How can I save an image or video directly to the macOS "Photos app"?

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Level 1

12 points

How can I save an image or video directly to the macOS "Photos app"?

One thing that has always puzzled me about the desktop macOS, is that it does not seem to be possible to save an image or video file to the native macOS image and video app, i.e. "Photos". I would like to be able to right-click on an image or video, click, "Save as..." and be able to save it to a location that will import the image/photo into the Photos app... or... the Photo Gallery... or Camera Roll... whatever it's called.

I know that Messages and Safari offer this feature:

Add Photo to Library - Messages
Add image to Photos - Safari

However... this option does not exist in any other application that I can find. All the messaging apps out there: WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, et cetera... I see how I can Control + Click (right-click) on an image/video, and there is a "Save As..." feature in all these apps. But... I cannot figure out any way to be able to "Save As..." and then save the image to the Photos app.

At one time, I could click + drag images/videos from Telegram and drop it over the Photos app icon and it would do EXACTLY what I am asking for. But now, that no longer works for some reason. Can anyone help me with this?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Nov 27, 2022 7:59 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

James Brickley

Level 5

4,636 points

Nov 27, 2022 8:31 PM in response to Dolmetscher

Open up System Settings and search for Extensions. Click on Sharing and put a checkmark on Add to Photos and maybe drag it near the top of the list.

Go to Finder, locate a photo file (.IMG), right-click -> Share and click on Add to Photos.

The reason why iOS / iPadOS have Photos and the Camera Roll so prevalent is because it was the only way to handle files. There was no Files manager originally and photos was a major feature.

On the Mac you are going to see it behave quite a bit differently. You can't add JPG, PNG, etc. to Photos only IMG or other camera type files. This is due to legacy reasons. You might be able to whip something up in Automator or Shortcuts and add to Quick Actions or Services, etc.

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Answer 2

Dolmetscher Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 27, 2022 8:53 PM in response to James Brickley

Are you sure that you can't add .jpg and .png files directly to the Photos app? I can drag and drop .jpg and .png files into the Photos app on my Mac. Maybe it is doing some .img aliasing or converting in the background that I don't know about. But... I am pretty sure that the Safari Add to Photos... feature also allows for .jpg and .png web files.

I find it very strange that such a widely used OS as macOS keeps adding all these mind-melting features... but... you can't even save a photo to the native Photos app? I honestly think I must be misunderstanding something or missing something. Can this really be? In order to save a photo into the Photos app, you really have to do a Save As -> Save/park it somewhere (Desktop?) -> Open the Photos app -> Import the photo that you JUST saved???

This from the OS that has always been prized as the Video and Photo platform?

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

122,687 points

Nov 27, 2022 9:25 PM in response to Dolmetscher

Right or control click on an image or video. Select "Share…" from the popup menu. That will open a small window which should have "Add to Photos" in the list.

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How can I save an image or video directly to the macOS "Photos app"?

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