it. Also, the photo may be saved in a different location or the cloud.

Knowing where the photos are makes organizing and working with your images easier. This article will walk you through where are pictures stored on a mac and the methods to locate them.

🔗 Related Post: >> Top 10 Best Photo Recovery Software Worth a Try

Where Are Photos Stored on Mac and How to Find Them

Finding your photos on Mac sometimes can be tricky as not all images are organized under the Photos app. We will go through each location of photos on Mac one by one with steps.

Photos App Library

Photos are saved by default in the photos library managed by the Photos app on a Mac. The Photos app lets you easily access pictures imported from an iPhone or iPad.

1️⃣ To find images saved in the Photos app library, click the Finder icon on your Mac.

2️⃣ Select Go > Home and click on the Pictures folder to open it.

3️⃣ Photos in the Pictures folder will open in the Photos app. You can open an individual image from the photo library by right-clicking on the folder and selecting Show Package contents. Then, choose the “Masters” folder, where the images will be organized by date.

Desktop and Downloads Folders

A photo downloaded using a browser like Safari or Chrome could end up in the downloads folder instead of the Pictures folder.

1️⃣ The downloads folder is located inside the user account folder, and the Mac comes with a direct link to it in the Dock by default. See the icon right next to the trash bin.

2️⃣ If you save a photo in the desktop folder, it will be visible on desktop stacks, which appear on the right side of the screen.

Why Can’t I See Photos in the Mac Pictures Folder

Can’t see a pic on Mac? Sometimes, it could be due to a simple mistake. Let us see some of the common errors a user can come across.

Finder View Settings Are Incorrect

When the Finder view settings are incorrect or set to filter by date, type, or size, your photos may not appear as expected.

• To clear filters, go to View > Sort By and choose None or Name to list all items.

You can also try resetting the preferences.

• Go to Finder > Preferences. Check whether Pictures is selected under the Sidebar.

These two steps will help if your finder settings are incorrect.

Photo Files Are Hidden

Hidden photos will not show up in the Finder. Go to the pictures folder and press Command + Shift + . (period) This will toggle hidden files on or off.

You can also adjust the Finder view settings to ensure hidden files are visible.

• Go to View > Show View Options (or Command + J).

Check whether Show Icon Preview is enabled so images appear as thumbnails.

Photos on External Drive

If your saved photos cannot be accessed after removing the external drive, images may not have been copied to the photo library on Mac. You may have selected Keep Originals on External Drive during the import, so the files are not stored locally.

Step 1. Re-connect the external drive to the Mac and open Finder

Step 2. Find the external drive in Locations in the Finder sidebar. Drag the folder containing photos to the Pictures folder.

Step 3. Verify with the Photos app.

If you’ve connected the external hard drive to your Mac but still can’t find the photo you’re looking for, don’t worry—there are several solutions for restoring it. Click to get the guidance: >> How to Recover Data from External Hard Drive

Photos on iCloud

Photos uploaded to iCloud and deleted from the local drive will no longer appear in the picture folder on Mac book.

Step 1. Open the Photos app.

Step 2. Go to Photos > Preferences > iCloud and check whether iCloud Photos is checked.

Step 3. You can also download photos to the local folder by selecting “Download Originals to this Mac”.

Step 4. Photos in iCloud can be separately viewed by logging on to iCloud with your Apple ID.

If you want to know more about how to retrieve photos from iCloud, this post will provide you with more information about that: >> How to Recover Deleted Photos from iCloud

Library Corruption

When the Photos Library is corrupted, the Photos app may not display the images correctly. It might seem that the Mac pictures folder is missing.

Step 1. Close the Photos app if it is open. As you open Photos, hold down the Command and Option keys simultaneously.

Step 2. A new window will open. Click Repair to start the Library repair. You might be prompted to enter your password.

The repair might take some time, depending on the size of your library.

Permissions Issues

In some instances, file or folder permissions can restrict access to a photo.

Step 1. To check permissions, go to the Pictures Folder and right-click on the folder. Select Get Info.

Step 2. Scroll down to Sharing & Permissions at the bottom of the window. Check whether your account has Read & Write access.

Step 3. To change access permissions, click the lock icon at the bottom. You will be asked to enter your password.

How to Recover Deleted Photos on Mac

If you cannot view your photos after trying the methods discussed above, it is possible that the images were accidentally deleted. But you need not worry; professional data recovery software like ONERECOVERY can recover lost photos from your Mac with just a few clicks.

ONERECOVERY utilizes cutting-edge algorithms that ensure over 95% success in recovering lost data from your Mac. Its user-friendly interface makes recovery easier; even a beginner-level Mac user can navigate the menus.

Step 1. Install and run ONERECOVERY on your computer. Then, choose the folder where your deleted photos are located.

Step 2. Select photo formats for deep scanning in the next window. Click Start.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, the system will show a message. You can select the deleted photos from the list on the screen, preview them, and click Recover to get back the pictures you need.

Step 4. The recovered photos will be saved to your Mac.

📥 Download now and enjoy a free trial.

As an all-in-one photo recovery software, ONERECOVERY can not only get back lost pictures, but also restore damaged photos on your Mac. For example, if your photos are pixelated, ONERECOVERY will help you remove pixels from image effortlessly.

Tips for Organizing Photos on Mac

💡 Keep Photos in One Place: Use the iCloud photos library to organize your images. All the photos you take from an iPhone or iPad will be automatically saved on the Mac.

💡 Remove Duplicate Photos: Are several copies of the same photo cluttering your memory? Scan the drive with a professional tool like ONERECOEVRY duplicate file finder to remove duplicates. This free tool will optimize your Mac’s photo organization.

💡 Use Smart Albums: Group pictures together by parameters like Christmas, college, or your kid.

Conclusion

After reading this post, you will not be worrying about where is the picture folder on a Mac again. While we have explained in detail where are photos stored on Mac, be careful not to edit images directly in the photos library, as it could corrupt the library.

In case of accidental deletion, you can always use a professional recovery tool like ONERECVERY to recover deleted pictures seamlessly.

FAQs on Mac Pictures Folder

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about photo library on Mac.

Where are the pictures on my Mac?

All your photos are stored in the Pictures folder within the Home folder. Mac creates the Pictures folder the first time you use the Photos app, becoming the default system folder for Photos. You can access it through Finder.

The photos app manages all your photos on Mac.

How do I find the location of photos on my Mac?

You can use the Photos app or Finder to find where are photos stored on mac. On a Mac, the Photos App manages all photos and images saved in the following path.

~/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/Masters/

• To find Photos saved in the Photos app library, click the finder icon on your Mac.
• Select Go > Home and click on the Pictures folder to open it.

All your images are stored in the Pictures folder.

How do I change the default location for photos on Mac?

To save space on Mac, you can save your photos outside the Pictures folder on an external drive, changing the default location.

Open the Photos app on your Mac and go to Photos > Settings, then click General. You will find a check box “Copy items to the Photos library.” Deselect it to leave the photo in its original location when you import it to the Photos app.