Apple Photos

Version4(as of 2/15/2021)
PlatformsMac, iOS, Web
LicenseBundled
CategoryGraphics
Go to Website
Rating:2.5  |  93 Votes

Main Features

  • iCloud Photo Library integration between macOS and iOS devices
  • Editing tools for enhancing, rotating, and retouching images
  • Filters, such as noir and chrome, that can be applied to images
  • Sharing capabilities to social sites, email, and messages
  • Ability to directly create calendars, books, and cards from the app

Software Overview

Screenshot of Apple Photos 4
Screenshot of Apple Photos 4

Apple Photos is a photo-organizing application bundled with macOS and iOS. It is used to view, edit, and share photos. The app was first released for OS X in April 2015 as a replacement for the discontinued iPhoto and Aperture applications.

Photos supports various image and video formats, such as .JPEG, .PNG, .TIFF, .CR2, .DNG, .NEF, and .MP4. The app allows you to organize your photos and videos in albums and access them from your Mac or iOS device through the iCloud Photo Library. It enables you to make edits to your images, including the ability to enhance, rotate, retouch, crop, and adjust image colors. You can also apply filters, such as noir, chrome, process, tonal, fade, and instant to produce your desired effect.

When you are done editing, you can conveniently share your images, whether it be through a social site, email, messages, or creating a book, card, or calendar. The application also enables you to import iPhoto and Aperture photo libraries, the two programs that Photos replaced.

Photos is a useful tool for macOS and iOS users that want to easily organize and access their photos, as well as make simple and quick edits to them. However, if you are looking for a powerful image editing tool you should look to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, or GIMP.

Primary File Type

photoslibrary icon.PHOTOSLIBRARYPhotos Library

Supported File Types

ExtensionFile Type
.PHOTOSLIBRARYPhotos Library
.3FRHasselblad 3F RAW Image
.AAESidecar Image Edit File
.APLIBRARYAperture Library
.BMPBitmap Image
.CR2Canon Raw 2 Image
.DNGDigital Negative Image
.EXIFExchangeable Image Information File
.JFIJPEG File Interchange Image
.JPGJPEG Image
.MIGRATEDAPLIBRARYMigrated Aperture Library
.MIGRATEDPHOTOLIBRARYMigrated Photo Library
.MRWMinolta Raw Image
.NEFNikon Electronic Format RAW Image
.ORFOlympus RAW File
.PHOTOLIBRARYiPhoto Photo Library
.PNGPortable Network Graphic
.RAFFujifilm RAW Image
.SRFSony RAW Image

Additional Related File Types

ExtensionFile Type
.JPEGJPEG Image
Updated 2/15/2021