7 Tips and Tricks to Master the Photos App on Your Mac
If you’re an iPhone user, you already know how helpful Apple’s Photos app can be. But did you know that you can also use the Photos app on your Mac?
Not only that, but you’ll also find many cool features that’ll help you make the most out of the app. If you don’t know where to start, here are some great tips and tricks for the Photos app on your Mac.
1. Hide the Hidden Photo Album
Sometimes you want privacy, which is why you want to keep your private photos hidden, so they aren’t visible in your library. That’s when the Hidden Photo Album comes in. You can use it to hide all your important photos or videos.
However, anyone can easily find the Hidden album if they know where to look. Fortunately, just like you canhide your Hidden Photo Album on your iPhone, you’re able to also hide it on your Mac. Here’s what you need to do:
Doing this will immediately hide your Hidden album. But don’t worry; if you want to look at the pictures in your Hidden album, all you need to do is repeat the same steps and selectShow Hidden Photo Album. it’s possible to then hide it again if you like.
2. Password Protect Your Hidden and Recently Deleted Albums
If you want to keep all your private pictures and videos even more secure, you can password-protect your albums so you’re the only one who can access them.
By default, your Hidden and Recently Deleted albums should be password-protected, but it’s possible to verify of it by following these steps:
And that’s it! The next time you want to open your Hidden or Recently Deleted albums, you’ll need to use Touch ID or enter your Mac’s password.
You’ll notice that after you unlock an album, it’ll remain unlocked for a few minutes. Don’t worry; if you forget to lock your album, the Photos app will lock it automatically after some time.
However, if you want to lock it manually, you only have to click the padlock next to the album’s name in the sidebar.
3. Use Spotlight to Find Photos
Using Spotlight search on your Macis the perfect way to find any file you need. But did you know that you can also use it to find your photos?
First, you’ll need to open Spotlight by pressing theCommand + Space baron your keyboard. Next, write something that will help your Mac find a photo. For instance, you’re able to write the text that the photo has, the name of the person if they’re identified in the Photos app, or even locations.
If Spotlight finds something, you’ll see a result with all the photos that match your description.
But if the picture you are looking for doesn’t appear in the results, you must choose theShow Moreoption to see all your photos in the Photos app.
4. Export Pictures to Your Mac
Besides having all your photos in the Photos app, you can also export them to store them directly on your Mac and access them via Finder. There are a few different ways to export your pictures.
The fastest way to do it is to open the Photos app and choose the photo you want to export. Next, drag the photo out of the Photos app and drop it into your desired folder. Alternatively, you can follow these steps:
Last but not least, you can also choose to share your photos through Mail, Messages, AirDrop, and more. All you need to do is select the photo and click theSharebutton at the top of the Photos app’s window.
5. Quickly Edit Your Pictures
On Photos, you can edit any image in your library. You’ll be able to add different filters or let your Mac improve the photo for you.
Granted, the Photos app isn’t as good as some third-party image editors. So, if you don’t like the changes you made, you can always clickRevert to Original, and if you want to compare the changes you made to the original picture, you can click theShowphoto without editsoption which is near the top-left corner of the Photos app.
6. Recover Accidentally Deleted Pictures
Whether you deleted a picture by mistake or regretted deleting afterward, you don’t have to worry. The Photos app keeps your recently deleted photos safe for 30 days so that you’re able to recover them if needed. Here’s what you need to do.
Once a photo has been in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days, the Photos app will delete it forever.
7. Disable Autoplay for Videos and Live Photos
By default, the Photos app will automatically play any videos and Live Photos you have. However, if you want, you can disable this feature with just a few clicks.
And that’s it. You can forget about autoplay. But you can repeat these steps if you want to use this feature again.
Get the Most Out of the Photos App on Your Mac
As you could see, Apple’s Photos app is filled with many different tricks you can use with just a few clicks. Whether you want to share your pictures with the world or just use your Mac’s built-in image editing tools, there’s nothing the Photos app on your Mac can’t help you with.
Likewise, the iPhone version of the Photos app also has various hidden features you might not be aware of. So, play around with all the settings to make the most of it.
Apple’s Photos app has some hidden features that make your life easier. You can learn all about them here.
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