iCloud uploads changes filenames in Photos.app

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Level 1

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iCloud uploads changes filenames in Photos.app

Hi Support,

I recently started using iCloud photos storage (2GB). When I take pics on the iPhone or camera I download them to my laptop and rename them from their original name, say "IMG-####", based on the album they will be in. I may also make small edits, add a location and tweak the date created time. For example, photos in the "New York 19" album will be called "NewYork19-001, NewYork19-00#" etc.

Now when I upload the photos to the Photos.app they start to revert to their original names after iCloud upload takes place or some even get deleted.

Does anyone have any idea why? Any suggestions gratefully received.

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Jun 22, 2019 1:47 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

léonie

Level 10

200,597 points

Jun 22, 2019 3:02 AM in response to Lawlord10

iCloud Photos is checking for duplicates. If you rename an image file and import it again to Photos, iCloud Photos Library will just use the previous version with its original filename, if it is still in iCloud.

if you want to replace an original file by a renamed version, you have to remove it completely from iCloud, before you import the renamed version of the file. For me, this is working:

Export the file "IMG-####" from Photos. Check, if the exported version is readable. Rename it to NewYork19-001.
Delete the original file "IMG-####" in Photos and empty Recently Deleted.
Wait for the deletion to sync to all devices.
Then reimport the renamed file NewYork19-001 to Photos.
Check, if it appears in Photos at www.icloud.com.

This is usually working for me, if I need to add EXIF tags to original files.

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Answer 2

Lawlord10 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 30, 2019 12:48 PM in response to léonie

Thanks léonie. I think your useful suggestions above have done it. The weird thing is that in the week or so since you posted the reply, I didn't get a chance to try this out and a bunch of the pics that reverted back to IMG-#### then changes back to NewYork19-001. Not all of them, but some of them. Weird!

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iCloud uploads changes filenames in Photos.app

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