Best Software Organize Photos Mac Rating: 9,3/10 5920 reviews
  • Apr 16, 2020  Magix Photo Manager is ideal for users in need of basic image organizing software as part of a comprehensive video, music and media package. It’s a great solution that fulfills different storage needs and minimizes support requests. It organizes photos quickly using image library software and allows importing from popular cloud storage services.
  • So, if you are happy just to store your photos on your laptop, FastStone Image Viewer is one of the best programmes for Windows. DigiKam Photo Manager. With digiKam Photo Manager, you can organize your photos by means of albums, tags or folders quickly.

Jul 05, 2020  What is the best priced software to manage photos on a Mac? The Movavi Photo Manager is the best option to organize your photos when you are on a tight budget. Movavi’s Photo Manager focuses on the memories by automatically creating albums by date or location. It is an essential tool to organize photos, remove duplicates, and edit images.

We take a lot of photos with our iPhones and even DSLRs and other cameras. Photos are great for capturing memories with others, or when you just want to get a snapshot of something beautiful. Photos on Mac can help you keep all of your photos in one place, and even help you organize them.

How to add pictures and videos to albums

If you have a lot of photos and videos, one of the simplest and easiest ways to start organizing everything is to make use of albums, especially when you give them good names. And if you use iCloud Photo Library, all of your albums in Photos for Mac get synced to your iOS devices too.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.

  2. Click on Photos in the sidebar, under the Library section.
  3. Pick out the photos you want to add to an album, either new or existing.

    • Hold down the command key on your Mac and click to select multiple photos.
  4. Right-click on your chosen photos and videos.
  5. Move the cursor to Add to.
  6. You can choose an existing album, or create new album.

    • If making a new album, give it a good, easy-to-remember name.

Optionally, you can make a new album at any time by clicking the + button that appears in the sidebar next to My Albums. Drag-and-drop the albums in whatever order you want to rearrange them in the sidebar.

How to organize albums and folders

Microsoft Photo Organizing Software

When you have a lot of albums, it may be better to clean it all up by organizing albums into folders, which are like collections of albums. It's easy to do.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.
  2. Either right-click on My Albums in the sidebar, or hover above and then click on the + button that appears next to My Albums.

  3. Click New Folder.
  4. Give your folder a name.

  5. Drag the albums that you want into that folder.

How to use Smart Albums

Smart Albums are like regular albums, but smarter, obviously. They're great for helping you quickly organize images without the need of manually adding each one to an album because it's all automated.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.
  2. Right-click on My Albums or click the + button that appears next to My Albums.

  3. Select New Smart Album.
  4. Give your Smart Album a name.
  5. Choose the parameters for your Smart Album.

  6. Click OK to confirm.

Best Software Organize Photos Mac

Smart Albums have a large number of different parameters, such as photos, faces, aperture, ISO, Live Photo, RAW, Portrait, and more. With all of these options, you can create many different Smart Albums to suit whatever it is you need.

If you're not satisfied with the Smart Album, you can always tweak the settings by clicking on the gear icon that's next to the Smart Album's title, then re-select the parameters you want to use.

Unfortunately, Smart Albums do not sync to your other devices through iCloud Photo Library, as they're only available on your Mac.

How to navigate Photos for Mac faster with the sidebar

The Sidebar in Photos is a great way to quickly jump between various areas in Photos quickly and easily. Plus, it helps you find albums that may otherwise be hidden, so this was a design choice made by Apple.

However, if you are running macOS Sierra and older, you can actually hide or unhide the sidebar as you wish.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.
  2. Click on View in the menu bar.
  3. Select Show Sidebar in the menu.
  4. The sidebar will appear on the left side of the screen.
  5. Follow the steps above to hide it (make sure Show Sidebar is unchecked).

How to navigate moments, collections, and year views in macOS Mojave and earlier

One of the coolest things about Photos is that it intelligently groups all of your photos and videos into moments, collections, and years.

This means that your photos appear in a timeline and are grouped by things like location, or even event. It's a great way to take a look back at your memories and relive those specific moments in time.

The Moments, Collections, and Year views are only available in macOS Mojave and older.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.
  2. Make sure that you're in the Photos view from the sidebar.
  3. Click on Photos, Moments, Collections, or Years buttons at the top of the window.

  4. Click on a section of a Year to move to that Collection, or a section of a Collection to drill down into that Moment, or an item in a Moment to view that image or video in closer detail.

  5. You can also use your keyboard's arrow keys to move between photos and videos in a Moment.
  6. A single click on an item selects it, while a double click takes you to view it.

In the Year and Collections views, thumbnails can be small. You can click-and-hold and then drag the cursor in any direction over the thumbnails to get a larger preview. Letting go will take you directly to the image that the cursor was last on.

How to navigate through Years, Months, and Days in macOS Catalina

To replace the previous Moments/Collections/Years view, Catalina changed it to Years, Months, and Days for simplicity.

  1. Launch Photos on your Mac.
  2. Make sure you're in the Photos section in the sidebar.

    Source: iMore

  3. Click the Years, Months, or Days buttons at the top of the window. The default view is All Photos.

  4. Clicking on Years lets you see each year as a block. Double-clicking the year takes you into Months.

  5. When you double-click on a Month, you'll drill down into the Days view.

How to create a new library with Photos for Mac

You can create a new library for your photos at any time with Photos for Mac. To do so, make sure that you quit Photos and reopen it with the following method to get the Library options.

  1. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
  2. Double-click on Photos on your Mac.
  3. Click on the Create New button in the Choose Library window.
  4. Name your Library.
  5. Click OK.

You've now created a brand new Photos Library. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to migrate over photos and video, so you will need to export the content you want, and then import it back into the new library.

How to switch between Libraries in Photos for Mac

When you create a new library, you may still want to go back to a previous library for something. Fortunately, it's easy to switch between multiple libraries.

  1. Make sure that Photos is not open (quit if it is).
  2. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
  3. Double-click on Photos.
  4. Click on the name of the library you want to open.

Voilá! Just make sure to repeat this process each time you want to switch to a different Photo library.

How to move your Photos library to an external hard drive

If you're low on storage space on your Mac, you can just move your Photos Library to an external hard drive. Keep in mind though, that you will need to have this external drive plugged in to access your Photos Library, even if you have iCloud Photo Library enabled. And you aren't able to create a second Photos Library that has iCloud Photo Library enabled on your Mac, so be wary.

  1. Launch a Finder window on your Mac.
  2. Click on the Mac hard drive (Macintosh HD) in the sidebar.
  3. Double-click on the Users folder.
  4. Double-click on your username.
  5. Double-click on your Pictures folder.
  6. Click on the Photos Library file and then drag it to your external hard drive in the sidebar.

This process may take a while, depending on how big your Photos library is.

A note on reference libraries

The Photos app technically supports the management of images that aren't locally stored within its library — that is, you can keep a set of images in a folder called 'October Trip' and manage them within Photos without having to make a separate copy of them. You can do this by navigating to Photos > Preferences from the menu bar, selecting the General tab, and unchecking the 'Copy items to the Photos library' box under Importing.

That said, reference libraries won't play nicely with iCloud Photo Library users; you may run into problems when syncing, or not be able to sync at all. So if you plan on using a reference library, you'll have to opt out of iCloud Photo Library.

I also didn't have any luck getting referenced files to sync properly with Photos — I'd delete a photo, but the reference file would stay in its original location, even after deleting it from the 'Recently Deleted' folder. Not sure if that's a bug or just not how Photos wants us managing referenced photos, but worth noting.

Questions?

Sound off in the comments below!

October 2019: Updated for macOS Catalina.

Photos for Mac

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Do you have several folders full of pictures from years gone by? Are you tired of sifting through thousands of images, just to find that one exceptional picture? Do you regularly get a “Storage Full” alert, because you might haven’t realized, but your entire space is packed with photographs & lots of duplicates? Well, if your answer to any of these questions is Yes, then you are not alone in this.

In 2019, we took more than 1.4 Trillion pictures, so no wonder we are all so overwhelmed!

Undeniably the whole sorting process is tiresome, but an essential task & we are sure you don’t want to spend several hours just doing this. Hence, it is worthwhile to take the help of a photo organizing software forWindows to managed your digital photos.

PART 1 – What Is A Photo Organizer Tool?PART 4 – Try These Free Photo Organizing Tools
PART 2 – What Factors Should Be Considered While Looking For A Photo Management Tool?PART 5 – Comparing Popular Paid/Free Photo Management Software (2020)
PART 3 – Best Ways To Organize Photos Like Professionals PART 6 – Video Tutorial: How To Keep Your Digital Photos Organized?

PART 1 – What Is A Photo Organizer Tool?

Well, a photo organization software works dedicatedly to manage your digital images properly. Such tools are designed to enhance a user’s workflow by aligning hundreds & thousands of photographs in a centralized location, based on various parameters. So, next time you don’t have to spend hours looking for a particular pic.

PART 2 – What Factors Should Be Considered While Looking For A Photo Management Tool?

Software for brother mfc-j775dw mac. These are certain features that we feel make an excellent image organizer & manager for Windows.

Well, these are certain vital aspects; everyone should look for while choosing a photo storage & organization software. But in the end, it all depends on the needs & requirements of a user.

PART 3 – Best Ways To Organize Photos Like Professionals

Here are the step by step methods to organize your printed & digital photo collection!

PART 4 – Try These Paid & Free Photo Organizing Tools To Manage Thousands Of Images

There are hundreds of software available in the market that claim to organize your photo library, quickly & effectively. But only a few of them have managed to achieve the task. To save your time for searching an ideal tool, we have listed the top 10 best free photo management software for Windows to manage your huge pics collection!

Best Overall

MAGIX PHOTO MANAGER DELUXE

  • Facial Recognition
  • Lots of organizing tools
  • Basic Editing Tools

Most Worthy

PHOTO ORGANIZER BY SYSTWEAK

  • Optimize Collection
  • Duplicates Finder
  • Time-Saving Tools

Best Value

ADOBE BRIDGE

  • Drag & Drop Flexibility
  • Batch Processing
  • Retina & HIDPI Scaling

1. Magix Photo Manager

Supports: Windows 10/8/7 Size: 4.87 MB Price: 30-Day Free Trial/$39.69 Try Now

Magix Photo Manager is a simple, quick & straightforward image management software for Windows 10, 8, 7 & Vista. It helps you categorize, manage & share your photo collection using advanced import options & efficient photo management tools. Additionally, it features an Intelligent filter for quick & automatic sorting. To start with the free trial version, you need to register yourself first.

Pros: Magix Photo Manager

Manage pics with name, location & memories.
Have automatic backups
Offers introductory video to guide you through

Cons: Magix Photo Manager

Installation process takes a lot of time

2. Photo Organizer By Systweak

Compatibility: Windows 10/8/7/Vista & XP Size: 4.9 MB Price: Free Try Now

Photo Organizer is one of the most effective free image management software equipped with no extra useless features to manage your digital library. You can use this quick picture storage tool to streamline your vast photo collection in a single place. It brings lots of tools for batch editing, recovering space & freeing you up from manual hectic to sort images.

PROS: Photo Organizer

Tools for batch copy/move/rename/delete
Create space for new images, delete duplicates

CONS: Photo Organizer

3. Adobe Bridge

Compatibility: Windows & macOS Size: 2.58 MB Price: $9.99 (Monthly) Try Now

Photo Organizing App For Mac

One of the best professional desktop photo & assets organizers for Windows 10 & other versions, Adobe Bridge, allows you to access & manage all your digital files in a few clicks. The photo management utility lets you add tags, ratings & other metadata information to your images. It brings a comprehensive interface that lets you sort thousands of images in one go on various attributes!

PROS: Adobe Bridge

Tools to add metadata for professional sorting
Flexible batch image editing options

CONS: Adobe Bridge

4. Google Photos

Compatibility: Windows/Mac/Linux Size: 1.26 MB Price: Free/$1.99 Try Now

Google Photos is undoubtedly a hassle-free way to get your precious memories in order. The automatic photo organizer automatically backups your picture directories automatically. Moreover, you can even select specific folders to be uploaded on the cloud. It’s AI assistant automatically organizes pics based on time & recommends which pictures can be archived.

PROS: Google Photos

Create albums, collages & videos using uploads
‘Shared Libraries’ to share the entire collection
Well-integrated with smartphones

CONS: Google Photos

Setting it up on PC takes a lot of time

Read Next: How To Move Photos From Google Drive To Google Photos?

5. ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020

Compatibility: Windows & Mac Size: 1.2 MB Price: Free/ $8.90 (Monthly) Try Now

There are lots of reasons why ACDSee Photo Studio is one of the tools to organize & manage photos on your Windows PC. For a start, it presents an epic organization system that involves ratings, tags, categories, keywords & color labelling. Additionally, the image organizer has advanced import features & brings amazing batch editing tools like Resizing, Rotation, Exposure Adjustment, Renaming & more.

PROS: ACDSee Photo Studio Professional

Supports more than 80 file formats
Allows you to create an online photo gallery

CONS: ACDSee Photo Studio Professional

Sometimes has launch issues

6. digiKam Photo Manager

Compatibility: Windows, Mac & Linux Size: 1.8 MB Price: Free Try Now

An open-source photo organizer has to be included in our list of 2020 Image Management Software. digiKam is an advanced solution for Windows, Mac & Linux users who quickly wants to sort pictures by name, size, date, title and other attributes. It offers tagging tools to add ratings, labels, comments on your photographs which acts as reminders. You can easily make sub-folders according to needs.

PROS: digiKam Photo Manager

Lets you curve adjustment & create panoramas
Edit & view photos from your digital camera
Open-Source photo organizer so receives constant updates

CONS: digiKam Photo Manager

UI of this image organization tool is bit complex

7. CyberLink PhotoDirector 10 Ultra

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7 Size: 1.12 MB Price: $69.99 Try Now

If you are a professional photographer, chances are you’ve already heard about CyberLink PhotoDirector. It’s not only the best snaps organizing software but equally a great editing tool. It helps you store, manage, share, backup & retrieve your images without any hassles. You can enjoy the storage space of 25 GB & Photo presets to help you edit bulk pics without wasting much time.

PROS: CyberLink PhotoDirector 10

Great tools to correct blurred images
Allows you to work in layers

CONS: CyberLink PhotoDirector 10

Packed with lots of advertisements
Software

8. Zoner Photo Studio

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8 Size: 93.77 MB Price: Free Trial/ $95.88 Try Now

Best Program To Organize Photos Mac

Zoner Photo Studio comprises four main sections: Manager, Develop, Editor & Create. As the name entails, in the Manager section, you can organize your images based on dates, color labels, keywords & other attributes. You can even add GPS coordinates in your snaps; this further helps to search your photos by location. You can easily import files from your phone or camera.

PROS: Zoner Photo Studio

Clean & easy to use interface
Offers online storage & gallery management

CONS: Zoner Photo Studio

Can face sudden shutdowns

9. StudioLine Photo Basic 4

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7, XP Size: 64.94 MB Price: Free Try Now

StudioLine Photo Basic 4 is a fantastic tool to organize photos in Windows without a lot of clicks. You can enjoy lots of advanced editing features & slideshow creator with this freemium photo organizer for PC. You can manage your entire photograph collection by adding tags, descriptions, GPS coordinates & much more. It even allows you to upload photos & burn to CD/DVD.

PROS: StudioLine Photo Basic 4

Manage snapshots in a centralized location
Has slideshow & web gallery features

CONS: StudioLine Photo Basic 4

Best photo organization tool for newbies

10. FastStone Image Viewer

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 7 Size: 6.84 MB Price: Free Try Now

FastStone Image Viewer is a free photo organizer & manager & equally a multi-purpose tool to edit & convert snapshots at blazing speed in a user-friendly interface. The image organizer for Windows is best known for its high compatibility with almost all file formats that most of the popular management software miss out. Additionally, it gets frequent updates to offer the best experiences.

PROS: FastStone Image Viewer

Installs at a high speed
Tools to read, write & edit metadata
Options to resize, rotate, add texts, adjust colors, special effects/filters & more.

CONS: FastStone Image Viewer

This free photo organizer has no drag & drop feature

Best Mac Photo Editing Software

Honorable Mentions: Must-Try Photo Management Software 2020

Apart from these top 10 choices, there are a few proper picture storage and organization tools that you can give a try:

Best Photo Organizer App For PCKey FeaturesTry Now

Best Photo Organizer App For PCKey FeaturesTry Now
Nikon ViewNX-i
  • Flexible RAW processing and image adjustment.
  • Share photos to Social media via this digital photo album organizer.
  • Has a Photo Tray to store photos temporarily for managing printing & editing.
Try Now
XnView MP
  • Supports more than 500 image formats.
  • Organize albums in different views like thumbnail, full screen, filmstrip.
  • Edit images (adjust brightness, contrast, resize, rotate, crop & more)
Try Now
Pictomio Image Management
  • Works as a photo browser, slideshow viewer, and slideshow editor.
  • Multilingual free photo organizer
  • Lets you read, write & edit metadata information
Try Now
PicaJet Digital Photo Management
  • Best Picture Organizing Software for newbies.
  • Editing features such as cropping, level adjustment, correct red-eye, and image sharpening.
  • View & manage images by date, name, keyword, rating or timeline.
Try Now

Free Photo Software Mac

PART 5 – Comparing Popular Paid/Free Photo Management Software (2020)

Best Photo Management Software Mac

Here’s a brief comparison of Top 5 Windows Utilities to help you organize & manage your entire digital photo collection.

Photo Organizer For Windows PCFree/Paid Support RAW FormatPhoto EditingBackup & Recover
Magix Photo Manager Trial/$39.69YesYesYes
Photo Organizer FreeYesNoNo
Adobe Bridge Trial/$9.99 (Monthly)YesYesYes
Google Photos FreeN/ANoYes
ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2020 Trial/ $8.90 (Monthly) YesYesYes

PART 6 – Video Tutorial: How To Keep Your Digital Photos Organized?

Have no time to read the entire article? Check out this quick tutorial to neatly manage your entire photo collection!

So, that’s all folks! This was our comprehensive guide to help you explore the Best Paid & Free Photo Organizer & Manager for Windows 10 & other versions. Every utility has its own set of pros & cons. Still, if you ask us, we suggest using Magix Photo Manager (if you are looking for lots of tools in one package at affordable pricing) or Systweak Photo Organizer (if you want a free picture management software with sufficient feature set). Hope you are now able to choose the ideal one according to your needs & requirements!

If you know or use any other automatic photo organizer than the ones mentioned above, feel free to share them with us in the comments section below!

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