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Imported photos in the Import folder

When I import photos, they go into the Imports folder. When I then move them to an album, they're still in the Import folder. When I delete them from the Import folder, they disappear from the album where I've put them. Can I get them out of the Import folder without deleting them from the album in which I have put them?


Posted on Sep 23, 2019 7:48 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 23, 2019 11:28 AM

Photos cannot be moved between albums, you can just add them to albums.


If you want to see easily, which photos have been added to an album and which newly imported photos are not yet in can album, use a smart album. For example:

  • File > New smart album.
  • Set the rule to "Date added is in the last ... days"
  • Add another rule: Album is not any


This album will contain all recently imported photos, that have not yet been added to an album


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 23, 2019 11:28 AM in response to Rick1101

Photos cannot be moved between albums, you can just add them to albums.


If you want to see easily, which photos have been added to an album and which newly imported photos are not yet in can album, use a smart album. For example:

  • File > New smart album.
  • Set the rule to "Date added is in the last ... days"
  • Add another rule: Album is not any


This album will contain all recently imported photos, that have not yet been added to an album


Sep 23, 2019 9:50 AM in response to Rick1101

Each of those albums, both created by Photos and by you, are different views of the same file. They just use pointers to the original file that's in the Import and Photos view. You can have an image in multiple albums and projects with only one image file in the library.


This discussion of how to delete Photos from a Photo library may help you:


Deleting Photos from a Photos Library

1 - regardless of where you are in the library, i.e. Moments, Collections, albums, smart albums or projects, select the photo(s) you want to delete and use the key combination of Command+Delete to move the photos to the Recently Deleted smart album.

2 - click on the Recently Deleted smart albums in the sidebar.


NOTE 1:  If you're using Photos 1.2 or earlier use the File Show Recently Deleted menu option.

3 - in the Recently Deleted album you can opt to let the photo automatically delete after the 30 day waiting period is up, delete them immediately or restore them to the library.


NOTE 2: deleting a photo from an album, slideshow, book, etc., with the Delete key only deletes the photo from that item.  There is no key combination that will delete a photo from a project and move it directly to the Recently Deleted smart album.

NOTE 3: deleting a photo from a Moment or Collection (the Photos window) or the All Photos window deletes ALL occurences of that photo in the library.







Imported photos in the Import folder

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