Photos changes photo file names on import - any way to force Photos to retain the original name?

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Level 1

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Photos changes photo file names on import - any way to force Photos to retain the original name?

While on a trip, I imported a bunch of photos from my camera to my iPad. I am chagrined to discover that Photos changed all of the file names. For example, a photo with the file name P1210532.JPG after import to the iPad now has the file name 20190121_050825000_iOS.jpg. Clearly, on Import, Photos is creating a new file name from the date and time of the photo and then appending this with "_iOS".

This makes it impossible for me to manage my photos when they go from the iPad to the cloud and/or other devices. As in some places I have files with the original name but those that passed through the iPad have a different name.

Is there any way to prevent the iPad and Photos from doing this?

iPad Pro, iOS 12

Posted on Mar 15, 2019 3:40 PM

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Answer 1

MichelPM

Level 10

82,021 points

Mar 15, 2019 3:55 PM in response to rgprints

No.

This is how the default Photos app for iOS works.

But there are photo EXIF data managers that may help you reorganise images in the Photos app by changing some of the images metadata after import to try and reorganise images in the Photos app.

Not sure if these types of apps would help you or not to get images re-organised.

You can, also, reorganise images by using the Photos app Album feature.

There are also, seperate photo/image organisation apps that allow renaming of images AND deep folder organisation.

One I recommend is Photo Manager Pro 5.

Best of Luck to You!

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Answer 2

rgprints Author

Level 1

13 points

Mar 16, 2019 7:06 AM in response to MichelPM

Thank you for your quick answer and suggestions.

My primary goal with uploading my photos to the iPad was to get my photos backed up to the cloud while away from home on a long trip abroad. I have an older camera that does not, itself, have wifi capability. So I had set up my iPad to, in turn, be backed up automatically to OneDrive. Unfortunately, upon arriving home, I discovered that iOS had changed the file names, making it more difficult to manage my photo files.

For now, I think my best way forward is to simply delete all of the photos from the iPad and from OneDrive, and use my Windows PC, which, unlike Apple and iOS, does not ever change file names, to upload the photos from the SD card to OneDrive and GooglePhotos.

So, although I can see that your suggestions would probably be good for users with other goals than mine, for me changing the file name is an unacceptable sin on the part of i_OS. Perhaps for those users who live solely in an Apple iOS environment that isn't an issue, but for people like me who use a mix of iOS, Android and Windows, changing file names is a bad idea.

Thanks, all the same!

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Photos changes photo file names on import - any way to force Photos to retain the original name?

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