Your photos. Step by step.

Foto Organizer – User Manual

Deutsch · English

Published: 1.4.0 (648) in the private repository since 13 November 2026, 22:50:34 CET (repository access required). Release source 4977c805927b06b6e7e95999c8a20ffb9dcd5426, unchanged compiler source efc179fd10792944feac1d5f4f707f5ac57131e0. Apple Development signed for Apple Silicon/macOS27+, not notarised, no Gatekeeper/Store approval. Publication does not establish complete native acceptance.

Current manual: The 19 chapters document release 1.4.0 (648) and explicitly identified historical states. Version notes and verification limits distinguish available features, specific user acceptance and outstanding overall checks. The separate selection/scroll follow-up targeting1.3.4 is not presented as available.

New in 1.4.0 (648)

• Camera profiles and verified camera-original replacement in Apple Photos (chapter 7).
• Collapsible metadata sections retaining drafts (#675), import keyword actions (#499, chapter 10) and deliberately enabled diagnostics with preview/export (#678, chapter 15).
• Known open issues: #676 (ACL capture before the MP4 metadata parser) and separate JPEG write block #697 with an unknown cause are tracked for 1.4.1. The included #676 partial fix is not a complete resolution. Version notes.

Welcome

Foto Organizer helps you browse photos and videos on your Mac, compare images, maintain metadata and organize your collection. You can work with Apple Photos or files in local folders. Available actions depend on the source, file format and permissions you have granted.

The two workspaces are Organize and Review. Organize lets you manage albums and metadata and access GPS, export and conversion tools. Review lets you compare and rate photos and record selection decisions.

Using this manual

On the website, Skip to content takes you directly to the main content. Use Tab to reach chapters in the table of contents and Enter to open them; focus moves to the chapter heading. Find a chapter filters headings only, not the full text. The result count or no-results message is also exposed to screen readers. Clear the search field to show all sections again; use your browser’s Find command for a full-text search. DE or the Deutsch link switches language; a chapter opened through a chapter link is preserved by its number.

Included in release 1.3.0 (462); historical partial evidence from local test build 1.2.0 (351): Choose Help → Foto Organizer Manual or press ⌘⇧H to open the online manual in your default browser. The app selects German or English to match its own language; an internet connection is required. Opening the manual does not change photos or apply staged actions. The menu and direct keyboard shortcut were checked in German and English without opening a photo source. Tool Check remains available in the same Help menu. VoiceOver was excluded from this test at the user’s request; full accessibility acceptance remains pending.

In the older release app 1.2.0 (321), Foto Organizer Help still does not open a manual. In that version, use the English manual page in your browser and check its version label: an already published edition may differ from the current working text. Contact and privacy information are available on the website. No separate offline/PDF edition is offered here.

1. Requirements and first launch

Foto Organizer requires macOS 27 or later. The interface is available in German and English; macOS determines the app language. Some interface translations are still being completed.

On the left, choose Library, Folder or Cards; at the top, choose Organize or Review. In Organize, the right inspector has Organizer, GPS and Export tabs. When media is selected, photo details appear above them, with camera/capture and general metadata groups. Expand the relevant group to see its details.

First choose a source: Connect Apple Photos for your photo library or Open local folder… for files. Opening a folder does not automatically import its images into Apple Photos.

Grant the photo or folder access requested by macOS. If access is restricted, the app can only work with the accessible items. If permission is denied, check Privacy & Security in System Settings and reconnect the source.

Editing titles in Apple Photos also requires permission to automate Photos. Other supported metadata uses PhotoKit and does not require this additional title permission.

With iCloud Photos, your Mac may hold only previews. Larger views, exports and other operations may therefore wait for originals to download. Not all iCloud media is fully available without a network connection. The status bar reports ongoing activities and errors.

2. Quick start: organize photos and add information

1. Open a local folder, or connect Apple Photos and choose a library view or album.
2. Narrow the displayed items using filters or the calendar.
3. Select one or more items. Check the information currently read in the panel on the right.
4. Stage a change, such as a description, keywords or an album assignment.
5. Open the combined review and compare the existing and proposed values.
6. Confirm the changes. Then check the result and any remaining error messages.

Staging does not write metadata yet. A staged action remains linked to the items selected when it was created, even if you subsequently select different images. Favorites, stars and certain separate actions are saved directly or confirmed in their own dialogs; see the relevant chapters.

Cross-tab pending-change status · 1.3.0 (462)

The reserved shared bottom status area shows pending Organizer/GPS changes even when another tool tab is selected. It shows the action count and, when expanded, the action type and captured media scope for each action. Organizer/GPS destinations follow the content, not a stored history of which tab created it. Several actions can include the same media; their counts are not a unique total photo count. SD import drafts and GPS-log plans are not additional entries in this shared pending-action list.

Position A · development #492, included in 1.3.1 (590): The labeled Collapse actions or Show actions button sits at the top right of the fixed pending-status header. The action count and phase status appear vertically on the left. Both button labels reserve the same width when toggled. Blocking reasons and relevant review entries remain accessible when collapsed; toggling changes only the presentation, not the staged actions. Native visual, focus and VoiceOver checks of this branch version remain pending.

Review in Organizer or Review in GPS navigates to the appropriate tool and existing pending action. It does not select a new source, open a preview or save anything. Ongoing work, comparisons, dialogs or a mismatched browser source can still block navigation; the reason remains visible. Collapsing the area retains the blocking explanation and access to each relevant editing area.

Nothing has been saved yet. applies only to a fresh queue. After an execution attempt, the area conservatively identifies remaining changes; completed partial changes may already exist. Retry drafts are identified. Check the actual shared result status rather than assuming rollback. Progress stays in the existing shared activity display. Existing preview, explicit confirmation, discard and safe stop workflows remain unchanged.

Included in published release1.3.0(462). Native window-size, DE/EN, keyboard, focus and VoiceOver acceptance remains open.

Why changes are staged first

Staging keeps a working selection together for several planned changes. Filters evaluate saved information, not the proposed values of staged changes. For example, you can prepare GPS and album assignments for the same photos without the first proposed value already removing them from the filtered results.

Example in Apple Photos: Enable No location and No album, then select the photos you want. Queue the location in the GPS tab. Keep the same selection and stage assignment to an existing album in the Organizer tab. Then open Review … actions, check the target media and both changes, and confirm Apply listed changes. If the location were saved after the first step, the photos would no longer meet the no-location filter and could disappear from the view. Staging lets you prepare both changes first; after writing, the photos may leave the filtered results. That does not mean they have been deleted.

Each staged action retains its own target media. Selecting different photos later does not transfer existing drafts to them; newly staged actions use the selection at that time. Before applying the combined changes, check each action’s target count. Canceling the preview writes nothing and retains the drafts; Discard all actions… removes them without changing photos. Writing several actions is not one atomic operation: successful steps remain after cancellation or partial failure.

Staging does not freeze the results list. Actions that save directly – especially favorites, stars and review decisions – can affect matching filter results immediately. Manually changing filters, loading additional media and detected external changes can also affect the display. The GPS-and-album example applies to Apple Photos; local files do not have Apple Photos album membership.

When is something saved?

3. Sources, navigation and selection

Updating the library after replacement · target 1.3.3

After replacement, Foto Organizer updates the affected library items when the change state is valid. An unclear state or a structural change may still require full reconciliation. Changes arriving during full reconciliation can trigger another reconciliation; ongoing changes may require further passes. The status Reconciling changes received while loading … identifies this operation. Existing loading and cancellation controls remain available. No fixed overall duration or maximum number of passes is promised.

User acceptance, 13 November 2026: The user confirmed that #637 was resolved (record). No tested build number, performance measurements or separate VoiceOver acceptance was specified. This accepted scope is included in release 1.3.3 (646), not release 1.3.2 (605). The additionally requested selection and scrolling behavior after deletion or conversion is outside this function and is not described here as available.

Combined source state for 1.3.1 (#477/#481): The previously separate changes are integrated into main. The wide Organizer header shows source status; select the source in the sidebar. The wide Cards header retains its separate source selector and Review its compact menu. Choose the source section first, then its source. Switching sections alone does not import media. The former branch assignment is historical; this state is published in release 1.3.1 (590), but does not have complete native acceptance.

Version and verification scope: The extensions below, compared with 1.3.0 (462), are published in release 1.3.1 (590). Historical partial checks apply only to their stated build. Clearer RAW/XMP diagnostics in particular do not prove that every DNG writing failure is fixed; unknown causes and untested native variants remain open.

Development #448 after 1.3.0 (462): Active source with separate source menu → filters/results → shared selection count/action bar → View and SD tools. The bar remains visible without a selection; Clear selection appears only with a selection. SD Select all still adds matches; Review still uses visible matches or visible selection, and destination actions only prepare. No new writing or comparison action. Included in release 1.3.1 (590); complete native acceptance remains open. Details.

Source header, development #458 after 1.3.0 (462): The wide Organizer header shows active source status only. Open local folders or reconnect Apple Photos from the left sidebar. The compact Review source menu and separate source selector in the shared wide Cards header remain available. Permissions, filters, selection and pending drafts are unchanged. Included in 1.3.1 (590); native keyboard, focus and DE/EN acceptance remains open.

Combined version1.3.0(462): Cards tabs and compact import header are included in published release1.3.0(462); native navigation, draft preservation, window sizes and interaction still require separate acceptance.

Source tabs · development state #433: Choose Library, Folder or Cards on the left. Narrow sidebars show the same choice as a native menu. Cards includes memory cards and other explicitly authorized import sources; switching does not start an import or an authorization dialog. If the selected Library/Folder section has no active media source, choose one on the left. The previous selection is not transferred to the other section. Included in release1.3.0(462); complete native acceptance remains separate.

Reaching actions with pending changes · development #485

The shared bottom status area remains visible when staging changes; the workspace above adapts to the remaining height. When space is limited, scroll the right inspector to Import into Apple Photos…, Move to Trash … or Delete from library…. Combined review, discard and cancellation when applicable remain reachable in the fixed inspector footer. Pending changes and ongoing operations can still block source actions. This layout correction is included in1.3.1 (590); native synthetic checks were performed in German, while full native English, VoiceOver and palette acceptance remains open.

Apple Photos

Connect Apple Photos and open All library media or an album. Items load progressively. Previously loaded items may appear while more are still arriving. Match counts may continue to change during loading.

The album browser provides hierarchical navigation with a path bar and search. If albums have the same name, their parent paths help distinguish them. Album and folder favorites provide quicker access later. These navigation favorites are separate from favorites assigned to individual photos.

Local folders

Open the folder you want to use. Subfolders are scanned and available through folder navigation. Files remain in their original locations unless you confirm an action specifically intended to write, import or move them to the Trash.

Being able to display a file does not mean its format can also be edited or converted. Each action indicates its availability and limitations.

Selecting and viewing media

Location symbols · development #600, included in release 1.3.3 (646): A filled location arrow marks existing location/GPS metadata for the photo, including the corresponding Has location filter. It does not indicate live tracking, navigation or a warning. The slashed location arrow for missing data and the question mark for unknown location remain unchanged. This applies with labels on or off; colors, the background and assistive Has location text are unchanged. The user explicitly accepted the GPS arrow function (record #600); separate VoiceOver acceptance is not established. No build number or test duration was specified; release 1.3.1 (590) does not contain this symbol change. Local Test 1.3.2 (605) also does not include this symbol change.

Select individual items or multiple items. Check the selection count and active photo: the details panel may show one active image within a larger selection.

Showing local images and videos in Finder · #658, target 1.3.3

Open the Folder source and a local image or video’s context menu. Show in Finder selects exactly the clicked file in Finder; your current selection in Foto Organizer remains unchanged. The action is available with labels on or off. It uses the existing folder permission and does not apply to Apple Photos media or SD import.

If the file or access is missing, follow the message: reconnect the drive and choose the source folder again. The user has fully accepted Finder action #658 for local images and videos. No tested build number, test duration or separate VoiceOver, error-case or drive test was specified. The function is included in release 1.3.3 (646); acceptance alone did not establish publication.

Press Enter or choose Open full view to open the large photo view. Arrow keys move between images; Escape closes the view. Videos appear as explicitly labeled still images in this photo view. Reopen the view to use a changed set of results.

Tab and arrow-key navigation support the gallery and two-image comparison. Keyboard focus and the current workspace determine what a key does. In text fields, keys retain their normal text-entry behavior.

Thumbnail size and labels · development #494, included in 1.3.1 (590)

Square previews · target 1.3.1, development #579: With labels off, the subject fills the square image tile using a centered display crop. Unlike the previous #542 fit, parts of the subject near the edges may lie outside the thumbnail. This affects browser presentation only: original files, exports and the large viewer are not cropped. With labels on, the existing fit remains.

This applies to the main browser including GPS/Export, individual photos in Review and the card inventory; filmstrips and other specialized views remain unchanged. Size controls, saved preferences and reset still apply. Known zero ratings no longer show a dash in the compact display; “unrated” remains available to assistive technology. Positive ratings retain number plus star, and unknown values retain an explicit question mark. Included in published release 1.3.1 (590). The user specifically accepted the square view in local Test 1.3.2 (605). Further native visual variants, focus, spoken VoiceOver and performance acceptance remain open; this is not a full acceptance of every compact status/rating state.

Previous image-tile version #542: With Show labels off, the image field uses the entire assigned square grid cell without outer card padding or a separate status, rating or preview footer. Selection, GPS, reference, review and AI indications appear as compact overlays; Favorite and Preview remain separate interactive actions. Positive ratings use a compact number and star; unrated (zero) keeps its dash, while unknown values use a question mark and explicit assistive help. Unknown is not treated as zero. Enabling labels retains the existing captioned card.

In the previous #542 version, the complete image was fitted without distortion, cropping or stretching. A narrow or wide image can therefore still have visible margins even though the image field uses the full tile. Thumbnail size, reset and saved settings remain unchanged. This follow-up applies to the same three browsers as #494, not series, comparison, LPS or inspector miniatures. Test #541 does not contain #542. Native visual, focus, VoiceOver and contrast acceptance remains pending.

Use Thumbnail size to set image fields from 120 to 320 points in 20-point steps; moving right makes them larger. Show labels toggles filenames and type/format text below thumbnails. Selection, reference/GPS marks, review decisions, AI recommendations, ratings, loading/error indications and preview actions remain available; full names and formats remain accessible to assistive technology. Reset view restores 160 points with labels enabled.

These shared settings are saved for the main Organizer browser including GPS/Export, individual-photo browsing in Review and the card inventory. In Cards, thumbnail size replaces the previous column slider; the column count follows image size and available space. Series, filmstrip, comparison, Last Picture Standing and small inspector previews retain their existing sizes. View settings do not change the source, filters, selection or analysis. With labels enabled, square image fields fit the full image; narrow windows can limit their displayed size without changing the saved setting. Build #535 does not contain this change. Native English/German, window-size, keyboard, VoiceOver and persistence acceptance, and performance validation remain pending.

4. Search, filters and date ranges

Compact filter popover · development #543, included in 1.3.1 (590): The shared filter editor in Organizer/GPS/Export, Review and the card inventory adapts its height to the content. Reset filters is on the left and Done on the right of the fixed action footer; content can scroll when space is limited. If the footer wraps, Done stays right-aligned below the reset action. Done and Escape close the editor without rolling back the filters already applied. Return receives no new default action. Existing filter bindings and reset behavior remain unchanged. Native sizing, focus, keyboard and VoiceOver acceptance remains pending.

Filters above the grid opens the Basic, Format, Metadaten (metadata), Date and Details categories. The metadata category label is still German in the bundled English resources of release 1.2.0 (321). Filters narrow the visible media without moving files or changing metadata. Criteria from different filter groups apply together; the format group follows the OR rules described below.

Depending on the source, you can filter by photos or videos, favorites, star ratings, missing information and album membership, among other criteria. The no-album filter refers to regular user albums within the accessible part of the library. Local files do not have equivalent Apple Photos album membership.

Basic also offers no-location, with-location and unknown-location criteria.

Multiple filters · target 1.3.3: Under Formats · at least one, select multiple formats. An item only needs to match at least one of them (OR), for example NEF or JPEG. HEIC/HEIF is a combined criterion; MP4 is a separate format and does not reinterpret M4V as MP4. TIFF remains a separate format, not camera RAW.

State · all selected conditions offers the positive states RAW + JPEG and, in Apple Photos, Edited in Photos. Every selected state must match (AND); the format group and states also apply together. Edited in Photos is unavailable for local files and SD import. A RAW+JPEG pair can match multiple formats through its resources.

Active format and state chips remain visible and can be removed individually. The filter count counts the format group once and each selected state separately. All formats clears only the format selection, retaining selected states. Deselecting the last format restores all formats. The global filter reset clears formats and states together with the other filters.

User acceptance, 13 November 2026: The user explicitly accepted #646 multiple filters (record). This function is included in release 1.3.3 (646); acceptance does not establish an unspecified build number, VoiceOver, performance or individual test results.

Details provides file-size ranges: below 10 MB, 10 to below 30 MB, 30 to below 100 MB, 100 to below 500 MB, at least 500 MB, additionally at least 100 MB, or unknown. MB means 1,000,000 bytes. For local files, size means the individual file; for Apple Photos, it is the sum of the entry’s original resources. Check Sizes in Export updates sizes for selected library media. Sort order also offers size ascending or descending. Unknown sizes remain distinct from measured sizes; matches may be provisional during loading.

Filters take effect immediately. Closing the filter dialog does not undo your choices. Active criteria remain visible in the bar; remove individual criteria or use Reset in the bar or Reset filters in the dialog.

Star-rating comparisons distinguish Exactly (=), Greater than (>) and At least (≥). Greater than 3 excludes three stars; at least 3 includes them. Unrated means zero stars. A value that has not yet been read is not automatically empty or unrated.

Use the calendar, month/year selection and timeline to navigate capture periods. Sorting and day groups help with large collections. If images appear to be missing, first check the filters, date range and loading status.

Proposed values in staged actions do not affect filters yet. Chapter 2 explains how this lets you prepare several changes for the same filtered selection and which directly saved actions are exceptions.

5. Review, compare and decide

Review works with photos. Choose the source and narrow the items to review. The tool groups bring together source, filters, matches and view options. Selection actions appear according to the current selection; without a selection, access to those actions and their requirements remains available.

You can assess photos individually, compare several images or examine detected series. Series analysis groups similar shots; the strictness setting affects how they are grouped. These suggestions support your judgment and do not guarantee an objectively best image.

Review decisions are Keep, Open and Discard. Discard initially records a review decision; it does not delete the image. Use decision filters to return to those photos later. Accepted corresponds to Keep, and Rejected corresponds to Discard.

A decision is saved immediately. For Apple Photos media, the app changes its own Lichttisch: Behalten, Lichttisch: Offen or Lichttisch: Aussortieren keywords; other keywords are retained. These changes may synchronize through iCloud. For local files, the decision is stored in local app settings; it does not write corresponding keywords into the file. Check error messages: a multiple-item action may leave already successful decisions in place.

Analysis provides an overall impression, sharpness and exposure, along with subject/face information where available. A missing value is not a zero rating. Apply AI decision writes changes: it sets the suggested series winner to Keep and the other photos to Discard. Analysis alone does not apply these decisions automatically.

Format and state filters in Review (#646): Series and recommendations are recalculated exclusively from photos matching the selected formats and states. Changing filters removes nonmatching photos from the comparison; fewer than two matching photos returns to the overview. This does not enable photo rating for videos. Ongoing Last Picture Standing rounds retain their existing locks; changing filters does not bypass them.

The two-image comparison lets you view both images at a larger size. Check subject details, sharpness and the displayed capture information. Choose Open series, or select at least two photos and use Compare selection. Tab or Shift+Tab marks the left or right comparison pane; Left/Right changes the image in that pane, and Enter opens its full view. L toggles the loupe. Use the overview action to leave the comparison. With a photo focused, K, O and D immediately save Keep, Open and Discard. Available keyboard help appears in the workspace and lower status area.

Series strictness is available in Series view: Strict creates tighter groups, while Generous includes less similar photos; changing it restarts analysis. Switching between Series and Individual photos changes the presentation.

Last Picture Standing

Last Picture Standing narrows a selection through successive pair comparisons.

1. Select at least two photos with the Open decision, or start with a series. Previously decided photos are excluded; the start dialog shows both counts.
2. Open Last Picture Standing and choose the offered pairing strategy: random or an order based on analysis values.
3. Compare the left and right images and deliberately choose which advances. Each choice immediately saves the other photo as Discard without deleting it. Your chosen image stays on the left; the next challenger appears on the right.
4. Use the loupe or linked magnification as needed. Skipping and redrawing are available only when the round state allows them.
5. Use the available undo action to reverse the last supported round decision. Pause to continue later in the current session, or end the round using the visible actions.
6. The final pair decision automatically saves the winner as Keep. Check the success indicator. The app offers to retry that final save only if it is still pending. You can then show the winner or move to a new round; favorites and stars are retained.

Source changes and other navigation may be locked during an active or paused round. Use the resume or end actions. Round undo also restores the corresponding saved review decisions and may fail if intervening changes cause a conflict. It is not a general undo feature for every app change. Left/Right chooses an image to advance in an active LPS round; it is not merely navigation there. Space skips, N redraws and Escape pauses when focus routes keys to the round controls. This manual does not promise that a round can be resumed after restarting the app.

6. Favorites and stars

You can set favorites and stars for Apple Photos media. These values are saved directly and do not pass through the combined metadata staging process. With multiple items selected, check whether an action applies to one photo or all selected photos.

With the appropriate Review focus, F toggles favorite status, 1–5 set stars and 0 removes the rating. Use the corresponding action when undo for a favorite/rating change is offered. It does not replace a complete change history.

These Apple Photos marks are not available in the same way for local files. A review decision and a favorite are different properties.

7. Editing metadata

Reading information and planning changes

Select the target media and check the values that have been read. Unknown information is different from missing information. Read titles explicitly when needed. A multiple selection may contain different values.

Previously published workflow: In the right Organizer tab, expand More metadata, choose Title, Description or Date and use Queue metadata change. Individual keywords have their own Keywords group. Edit the desired fields and stage the actions. The combined preview merges multiple drafts into a proposed final state. Before confirming, pay particular attention to the count, target items, field and before/after values.

Collapsible metadata sections · accepted function #675, in release 1.4.0 (648)

In Organizer for Folder and Apple Photos, Title, Description, Date and Camera information each open their own editing section. The form and its staging action are directly inside the open section. One section can be open, or all can be closed; opening another closes the previous section. Individual keyword editing remains separate.

Collapsing or switching sections retains your entries, camera profile selection, search text, mode and existing staged changes. Collapsing itself writes or confirms nothing. Stage the intended action inside its section, then inspect it in the existing combined preview; only explicitly executing that preview writes changes. Import and Trash remain separate actions. This layout does not change supported formats, write targets, source binding, backup or recovery limits.

Availability: The user explicitly accepted #675 (record); locally present in independently checked Test 1.4.0 (648), source efc179fd10792944feac1d5f4f707f5ac57131e0. This historical test record is not a release publication; the function is now included in release 1.4.0 (648). Acceptance of #675 does not establish full VoiceOver/handbook acceptance or accept other included functions.

Assigning camera profiles · accepted core function #497, in release 1.4.0 (648)

Select media in Folder or Apple Photos and open Camera information. Search for and select a profile; check the actual manufacturer and model values. Use profile management to create, edit or remove your own profiles, or edit a supplied profile as your own copy. Managing or choosing profiles does not change media. Values already staged remain bound to their original profile snapshot.

Choose to fill only missing, compatible information, or explicitly replace existing camera information, then stage the camera action. Review eligible and blocked media in the shared preview before confirming. Unknown or conflicting information is not missing information; identical pairs need no change. The action assigns manufacturer/model, does not invent lens, exposure or serial numbers and does not delete camera information.

Local files: The camera path supports individually checked JPEG and MP4/MOV files. RAW, HEIC and ambiguous resources remain blocked for this action. Supported files are replaced using verified working copies and full backups. Video is not re-encoded; existing image, audio, timing, GPS, sensor and other tracks must be preserved. A filename extension or GoPro profile alone does not guarantee writability. Successful files may already have changed when others fail. Keep backups and the recovery receipt; backup/recovery does not blindly undo later changes by others. A changed file content or attribute state blocks restoration.

Apple Photos: For individual unedited JPEG/MP4/MOV originals, the camera action uses the explicitly chosen temporary original export, camera metadata adjustment and verified reimport/original replacement workflow. It does not directly update the camera field on the old item. Replacement creates a new asset ID; internal relationships such as People and Memories may be lost. All other metadata and every album membership, including order, must be preserved and verified before removing the old original. Edited media, Live/burst groups, additional original resources or album types that cannot be fully transferred may block the action. Camera replacements and other changes to the same item require separate, freshly checked batches. Keep the complete replacement job and original backups; after interruption, inspect the job state before starting another replacement.

Known limits: The core function is user-accepted, included in release 1.4.0 (648); this is not universal GoPro, Photos camera display, VoiceOver or restoration evidence. Camera write blocks are tracked separately in #676 (GoPro/MP4) and #697 (JPEG), targeting 1.4.1. The existing partial fix does not establish a complete resolution. Do not bypass permissions or protection mechanisms on speculation when an action is blocked. Release 1.3.3 (646) does not contain this camera action.

With filters active, you can stage additional metadata or album-assignment actions for the same selection before applying them. Check the target media retained by each action; staging and saving are separate steps. See the worked example in Chapter 2.

Then open Review … actions. Only Apply listed changes writes the listed changes. Canceling the preview writes nothing and does not remove staged actions. To discard them, use the cross on an individual draft or Discard all actions… and confirm removal of the drafts. Before changing sources, review or discard pending staged actions.

Copying information from a reference photo

Expand Reference photo, select the desired source photo and choose Mark current photo as reference. Then select the target media and stage the offered fields individually: location, title, capture date or keywords. The reference photo itself is excluded; descriptions cannot be copied through this path. Keywords are added, and GPS is added only to eligible media without an existing location. The combined preview is still required. Clear reference removes only the remembered reference.

Titles

You can apply a fixed title to the selection or generate titles from a prefix, capture day and sequential number. Numbered titles use the order captured when staging the action. A fixed title does not require an existing capture date. Both variants replace existing titles; an empty fixed title is not staged.

Descriptions

You can replace a description, prepend text or append text. Check the complete preview to ensure existing text is retained in the intended form. Replacing with empty input clears the existing description. Prepending and appending separate new and existing text with a new line.

Keywords

Enter a term and confirm it with Enter or the offered add action. A phrase containing several words can be a single keyword. The display shows its distribution across the selection that has been read.

Confirming only stages the keyword. The status area shows pending actions; use the appropriate review entry to return to the draft. Writing requires the combined preview and its explicit confirmation.

Adding inserts the keyword where it is missing. Removing affects that keyword; other terms are retained. Differences in capitalization are not silently standardized. You can undo staged additions and removals before writing.

Automatic image analysis can suggest keywords. Review the suggestions and accept only appropriate terms. Translation may require Apple language packs. If translation is unavailable, explicitly identified English suggestions may appear.

Capture date and time zone

You can choose a date directly, copy it from a reference photo or read it from a filename or title using an appropriate format. Choose the time zone carefully. Changing the display time zone and changing the actual capture instant are different operations.

Direct selection uses minute precision, with seconds set to 00. Inputs without a time use midnight. Invalid or ambiguous times may be rejected, for example at daylight-saving transitions. Check the preview especially carefully for travel photos and cameras with incorrectly set clocks.

For a date from a filename/title, the entire source text must match the pattern; filename extensions are excluded. For example, 20261108_143015.jpg matches yyyyMMdd_HHmmss. Supported tokens are yyyy, MM (month), dd, HH (0–23), mm (minute) and ss; enclose literal text in single quotes. Case matters. Choose a pattern example as a starting point and check the complete preview; the app does not guess arbitrary date formats.

Writing, conflicts and partial failures

Development #521: When a metadata or replacement decision uses the shared modal review window, its red close button selects the safe cancellation decision. It does not consent to replacement or transparency handling. The caller’s existing stop and partial-result rules still apply; see shared dialogs. Native acceptance remains pending.

Current values are checked again before writing. If another app has changed the data in the meantime, create a fresh preview. After writing, the app reads the results back. Failed changes may remain pending while others have already completed successfully.

Canceling stops further work after the current step. Changes already made remain in place. There is no combined atomic rollback across all media and no general in-app undo history. Staged actions belong to the current session; do not rely on them surviving a restart.

Differences by source and format

Changes in Apple Photos may synchronize to other devices through iCloud. The app works with the library through the designated interfaces. Titles require the additional Automation permission.

Local single-image JPEG/HEIC/HEIF files support the designated metadata-writing paths. An existing XMP sidecar blocks this direct JPEG/HEIC writing path; do not delete a sidecar speculatively, but first clarify the intended metadata source. The app prepares the output and checks it before replacing the file. Each change creates its own backup file with _original in its name. Remove these backups only after checking the result yourself.

Development state #367, not yet accepted in the native app: For local DNG, NEF and CR2 files, the normal metadata editor saves titles, descriptions, keywords, capture dates with the selected time zone and locations known to be missing in an XMP sidecar. The RAW original remains unchanged. This does not enable editing of all RAW formats.

Queue the action as usual and open Review changes together. Each RAW section shows the filename, XMP target, before/after values and whether a file will be created or an existing one backed up. Without an existing sidecar, a filename-specific name such as Example.NEF.xmp is used. No empty sidecar is created without a required change.

For Conflicting source values, review embedded EXIF/IPTC, embedded XMP and sidecar values. Select the Source value for this action for each affected field. The action is recalculated from that value; for example, Append adds text to the selected source text. The displayed final value is saved to XMP. Review it again before choosing Apply listed changes. This action remains disabled while RAW conflicts are unresolved. Cancel writes nothing.

Readable XMP values are preferred for display. Differences from the unchanged RAW are shown as a notice and checked again when editing. Multiple matching sidecars, a sidecar shared by RAW and JPEG, or unsupported target-field structures block editing. Resolve the association or structure outside the app and create a fresh preview. Unknown metadata and other language versions are preserved.

All changed fields of one RAW image are published together. Existing sidecars receive a separate backup with _original in its name. Changes since preview block writing. If a result is unconfirmed, check XMP and its backup before planning again. There is no combined rollback across images. Native window-size, DE/EN, keyboard, sandbox and camera-RAW acceptance remains pending.

8. Adding locations

Open the GPS section and choose a location through search, a supported map input or map link, a saved place, a map pin or a suitable reference photo. Check the position on the map. Standard and satellite views and an enlarged map help you verify it.

If needed, save frequently used places in the place library and organize them into folders there. Saving a place does not change any photos.

Select the target media, choose Queue location and check the combined preview. Apple Photos supports photos and videos here; local files include suitable single-image JPEG/HEIC/HEIF files and, in development state #367, DNG/NEF/CR2 through XMP. If location status is unknown, the preview checks eligibility again. The existing location-addition path protects existing locations; it is not a blanket instruction to overwrite all GPS data. Local writing restrictions also apply to locations.

Map searches, map display and link resolution may need a network connection. A search returning no results while offline does not prove that a place does not exist.

The app can suggest a nearby-in-time GPS reference photo within one hour before or after the capture time. For local sources, it searches loaded photos; for Apple Photos, it searches the accessible library. Being close in time does not prove the same location: accept the suggestion only after checking it yourself, then still stage and confirm the location.

GPS logs: Included in the1.3.0(462) release. The steps and historical evidence below remain subject to open writing, device and native acceptance; inclusion is not an acceptance claim.

Development state #367: The normal RAW editor uses XMP for DNG GPS too. A location is added only when neither embedded metadata nor XMP contains existing, partial or unknown GPS. Existing locations are never overwritten. The shared DNG working-copy helper from #358 remains internal infrastructure for other adapters; it is not an additional direct-write option in the normal editor.

8.1 GPS logs · integrated development state

The1.3.0(462) release supports GPX 1.0/1.1, FIT activity records, TCX v2 activities, NMEA RMC/GGA/ZDA and CSV. This extension is not part of release 1.1.0 (37). These instructions retain historical evidence from #310; writing and device-variant acceptance remain open.

Open a local photo folder or an authorized Photos source and select GPS → GPS logs in the inspector. Each numbered step expands and collapses independently. You can preview visible photos without selecting any; applying changes requires a selection. Expanding or collapsing a step alone changes neither photo metadata nor the calculated assignment plan.

1. Import logs: Choose Import GPS logs… and select one or more files. Use Active segments: … · manage… to choose tracks. Expand Import options directly underneath. The import report lists segments, rejected points, duplicates and errors. Identical tracks are not added repeatedly.
2. Time and matching: Enter a camera timezone and camera correction in seconds when needed. Positive correction means the camera was slow; capture dates remain unchanged. Choose the Position method. Advanced matching contains repeated-local-time decisions, distance/jump limits and settings for selected camera groups. Reference photo helps derive a correction from a known track time. These controls are inline in the inspector. Changing their values discards the previous preview, so calculate it again.
3. Review preview: Choose Calculate preview, then check matches and review cases. The GPS log filter narrows the browser; an active removable chip identifies the log. Map with photos… and Timeline with photos… open separate display-only windows. With no selection they show visible photos; otherwise they show the visible selection. Local thumbnail selection in those windows does not change the browser selection. Import and preview do not write GPS metadata.
4. Apply GPS: Select the intended photos and choose Review GPS changes…. Check individual targets before confirming. The action is disabled without a selection and valid preview. Other pending actions must first be completed or discarded. Existing GPS is protected. Local JPEG/HEIC writing was checked in build 325.2; Apple Photos writing acceptance remains open (see the verification notes below). Development status #418: DNG without an existing XMP sidecar is updated with embedded GPS and an original backup. NEF/CR2 and DNG with a sidecar use the shared XMP writer, leaving the RAW unchanged. Preview identifies the destination; results include any backup. Existing, partial or unknown GPS and changed RAW/XMP snapshots block writing. Native bundle, sandbox, camera RAW and GUI acceptance remain open.

Mapping CSV columns

Select a real UTF-8 CSV file during import. Only then is Import options → CSV enabled. Each CSV pauses for its own mapping, including in a multi-file selection. Other log formats do not use CSV mapping.

• Check Delimiter first: comma, semicolon or tab. An incorrect delimiter may cause a column or quoting error; the picker remains available for correction.
• Select Time column, Latitude column and Longitude column from actual file headers. Three different required columns must be assigned; names are not typed manually.
• Date column (optional) and Segment column (optional) can be set to Do not map. Adjust time format, decimal comma, CSV timezone and repeated-local-time decision as required. ISO 8601 and Unix seconds/milliseconds are supported; arbitrary proprietary date formats are not guessed.
• Check Preview CSV mapping… for valid/rejected counts and up to eight normalized points. Import mapped CSV imports that file into the session. Cancel CSV import skips the pending file; previously imported files remain. The next file may then request a different mapping.

Missing, empty or duplicate headers block import. Check the delimiter and file headers. Renaming XML/NMEA to .csv does not make it CSV. File or delimiter changes validate headers again; matching names may remain, while missing names must be reassigned. Recalculate the CSV preview after reopening the import section if needed.

Validation status: Collapsible steps, preserved settings, stale-plan invalidation, CSV header choices, required-column protection, semicolon/Unicode/quoting, errors/cancellation and multi-file sequencing were checked with synthetic data (#310). Complete VoiceOver, permissions, writing and real-device variants remain open. The previously observed vertically offset map anchors (#283) and overlapping filmstrip scrollbar (#303) were corrected and checked natively in development build 325.2. Photo dots remain at their proposed positions during the checked zoom and enlarged-window cases. A dedicated scrollbar lane below the filmstrip covers neither pictures nor time/status captions, in both map and timeline windows. Screenshots used only the approved images from “! Wartungsalben → Musterbilder”, without changing originals; test names, times and GPS positions were synthetic. Complete pan, rotation, minimum-size and VoiceOver acceptance remains open. Build 310.2 does not contain these corrections.

GPS write verification (#335, build 325.2): The native workflow was tested with synthetic local working copies: two JPEG files and one HEIC file were written successfully and independently read back. Image data, capture times and dimensions were preserved; all three original backups match the input files byte for byte. Existing GPS, a photo outside the log and a photo without a capture time remained unchanged. Cancelling before confirmation changes no files. PhotoKit write acceptance remains open: the exclusively synthetic library must actually be open as the System Photo Library before testing. The app does not switch libraries automatically. PhotoKit verification was skipped at the user’s request for later manual testing. The manual test cases (German) cover setup, confirmation/cancellation, JPEG/HEIC readback, existing-GPS protection and result recording. These cases have not been executed.

Time controls #340–342 (development build 352.2): Search camera timezones by name or IANA ID and choose a result. “Use existing UTC offset” adds no timezone and does not assume the system timezone. The complete selected zone is also shown below the picker; daylight saving still depends on the capture date. Enter camera correction directly or use the arrows for one-second steps. The example shows “camera 14:00:00 → track 14:01:00” for +60 seconds, including a day offset when necessary. Empty/invalid input prevents a new calculation. Under Reference photo, choose the known track date, time and seconds with native arrows in UTC (+00:00). ISO 8601 input with an explicit offset remains available; the picker displays that same instant in UTC. Only “Use reference correction” changes the correction, requiring a valid time and a selected reference photo with a resolvable capture time. Photo capture dates remain unchanged. Included in release 1.3.1 (590); the partial checks below concern build 352.2. Further native visual and interaction acceptance remains open.

Verification #352: Development build 352.2 is available. All 15 targeted GPS tests passed. Native checks covered timezone search/selection, correction arrows/examples, UTC track time including the year boundary, explicit reference correction and retained values when collapsing steps. Invalid suffix input such as 60abc was fixed (#353): the entire input must be a valid number using the local decimal separator; grouping separators and suffixes are rejected. Complete size/English/keyboard/VoiceOver acceptance remains open. Verification report (German).

Photo groups in GPS previews (#148, development build356.4): Nearby photos from the same track section are grouped according to zoom, showing a thumbnail and photo count. Click a group to inspect its photos with names, times and status in a local list. Selecting a photo affects only the preview window. On the map, the selected photo has its own exact anchor; the group anchor uses an actual member rather than an averaged position. The complete filmstrip remains available. The timeline shows groups with time ranges across multiple lanes; the former twelve-thumbnail-lane limit is removed. Individual time marks retain their corrected capture times. Sections separated by point gaps exceeding the captured maximum interpolation span are drawn and grouped separately. Photos without a time/location remain in the filmstrip. These are display changes only; matching and writing are unchanged. Targeted native partial verification from356.4 is documented below; full size/language/VoiceOver acceptance remains open. Test build352.2 does not include this extension.

Native density verification #356: Test build 356.4 is available. All19 targeted GPS tests passed. Synthetic data and approved sample motifs were used to check120-photo clusters, individual selection/remaining groups, zoom, separate track sections, pauses, missing times and the antimeridian viewport. Colliding cards move sideways while lines retain their exact anchors. Group lists are chronological; time ranges are fully displayed on two lines. A SwiftUI accessibility crash was mitigated using a stable list layout; full VoiceOver/120-photo list-end acceptance remains open. Verification report (German).

Integration #368: Merged into the main development branch; no new app build or release. The existing tests refer to their recorded GPS test builds. PhotoKit write acceptance and the remaining GUI/accessibility matrix stay open.

9. Organizing albums and folders

Album features apply to Apple Photos. Select media, find the target album in the hierarchical browser and stage the assignment. After review and confirmation, the media is assigned to the album without creating additional image copies.

Navigate to the desired parent folder in the left album browser and choose the new-album or new-folder action. Check the parent path shown in the dialog and enter a name. Create creates the collection directly; it is not staged for the combined preview. Names must contain 1–200 characters without slashes or control characters.

The source contains preparation for a capture-date hierarchy, but no reachable Organize by capture date action was found in the checked release. It is therefore not described here as an available workflow.

Open an editable album and select the target media. Stage removal from album applies to that selection in the open album. For a single selected item, you can also stage removal of an editable membership using its Trash icon. Removing an item from an album differs from deleting it from the library: removing only the membership retains both the photo and the album.

Deleting albums or folders is a separate action in the album browser context menu. The confirmation shows the path and, for folders, their albums/subfolders. These collections are removed, while photos and videos remain in the library. Read the confirmation and distinguish it from removing a single membership or deleting the media itself. Apple Photos album actions do not move or import local folders.

10. Importing local images into Apple Photos

Stopping SD scanning/checking · development #498, included in release 1.3.3 (646): Scanning only reads the import source. Stop scanning and the shared status stop action request cancellation; Stopping scan … remains active until the current reader acknowledges it, so restarting stays blocked. A file read or image check may need to finish first; cancellation is not guaranteed to complete immediately. The last incomplete scan remains visible but cannot be imported: scan again completely. During selection verification, Stop verification/Stopping verification … discards that verification result while retaining the complete scan and selection for another check. Changing source discards old partial results. No source files are changed by scanning or stopping. Detailed SD workflow. The user explicitly accepted function #498 (record). No tested version or build number, or individual VoiceOver, standby or blocked-read checks, were specified.

Choosing the import folder · wording change #496, included in 1.3.1 (590): In the native folder picker, confirm Choose Folder for the folder you want to use as the import source. This allows Foto Organizer to access that folder. Scanning and importing are separate steps. The wording changes neither permissions nor the workflow; native English/German, keyboard and VoiceOver checks of this wording remain pending.

Video import · development status #459 after 1.3.0 (462)

Review #474 follow-up: The SD browser and viewer now receive videos as videos. Review remains image-only: a video-only selection disables the action with explanatory help; a mixed selection reviews only eligible visible images. Adopting image review preserves selected videos and hidden import selections. Video metadata changes may record video fields and usage, but create no photo first achievements for keywords or locations. This is a source correction; independent follow-up and native acceptance remain open.

Videos do not create photo-import first achievements in local import either. SD records confirmed video import actions separately as video; existing photo first-achievement rules remain unchanged.

This source change includes video-only selections and mixed image/video batches in local import. Select media in the local folder, review or discard pending actions, then open Import into Apple Photos. Check media count, type and destination album before confirming. Included in1.3.1 (590), without retroactively extending1.3.0(462).

Before import, AVFoundation checks local readability/playability, a video track and a positive finite duration. No transcoding or original modification occurs; this check guarantees neither acceptance by Apple Photos nor every codec, HDR or additional track. Images retain image validation and RAW/JPEG remains one asset. Locally selected JPEG/MOV Live companions import as separate media, not a new Live Photo pair.

Media type, resource name and destination album are read back even without statistics or the Trash option. An unconfirmed result is not a proven failure: originals remain and no confirmed first-achievement or automatic source cleanup is issued. Check the library and result before retrying because another import may create duplicates. PhotoKit transactions are not retried automatically. Native GUI, PhotoKit, codec and sandbox acceptance remains open.

Cards tab (#433, development state): Open Cards, then choose a card or explicitly authorize another import source. A resting card draft survives switching to Library or Folder: source, selection, filters, destination settings, additional actions and view sections remain in this app session. Return using Cards. Filtered-out selections remain selected; check the selection count. Close in the import inspector deliberately ends the draft and asks before discarding pending changes. Preparing another card requires ending the current draft first. Removing a card invalidates its inventory and dependent checks without changing the active tab. Reconnecting does not automatically grant access or resume work. The existing import workflow revalidates the source before importing.

Tab switching is disabled while scanning, importing, cleaning up or performing another bound operation; the reason appears beside the source picker. Open dialogs and active/paused comparison rounds also block switching. Use the supported Stop/Resume/End actions; some operations cannot be cancelled. Pending import jobs remain accessible in the existing inspector even without a currently authorized card. This change does not introduce background importing.

Keywords during import · accepted for release 1.4.0 (648) (#499)

For local photos and videos, open the existing import dialog, check the destination album and use Assign keywords. Press Return or + to commit one whole entry; commas, semicolons and Unicode remain part of that keyword. Add is the default and retains existing keywords. Remove removes only the specified values; Replace replaces all keywords inherited during import and is blocked without an entry. Choose Remove all explicitly. Keywords are assigned in Apple Photos, not in the local source files.

The app assigns keywords only to the newly imported items and reads the result back through PhotoKit. If the result remains unconfirmed, local files are retained. Verify again uses those same imported items within the still-open job and does not import them again. No local files are deleted after this repeated check either. A new import can create duplicates: inspect the library and result first.

The verification receipt exists only in memory within the open job. Cancelling or restarting the app does not provide durable resumption; inspect Apple Photos before starting a new import. This does not promise automatic, complete adoption of embedded MP4/MOV keywords. The function does not remux, rewrite XMP or re-encode media.

The user accepted this specific function (acceptance record); it is included in release 1.4.0 (648) and was not part of release 1.3.3 (646). This does not establish universal VoiceOver or overall import acceptance.

Image workflow in release 1.3.0 (462): Select local images and open Import into Apple Photos in the right Organizer tab. Review or discard pending staged actions first. This action imports images, not local videos. Choose the offered target album and check the scope. Import copies images into the library; local source files are retained by default.

For RAW and JPEG files with the same base name in the same loaded folder, import includes the matching partner even if only one of the two was selected. The dialog shows the pair count, so check the actual import scope. Ambiguous pairs are rejected. This workflow does not provide general detection of duplicates imported previously; importing again can create additional entries.

You can optionally choose Move local files to the Trash after verifying the import. Enable this option deliberately. The app checks the import and source-file identity; files changed in the meantime are intended to be retained. After partial failures, check both the library and local files before importing again or emptying the Trash.

Guided SD-card import is included in the1.3.0(462) release. SD import: complete development workflow. Publication is confirmed; native acceptance is not complete.

Choose Select card… on the left or Prepare import for a detected card. Explicitly grant access to the card/DCIM area. The compact card panel shows its source name, access status, and full folder path. Show selected card reopens the granted source without importing. Scan and select images in the photo browser; filters change visible matches, not the saved selection.

Three independently collapsible GPS-log-style steps guide Choose source → Set destination → Review import. A single destination choice offers local folder, Apple Photos library, existing album, or new album. Grant folder/Photos access deliberately; Create album now is a separate immediate album action. Configure optional additional actions inside the destination step. Original import, metadata, JPEG output, and backups are planned and reported separately.

Review import stays in a separate action footer with prerequisite explanations. Only explicit preview confirmation starts import and chosen actions. Stop further steps stops new safe units; confirmed steps remain. After renewing required folder grants, review and resume pending jobs without intentionally repeating confirmed imports. Uncertain effects block blind retries.

Import leaves the card unchanged. After fully confirmed import and all additional actions, Clean up imported card files… can open a separate review and confirmation for Trash or Delete permanently. Nothing is removed automatically. Only reverified files of this job are affected; permanent deletion bypasses Trash. Trash on FAT32 may still occupy card space. See the development guide for details and limits.

Wording correction #422, included in release 1.3.0 (462): The English size filter reads 100 MB or larger. Preview counts and the import action use singular/plural forms. Review RAW/XMP separately… opens the separate metadata preview as the shared wrapping inspector action; its help explains the additional confirmation. Older testbuild412.1 did not contain these fixes; this is a historical limit of that test, not missing availability in release462. It does not establish complete native verification of the wording.

Historical header in 1.3.0 (462). Development #448 after 1.3.0 (462): Active source with separate source menu → filters/results → shared selection count/action bar → View and SD tools. The bar remains visible without a selection; Clear selection appears only with a selection. SD Select all still adds matches; Review still uses visible matches or visible selection, and destination actions only prepare. No new writing or comparison action. Included in release 1.3.1 (590); complete native acceptance remains open. Details.

Validation limits: Release1.3.0(462) is published. Later development changes additionally described here are not automatically part of that release; documentation maintenance does not create an app build. Native acceptance of the new inspector and button layout (#405/#408), PhotoKit writing in a separate synthetic test library, and remaining card/format/sandbox/accessibility checks (#298/#388) remain open.

11. Exporting originals

DNG dialog: release590 limit and Test 605 acceptance (#603): Unresponsive Replace/Cancel buttons were reported in1.3.1 (590). The user subsequently accepted the specific corrected button case in local Test 1.3.2 (605); #603/#568 are closed for that case. The corrected product baseline is now published in1.3.2(605); the590package remains unchanged. See Troubleshooting.

User acceptance of Test #569: On 11 November 2026, the user positively accepted the reported title-access case including confirmed title absence, the fresh export/DNG workflow and the reachable confirmation window: “it works now, tickets accepted”. This applies to branch source e095e5f1614073ac8ebc9a97b93704e3024f3d48. Earlier pending-acceptance statements for those specific #554/#568 cases are superseded. It is not a new release, a detailed test of every restore error case, or complete VoiceOver, iCloud or Store acceptance. No additional agent tests were performed for this acceptance record.

Review windows (#568 development): If a confirmation becomes long, scroll its review content instead of relying on a window extending beyond the screen. Safety acknowledgements and Cancel/Confirm remain in the fixed footer. Existing completeness checks and DNG restrictions still apply; window layout does not waive them. The specific window was positively accepted in Test #569; broader validation remains separate.

Local export actions · development status #457

Export remains available for local folders. Back up originals, create supported TIFF/PSD-to-JPEG or MOV/AVI-to-HEVC/MOV outputs, and access existing jobs, resume, cache, status and output folders. Contextual help explains that local conversions create separate files and retain originals; existing selection, format, pair and size guards remain.

Reimport DNGs is also available while a local folder is open. Choose an earlier Apple Photos export job and its matching DNG results. The app checks the association and original backup before asking you to confirm replacement. DNG results from a local export job remain files; they do not replace an Apple Photos item. Resuming still requires all backup and readback checks.

These changes after1.3.0(462) are included in published 1.3.1 (590). Native display, DE/EN, focus, VoiceOver and real replacement/writing acceptance remain open.

Results & storage · accepted function #652, target 1.3.3

In Export, Results & storage follows the information about the current selection. It separates the Last image operation or Last media operation, Last video conversion, and Temporary files. These are operations from the current session: changing source or selection does not overwrite their reports. An earlier video result is therefore not automatically associated with the currently selected image. Running progress remains in the shared status bar; Details & log or Result & log opens the corresponding reports.

Show output folder in Finder, Show backup folder in Finder, and Show job journal in Finder are offered only for existing operation-specific folders or journal files of the appropriate type. An existing backup folder does not establish that the backup is complete: inspect the report. Confirmed JPEG/DNG import results are in Apple Photos; temporary import files are not Finder output targets.

User acceptance, 13 November 2026: The user explicitly accepted #652 export cards (record). No tested build number, test duration or separate Finder, cache-deletion or VoiceOver test was specified. This function is included in release 1.3.3 (646); function acceptance alone did not establish publication.

Select media and choose Export Originals in the export section. Choose the destination folder; confirming it starts export into a new subfolder prefixed FotoExport-. This operation does not use the combined metadata preview. Check the exported files and result log.

Exporting originals saves original files. It is not equivalent to a fully transferable Apple Photos library. For RAW + JPEG, both original files are included. Assignment information remains important for the designated PureRAW workflow.

Confirmed absence of a Photos title · follow-up #554, included in 1.3.1 (590)

Title not set is a known state, separate from an empty text title and from an unread or unknown response. This state is accepted only when Photos explicitly confirms the canonical missing-value state in a successful response for the same media item and title property; an alternative enumerated missing-value representation is not accepted. An untyped missing value, null response, absent result or failed request is still an error. The inspector can show a confirmed missing title as not present rather than as a read failure. The editor may display an empty field for editing, but the backup retains absence as a distinct state.

New backups with confirmed title absence use job format 3 and explicitly retain that state; they do not invent an empty title. Older app versions must reject format 3. Complete text-title jobs in format 1 remain readable. A historical empty-text snapshot can conservatively differ from currently confirmed absence; old snapshots are not reinterpreted. Old incomplete format-2 jobs are never filled in or made eligible by this change; create a new complete export and use its matching DNG results.

Restoring a confirmed missing title may clear the title at most once and must then read back exactly the same confirmed absence. An error or a different state blocks original replacement; there is no automatic retry. No separate detailed physical title-clear/readback test record was supplied; the user confirmed the concrete fresh export/DNG workflow in Test #569. Test #555 was a negative intermediate result. The user positively accepted the reported title/export/DNG case in Test #569; the specific pre-merge acceptance condition is fulfilled. This is not a complete native restore-failure or platform validation.

Title response diagnosis · development #554, included in 1.3.1 (590)

Title errors distinguish Read media identifier, Read title and Write title. They may also identify a fixed returned-value category, such as no value, number instead of text or Apple-event descriptor not readable as text, and a numeric Apple-event type. The diagnostic does not include titles, media identifiers, paths or private native error details. New failed exports retain this safe context; older jobs without it remain unknown.

A genuine empty text title remains valid. A missing/null value, number, object reference or invalid text encoding is not converted into an empty title. The user confirmed the specific native title-access case after the subsequent absence fix in Test #569; the decoder change alone had not resolved it in Test #555. Existing incomplete jobs remain blocked; after successful title access, create a new complete export and use its matching DNG results. Old snapshots are not repaired automatically.

This follow-up is not in Test #549. The initial branch Test #555 was negative; the subsequent positive user acceptance of Test #569 fulfills the specific pre-merge condition; Release 590 subsequently underwent independent review and the required local checks. Native acceptance is still pending; do not treat a source correction as confirmed resolution.

Saved title error and DNG restriction · development #548, included in 1.3.1 (590)

For a new incomplete original export, the app stores a safe error category and code rather than private native error text. The DNG restriction message identifies the number of incomplete backups, export time, job format and recorded cause. If an older job did not record a cause, it is explicitly unknown; a later error is not assumed to describe that old export.

Changing permissions or updating the app does not fill in metadata missing from an existing job. That incomplete job remains blocked for DNG reimport and replacement. After title access works, create a new complete original export and use only the DNG results matching that new job. An unread or unknown title remains unbacked-up; the #554 follow-up distinguishes explicitly confirmed absence as described above; an actually read empty title is a valid empty value. Missing, null or non-text responses are errors, not empty titles. Do not edit the manifest to bypass this distinction.

The #548 source version uses a shared in-process title adapter for the inspector, export and restoration; supported metadata fields continue through PhotoKit. Photos may be started as the event target without bringing it to the foreground. Existing Automation approval must apply to the specific app used. A permission-denied code such as -10004 alone does not distinguish Automation approval from sandbox target permissions. This #548 source change alone did not establish native resolution; the subsequent #554 fix received the specific user acceptance described above for Test #569.

Unavailable Photos title · development #533, included in 1.3.1 (590)

Only Export originals can output original resources from Apple Photos when the Photos title cannot be read. Other available PhotoKit metadata is saved. The completion message counts affected media and marks the job incomplete. This is not a complete metadata backup; an unread title is not treated as a confirmed empty title.

Retain the output folder, but do not use that incomplete job for replacement: Reimport DNGs and DNG replacement remain blocked. Check Apple Photos and Automation permission, then start a new complete original export. In the #548 development version, title access uses the in-app adapter and may start Photos without bringing it to the foreground. Other backup, conversion and replacement workflows are not relaxed. Only incomplete jobs use the revised format, which older app versions must reject; complete version-1 jobs remain supported. Do not change the job format or completeness marker manually. Later user acceptance of the specific title/export/DNG case is recorded above for Test #569; broader native format and replacement checks remain separate.

Retain the complete job folder, including FotoExport-Auftrag.json, original resources and adjacent XMP files. For PureRAW, process the exported RAW copies with their XMP sidecars. During DNG reimport, first choose that job folder and then the finished DNG files; only the separate warning confirmation authorizes the checked replacement.

Keep the destination folder accessible during the operation and allow sufficient free storage. Canceling or errors may leave partial output. Check it before repeating an operation. Export size does not automatically equal the storage actually freed in Apple Photos.

12. Conversion and replacement

Converting images to JPEG

Images → JPEG is intended for the offered TIFF/PSD selections. Local images and PSD files are output separately. TIFF in Apple Photos can be replaced after separate confirmation. Select TIFF replacements and PSD exports separately when the app requires it.

JPEG does not support transparency. Development status #124/#423: Replacement opens a Guided Review covering source/destination, changes and consequences. Review the complete selection and explicitly confirm replacement consequences. Cancel, Escape and Return do not start replacement.

If the backed-up original resource or current image has transparency, Transparency will be lost in JPEG is shown for that image, even when Apple Photos already supplies an opaque current rendition. I accept the loss of transparency for this image enables Proceed anyway; otherwise choose Do not proceed. Remaining transparent areas become white; an already opaque current background is retained. Your current edited rendition is used, preserving edits instead of substituting unchecked original pixels. Declining prevents every image in this selection from being imported or deleted; an original backup already created is retained.

Source state, consent, output, metadata, backups and albums are checked again before import and source deletion. Uncertain partial work is never repeated automatically. Older interrupted jobs without the new transparency review are blocked before further replacement: inspect the job and backup manually and never delete originals speculatively. Completed older jobs remain verifiable. The new implementation was checked without an app build; native dialog/keyboard/VoiceOver and actual PhotoKit write acceptance remain open. Format conversion may lose other properties; also review the separate metadata decision.

Converting videos to HEVC/MOV

Select suitable MOV/AVI videos and choose Videos → HEVC / MOV. AVI from Apple Photos can be replaced with a checked MOV after confirmation; MOV sources can be imported as additional items. Local sources are retained.

Local video outputs are stored in the app cache. Open Show output folder in Finder and save any needed results outside that cache; use Show backup folder in Finder to reach the separately created original backup.

Check the output’s picture, duration and sound. Change #332, included in release 1.3.1 (590): Conversion copies MOV dates separately for the movie and individual tracks. For a compatible timed MOV metadata track (mebx), its original description, keys and track relationships are retained; data packets, timing and sample tables, and track mapping must be verified as unchanged. The output is checked again after metadata writes. Changed checked metadata or an altered additional-track structure causes an error; that output is not accepted as a successful conversion or automatically imported. The original and verification reports are retained. An output file that exists is not necessarily accepted. Not every codec, audio, HDR or additional-track variant has completed acceptance testing. Successfully converting one sample file does not establish support for every video.

AVI → MOV: verified replacement and album order · target 1.3.3

AVI→MOV can change container- or codec-derived information. Such differences are accepted only when corresponding image/frame, audio/sample and timing evidence establishes the required equivalence. Dates, location, keywords, titles and other metadata that must be retained remain strictly checked. This is not blanket permission for arbitrary metadata differences or a guarantee covering every AVI or codec variant.

Before originals are removed, the mapping, imported results, content and backup must be fully verified. MOV results are positioned in the original albums as required by the replacement; album order and original state are then strictly checked again. Missing, foreign or duplicate members, intervening changes or a failed move prevent removal of originals. Partial moves already made can remain after interruption; complete rollback is not guaranteed. Keep job folders and backups. Do not manually delete originals or start a new replacement to bypass an uncertain partial state.

Function #628 and the video-savings contribution in #623 have now received full user acceptance. Historical conversion/album failures and the former acceptance blocker remain earlier evidence. No unspecified build number, test duration or universal format, VoiceOver or restoration acceptance follows from this. Included in release 1.3.3 (646); function acceptance alone did not establish publication.

Separating RAW + JPEG

Combined Apple Photos entries offer Keep JPEG Only and Keep RAW Only. The selection must consist of suitable RAW+JPEG entries. The process includes backing up originals, reimporting, checking and explicit confirmation before removing the previous combination.

For images edited in Photos, JPEG replacement can bake in the current appearance. Keep RAW Only uses the unedited original; the edit is then available only in the backup. Other original conversions or DNG reimport may be blocked for edited media.

TIFF → JPEG: confirmed conversion savings · target 1.3.3

For confirmed TIFF replacement, the size of the original TIFF minus the JPEG size, established from SHA-verified resources, counts as a conversion contribution. Merely exporting or additionally importing while retaining the original is not confirmed replacement savings. Only the fully completed job mapped to the actual result counts; repeated delivery of the same replacement completion does not add another contribution. Earlier generic records are not reclassified retrospectively.

Open Achievements & Gamification and inspect confirmed conversion savings in the storage tile and the corresponding detailed balance. A positive contribution appears as saved and contributes to the ring and storage stages. A larger JPEG appears as Additional storage and reduces conversion savings; its magnitude is not treated as positive savings. Missing sizes remain unknown, not zero; incomplete sizes do not establish reliable stage progress. Backup and work files remain separate costs in the overall balance: they reduce that net balance but are not deducted from the conversion contribution used for achievements and the ring. The display does not measure physically free Mac/iCloud storage. Keep backups; do not repeat media operations solely for statistics.

Historical user partial acceptance, 12 November 2026: The user confirmed that TIFF→JPEG accounting is correct and AVI→MOV is not yet testable (record #623). At that time, only TIFF→JPEG accounting was accepted. No tested version or build number was specified. AVI→MOV was then untested or not testable; the reason was not specified. This is not overall acceptance of DNG, VoiceOver, restart or all other variants. The implementation is included in release 1.3.3 (646), not release 1.3.2 (605).

Video → MOV: confirmed conversion savings · target 1.3.3

For confirmed video replacement, the sum of verified original video sizes minus their corresponding MOV result sizes counts exactly once as a conversion contribution. This requires a fully completed, unambiguously mapped replacement job with verified sizes and confirmed removal of originals. Additional import while retaining the original, mere export, cancellation or an unverified partial state earns no replacement achievement. Repeated delivery of the same completion and reopening the app do not count the replacement twice; earlier generic records are not retrospectively reclassified.

Inspect Confirmed conversion savings in Achievements & Gamification and the video-replacement detail row. The shared tile includes confirmed DNG, TIFF→JPEG and video→MOV contributions. Positive values have no leading plus and count toward the ring and storage stages. Larger MOV results produce Additional storage: negative contributions reduce the combined sum before positive ring progress is determined. A negative magnitude is not treated as positive savings. Unknown sizes remain unknown rather than zero; incomplete conversion sizes do not establish reliable stage progress. Backup and work-file costs remain separate in the overall balance and are not deducted from the conversion contribution used for achievements and the ring. The overall balance does not measure physically free Mac/iCloud storage. Do not repeat media operations solely for statistics.

Following full user acceptance of #623 and #628, the earlier AVI→MOV acceptance blocker is resolved. The previous TIFF→JPEG partial acceptance and then-untestable AVI→MOV report remain historical evidence. This does not establish support for every AVI/codec/VoiceOver/restore variant or an unspecified tested build number or test duration. Included in release 1.3.3 (646); publication and function acceptance remain separate.

Reimporting PureRAW DNGs

Export the intended originals and process them outside the app in PureRAW. Then use Reimport DNGs and have the assignment checked. Confirm only replacements whose assignments you can verify. For RAW+JPEG, this path also accounts for the JPEG component.

Foto Organizer and PureRAW are separate applications. Foto Organizer does not perform the external processing automatically.

RAW → DNG: accepted conversion contribution · target 1.3.3

After confirmed replacement, the sum of verified original NEF sizes minus their corresponding DNG sizes counts exactly once as the DNG conversion contribution. Identical JPEG companions cancel out. An additional import while retaining the original is not confirmed replacement savings. Earlier generic records are not retrospectively reclassified as DNG replacements.

In Achievements & Gamification, inspect Confirmed conversion savings and the Confirmed RAW → DNG replacements detail row. The tile is a shared conversion display and also includes the separately accepted TIFF→JPEG contributions; it is not a DNG-only display. Confirmed positive conversion savings determine the ring and storage stages. Positive values have no leading plus sign; larger DNGs produce real Additional storage, reducing savings rather than turning an absolute magnitude into an achievement. Missing sizes remain unknown, not zero; incomplete conversion sizes do not establish reliable stage progress.

Backup and work-file costs are accounted for separately and are not deducted from the achievement contribution used for the ring and stages. Example: a 30 MB NEF minus an 18 MB DNG yields 12 MB conversion savings. A retained 30 MB backup separately produces a −18 MB overall balance; it does not cancel the 12 MB conversion contribution. The overall balance does not measure physically free Mac/iCloud storage. Keep backups and do not repeat media operations solely for statistics.

Full user acceptance of #616 on 12 November 2026: The user explicitly accepted #616 in full (record). No tested version, build number, test duration or separate VoiceOver test was specified. This function is included in release 1.3.3 (646); function acceptance alone did not establish publication. The older #580/605 balance and diagnostic statements below remain historical evidence; the current achievement ring follows the conversion rule described here. This acceptance does not accept AVI→MOV or the other open functions.

DNG storage balance · development #580 for 1.3.1

After confirmed DNG replacement, the storage balance uses verified byte counts from backed-up original resources and DNG/JPEG resources actually read back from Photos. These sizes are saved in the job before removing originals; a missing optional size value from Photos alone therefore no longer prevents accounting. For RAW+JPEG, both components are counted exactly once on each side.

The conversion contribution and overall balance are separate: replacing a 30 MB NEF with an 18 MB DNG produces a 12 MB conversion contribution. A retained 30 MB original folder is a separate cost; together these produce −18 MB, with no positive storage achievement. An additional import without removing the original is not a positive replacement saving. Unknown or invalid sizes and overflows remain unknown rather than being shown as zero; negative balance contributions remain negative.

This correction is published in release 1.3.1 (590); it does not measure free Mac/iCloud space. Recently Deleted, backup costs and existing metadata/safety checks still apply. Earlier accounting is not repaired retroactively. Historically, the user reported no DNG achievement credit in Test1.3.2(605); that report and the later button/square-view acceptance did not then establish its resolution.

Current user acceptance, 12 November 2026: The user confirms that580 is fixed and works; #580 is closed as completed. No tested version or build number was specified. This specific positive acceptance supersedes the previously open user case but establishes neither a causal link to the related timing fix nor additional VoiceOver/restart or full variant acceptance. The earlier Test605 failure report and diagnostic limits remain historical evidence; PR611 still targets1.3.3 and is excluded from the published605package.

Included in release 1.3.3 (646) · completion order (#580): After successful DNG replacement, current retained backup/work-folder costs are recorded before final conversion confirmation and achievement calculation. This is intended to prevent new permanent storage stages based solely on a temporary gross balance, for example after export before activation, a statistics reset or a changed folder size. The confirmed NEF-minus-DNG contribution still counts separately exactly once; backups remain costs in the net balance. Previously earned historical stages are not revoked. This correction of a related timing defect does not establish the cause of the earlier missing credit. The subsequent specific user acceptance is recorded above; broader native display/restart acceptance remains separate. Do not repeat media actions solely to repair statistics.

Replacement limitations

A newly imported replacement is a new library entry. Internal Photos relationships and edit history cannot be transferred completely. Before removing the old entry, check appearance, metadata and album assignments in particular. These backups do not replace a complete library backup.

13. Pending jobs and progress

The shared status bar shows ongoing activities. Open the details when needed, especially when several operations are running. Unknown progress is not a reliable percentage. Collapsing the display does not stop the work.

Resume Job is available for supported RAW/JPEG replacement jobs. Select the existing job, check the displayed state and follow the resume workflow. Previously imported files can be reused. Keep backups, job data and required output files together until completion.

Resuming is limited to supported job types. It does not mean every staged metadata action or review round can be restored after a restart. Do not delete originals speculatively when a partially completed state is unclear.

Resuming video and DNG jobs

Resume Job applies to the offered RAW/JPEG replacement jobs, not every app operation. For an interrupted AVI replacement, select the complete original AVI batch and invoke the same video action again; do not mix in new sources or different pending jobs. Reopen DNG jobs through Reimport DNGs with the original job folder and matching results. Always follow the renewed state checks and confirmation.

Clearing the cache

In Results & storage → Temporary files in Export, Clear Cache… remains visible without a photo selection. It is disabled with an explanation during a running workspace operation or video conversion. It opens a guided destructive confirmation; only explicit confirmation clears the cache.

Confirming resets image/album previews and deletes all video outputs and working files in the app cache, including successfully converted videos. First use Show output folder in Finder to save needed outputs outside this cache. Original media, albums, external exports and persistent original backups/job journals remain intact. The internal Apple Photos cache is not cleared; new previews may require another iCloud download. After successful clearing, the previous video Finder access is no longer a valid output target; the operation report remains as history.

14. Deletion, backups and recovery

Delete from library… affects the library entry and its album memberships. With iCloud Photos, deletion may affect synchronized devices. The action has its own confirmation and is blocked while staged actions are pending.

The Discard review decision deletes nothing. Removing album membership, moving a local image to the Trash after import and deleting a photo from the library are different operations.

For local images, Move to Trash … is available in the Organizer tab. First review or discard pending staged actions. The confirmation states the number of selected local images; Cancel leaves them unchanged. Only Move to Trash moves the checked files. Local videos are not included in this path. Files that cannot be moved remain in place after partial failures; check the result count. This action does not require a prior import and does not create an additional _original backup.

Retain local _original backups, exported originals and replacement jobs until you have checked the result. Do not empty the Trash or Recently Deleted prematurely. Whether recovery is possible and for how long depends on the relevant system and its current state; Foto Organizer does not offer universal recovery.

If a result is unclear, stop further changes and inspect the actual collection and available backups. Repeating an operation could otherwise create additional imports or changes.

15. Troubleshooting

Replace and Cancel do not respond in the DNG confirmation (#603). Check the app version. This was reported for 1.3.1 (590); preserve originals, backups and the complete job folder, and do not bypass an unclear state by repeating imports/replacements or deleting files. On12November2026 the user accepted the specific corrected buttons, checkbox behavior and square view in local Test 1.3.2 (605); #603/#568 are closed for that case and #493 remains separately accepted. The corrected product baseline is now published in1.3.2(605); this partial acceptance does not establish complete DNG/VoiceOver/performance acceptance. The earlier separate DNG-credit report (#580) has since received specific positive user acceptance on12November2026 and is closed; the tested version/build was not specified.

The interface becomes blank after staging a change. Development version #485 corrects an excessive minimum height of the shared status area; the issue was also reproduced with a synthetic DNG using the add action. This does not establish full confirmation of the private case or a new published release. If it persists, record the app version, window size and triggering step without private image or path information. A blank display alone does not prove data loss. Do not repeat a write speculatively; this does not confirm complete resolution of the separate DNG access issue #461.

Photos are missing. Check the source, album, filters, calendar period and loading progress. Also check which photo access has been granted.

A field appears empty. Check whether it has already been read. An unknown value must not be treated as missing. Read titles explicitly if necessary.

An action is disabled. Check the selection count, media type, format, source, staged actions and ongoing operations. Some actions require a selection consisting entirely of suitable items.

A large preview or export is waiting. The original may be stored in iCloud. Check the network, photo access and status details. After an error, retry the affected step specifically.

Original export reports an unavailable Photos title (#533). Check the job explicitly marked incomplete. This does not automatically mean the original files are lost, but complete Photos metadata backup is not established. Check Photos/Automation and export a new complete job for the intended DNG round trip; do not bypass the restriction by editing the job file.

Changing a title fails, but other fields work. Check Automation permission for Photos. This additional permission concerns the title-writing path.

A local change is rejected. Possible causes include an unsupported format, an XMP sidecar, write permissions, an intervening change or a failed preservation check. Retain the source file and create a new preview after resolving the cause.

Some changes are already visible after canceling. Canceling does not undo completed steps. Check successful and pending results separately before continuing.

A conversion reports missing tools. Open Tool Check…. The intended distribution includes the required ExifTool/Perl and FFmpeg/ffprobe components. Installing Homebrew separately is not part of the normal user workflow. Check the specific app package and report the displayed error.

A paused round prevents changing the source. Use the visible actions to resume or end the round.

You need help with an error. Note the app version, source, media format, steps taken and exact message. Remove private filenames, locations and personal image data before sharing anything. Never share credentials.

RAW/XMP diagnostics · development status #461

When RAW inspection fails, the new diagnostic identifies the phase, a safe reason and possible next step, such as authorizing the folder, reading the original, associating/reading an XMP sidecar, checking the actual format or rechecking file identity. The concrete message is retained in the browser or preview. Renaming a file extension does not convert its format.

Follow the stated remedy: authorize the source again if appropriate, check local availability and file type, or resolve conflicting, oversized or unsafe sidecar associations. Do not overwrite damaged XMP speculatively. After resolving changed files, create a fresh preview. Ordinary DNG date/keyword editing still uses XMP sidecars and leaves RAW bytes unchanged; these diagnostics do not expand writing support.

This is a source correction after 1.3.0 (462), without new native app, sandbox or writing acceptance. The reported private DNG writing failure has no established cause; clearer diagnostics do not prove that its blocking condition is fixed. Share the message and steps without private names, paths or places.

Additional access correction #461 · included in1.3.1 (590): A readable RAW folder could previously be rejected when a parent folder allowed traversal but not directory listing. This case is corrected in source. Existing folder authorization is still required; symbolic links in path components remain blocked. This correction does not require broader folder permissions. It has not yet been confirmed to resolve the reported private failure; native app, sandbox and writing checks remain pending. The separately reported blank interface after Enter (#485) remains unexplained.

DNG import completed, but no storage achievement appears. Check the known overall balance and the separate conversion and backup contributions. A smaller DNG alone does not prove a positive net balance while the original folder remains as an additional backup. Unknown sizes are not zero bytes. Do not repeat import or replacement solely to repair statistics; see DNG storage balance.

A job was interrupted. Retain the complete job folder and originals. Use the matching Resume/DNG entry described in Chapter 13 and grant folder access again when requested. If the outcome is unclear or only some sources remain, inspect the library, output and backup before confirming further work. Restarting is not a rollback.

Obtaining the current version. Release 1.4.0 (648) is available to users with access to the private repository. It requires Apple Silicon/macOS 27+ and is Apple Development signed; it is not notarized and has no Gatekeeper or Store approval. The public website is not a public app download or Store distribution. Retain backups and existing job folders when updating.

What does “published” confirm? It confirms the actual release and its listed artifacts. The limited German Test 590 walkthrough is not complete English, spoken VoiceOver, PhotoKit, iCloud, format or restoration acceptance. See the current verification limits.

Recording and sharing diagnostic logs · accepted function #678, in release 1.4.0 (648)

Open Settings → Diagnostics or Help → Diagnostic log…. Record extended diagnostic log is off by default and off again after restarting the app. Enable it only for the intended diagnostic period; it records technical events from that point, not a complete retrospective history. The active session remains visible across tabs. Use Stop recording to end it deliberately.

The session list shows active and ended recordings, Incomplete session · end unknown, storage limits or write failures. An incomplete end is not presented as a successful complete recording. Check the status and any error message; a diagnostic recording does not establish that a photo operation successfully wrote changes.

Choose Review and export… for a session. Inspect the prepared sanitised package page by page before sharing it. The preview and ZIP refer to the same immutable snapshot; later events from an ongoing session are not silently added. Save… writes that snapshot to your chosen location. Share… opens the native system picker; you choose the recipient and service. If sharing is unavailable, use Save. Nothing is sent automatically. Handing a file to system sharing confirms neither email sending nor receipt. A free-form problem description is deliberately outside the diagnostic package, for example in your accompanying message.

Limits are 50 MB per session, 200 MB total including temporary sharing copies, and 7 days retention. Old completed sessions and oldest events are removed or rotated as needed. Omissions and actually observed areas are identified in the package; not every individual action or transition is recorded. Recording is not an exhaustive history.

The package uses predefined technical fields and allowed error domains/codes. Photos, videos, entered metadata, private file/photo paths, GPS contents, credentials, raw tool output and free-form error text are not included as such. Still inspect the prepared contents and coverage limits; this is not a universal privacy or VoiceOver certification.

To remove recordings, stop any active recording and choose Delete diagnostic logs…. Check the scope and consequences in its separate confirmation. This deletion affects app-owned diagnostic data, not photos, backups or ZIPs already saved elsewhere. You manage external copies yourself; deleting a diagnostic log does not recall a file deliberately shared earlier.

User acceptance: The user explicitly accepted #678 and requested closure (record). The function is included in release 1.4.0 (648); it was not part of release 1.3.3. Publication is confirmed separately; the user decision does not establish full VoiceOver/privacy acceptance.

16. Privacy and third-party components

The app accesses the sources you authorize. Apple Photos may synchronize changes through iCloud. Maps, place and translation features may require Apple services or additional downloads. Fully offline operation of every feature is not guaranteed.

Third-party licenses… provides the intended notices for bundled components. The current development state does not establish that overall Mac App Store, sandbox or licensing acceptance has been completed.

Checking bundled tools

Open Help → Tool Check… if export or conversion reports a missing tool. ExifTool with its Perl runtime reads and transfers required metadata; FFmpeg and ffprobe handle supported video conversion and media inspection. The app bundles these components; you do not need to install Homebrew or system Perl or run a Terminal command. Check the reported status and error. If components are missing or damaged, reinstall the approved app distribution; do not delete photos or job folders as a repair step. Third-party licenses… in the app menu shows bundled license notices. A successful tool check does not verify every media variant or complete Store/sandbox acceptance.

17. Status and limitations of this edition

This edition describes release 1.4.0 (648), release source4977c80/compiler sourceefc179f, and explicitly identified historical states. The current version notes record actual publication and remaining limits;1.3.0(462) notes below are historical. A source state, test build and published release are different versions: check your app version and the label on the relevant section first. Earlier 1.2.0(321)/1.1.0(37) checks remain historical. The version notes apply to published 1.3.0 (462), including licensing/signing boundaries and outstanding acceptance.

The German and English working texts are available. The website includes approved sample images with their own version labels and DE/EN manual, contact and privacy pages. The in-app help menu and ⌘⇧H shortcut are included in release 1.3.0 (462). Historical German/English menu and keyboard evidence comes from test build351; website publication and actual reachability require separate checks. Full accessibility acceptance remains pending. Complete step-by-step manual acceptance against the published release remains outstanding. Individual real Apple Photos write/delete/iCloud checks, complete keyboard/VoiceOver/window-size checks, and format, sandbox and distribution acceptance also remain open. Earlier partial checks do not automatically verify every current workflow.

The 8 November 2026 check covered the German release app 1.1.0 (37) with previously loaded synthetic images: filter categories, inspector switching, metadata controls, GPS/export entry points, full view/arrow navigation/Escape, series comparison/full view, the LPS start dialog and a canceled Trash confirmation. English labels were compared with this app’s language resources; viewing the separate English GPS development app does not replace complete English release acceptance. No writing, import, deletion, cache clearing or review decision was executed. Both texts have been corrected accordingly; this is not complete end-to-end acceptance of every feature.

Before publication, the text will be checked against the version actually distributed. Screenshots use the explicitly approved sample photos; write and deletion tests remain limited to synthetic test data. On the website, the manual will have a visible version number and development editions will be labeled separately.

Localization in development sources · #398

Dynamic groups without a capture date and export result counts use the app language. JPEG/RAW/AVI replacement confirmations now have complete German and English text; consequences, backups and explicit confirmation remain unchanged. Counts distinguish singular and plural. These source changes have not been checked in a new app build or release; native DE/EN, keyboard and VoiceOver acceptance remains open.

18. Appearance and color palette

Settings footer · development #543, included in 1.3.1 (590): In the color/appearance tab, the palette reset action moves to the left of the fixed bottom footer; Close remains on the right. Palette reset is shown only in that tab. This does not reset photos, statistics or achievements. Other tabs and the separate destructive statistics-reset confirmation retain their existing behavior. Native acceptance remains pending.

Available from version 1.2.0 (321). Choose one of three palettes for the whole app. The original dark graphite and mint appearance remains the default. Full native accessibility and workflow acceptance remains pending.

1. Open Foto Organizer → Settings… → Appearance.
2. Choose Graphite and Mint · Default, Graphite and Berry · Dark, or Porcelain · Light. The preview shows the corresponding surfaces and selection color.
3. Your selection is saved immediately as a local app preference; no separate Save button is needed. The main window, tools, licenses and other open views should use the same appearance immediately. Your choice is restored on the next launch.
4. Restore default colors returns to the original dark graphite and mint colors. This does not change photos or metadata.

Switching palettes should preserve selection, filters, comparison and ongoing tasks without reloading the library. Targeted checks of 1.2.0 (321) confirmed palette selection, application in the main window/export, relaunch persistence and reset to default. Preservation of selection, filters, comparison and ongoing tasks, and the full DE/EN/VoiceOver matrix have not yet been fully confirmed in practice. If a view fails to update or text is difficult to read, report the palette, window and state without sharing private photo content.

Palette switching requires neither GPS logs nor gamification. Removing it later preserves those features and photo data; the older app simply ignores the optional color preference. Appearance changes do not automatically modify or migrate photo, statistics or log data.

Gamification · main

Window layout #495 · integrated into main for 1.3.1, published in 1.3.1 (590): Open Achievements & Gamification using the medal button. Tile text appears below the badge. The Stages and rules info button opens details in a popover; scroll to the required stages and use Close to dismiss it. The grid does not grow. A saved window size is retained; without one, the app uses a larger screen-bounded default. Reset sits on the left and Close on the right of the fixed footer. Counting rules and rings are unchanged. Native interaction acceptance remains open.

New achievement tiles, development #456 after 1.3.0 (462): Twelve metric tiles separate saved rank from absolute current/next-target ring progress. Previously, Stages and rules stayed inline; the integrated #495 state uses the info button for details; unknown history/balance is not shown as zero or a percentage. Recording off displays saved state. Counting rules, statistics and reset are unchanged; included in 1.3.1 (590), native acceptance open. See the Gamification guide below.

Statistics in the1.3.0(462) release: New confirmed SD/GPS and RAW/XMP operations are recorded under the extended rules in the Gamification guide. Files and photo first achievements remain separate; earlier activity is not backfilled. Durable SD evidence prevents duplicate credit on redelivery but does not form one transaction with media writing. Crash, PhotoKit and native acceptance remain open.

Gamification, including the extended statistics recording, is included in the1.3.0(462) release; publication is confirmed; native acceptance remains separate. Statistics, achievements, global recording and confirmed reset: Gamification guide. Existing evidence applies to the test builds named there; PhotoKit, full GUI/VoiceOver and feature-combination acceptance remain open.

19. Consistent dialogs – 1.3.0 (462)

Version boundary (#603/#568): The unresponsive DNG buttons reported for 1.3.1 (590) were corrected and specifically user-accepted in local Test 1.3.2 (605). The corrected product baseline is now published in1.3.2(605); the590package remains unchanged and full native acceptance remains open. The separate #493 checkbox-position acceptance remains valid; see Troubleshooting.

Stable confirmation footer · development #493/#574, included in 1.3.1 (590): In shared confirmations, Cancel is on the left and the confirmation action on the right. Checking the required acknowledgement hides the prerequisite hint without removing its reserved space, so the checkbox and footer retain their position. The hidden hint is also excluded from assistive reading.

Cancel remains visually neutral, a safe primary action is emphasized, and destructive actions retain explicit warning styling. Button roles do not change their meaning: checking the box alone does not execute anything, and no risky Return default is introduced. Existing Cancel, Escape, window-close and confirmation guards remain. This presentation follow-up does not invalidate the functional Test #569 acceptance; native active/inactive colors, keyboard, focus and VoiceOver checks of the new controls remain pending. No new test build or release is implied.

Bounded confirmation window · #568 accepted in Test #569, published in1.3.1 (590): Shared modal confirmation windows are constrained to the visible area of their parent window’s screen. Long review content scrolls inside the window; the safety checkbox, prerequisite explanation, Cancel and confirmation actions remain in the fixed action footer. Review the content and consequences before confirming. This changes presentation only: it grants no new permission, selects no new operation and starts nothing automatically. Return does not acquire a destructive default. The user confirmed the corrected window in Test #569 on 11 November 2026; the specific pre-merge acceptance condition is fulfilled. Broader native accessibility and window-variant checks remain separate.

Native close button · development #521, included in 1.3.1 (590): In the shared synchronous modal review dialogs, the red window close button follows the same safe cancellation path as Cancel, Stop or Don’t do it, depending on the dialog. Escape uses that cancellation path too. Closing does not confirm the reviewed action or start writing. If no valid enabled safe cancellation is available, the window is not closed this way. This adds no new ability to cancel an ongoing transaction or undo completed changes. Sheets, detail popovers and system dialogs retain their existing behavior. Native close-button, modal sequence, focus, keyboard, English/German and VoiceOver acceptance remains pending.

App-owned dialogs use “Guided review” in the1.3.0(462) release. Publication is confirmed and native UI acceptance remains open.

The title identifies the task and scope. Numbered sections organize context, selection or planned changes, and consequences. Simple messages show only the sections they need. Long content scrolls inside the dialog; actions share the bottom area. If an action is unavailable, review its prerequisite.

Deletion, replacement, cache removal and resetting gamification data may also require explicit acknowledgement of the scope and consequences. Acknowledgement alone does not start the operation: use the labelled action button afterwards. Cancel or Escape leaves the confirmation safely. Return does not confirm permanent deletion or destructive replacement. Existing restrictions and supported safe stop actions still apply while an operation is running.

Operating-system file/folder pickers and permission requests remain native system dialogs. The operation-specific information about backups, iCloud, partial failures and recovery limits continues to apply.

Integration preparation #428: The overall JPEG/RAW replacement confirmation and per-image transparency decision use the same dialog shell. Per-image consent remains separately required if either the original or current rendition has transparency. Return safely selects Cancel or “Don’t do it” here. The combined version is included in the1.3.0(462) release; publication is confirmed and native UI acceptance remains pending; earlier individual checks apply only to their recorded source versions.

Simple information and error messages with OK can also be dismissed with Return. Escape also closes them safely. This does not assign an automatic Return default to multi-option decisions; destructive actions remain excluded.