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Organising ICloud Photos into Folders or Albums

Morning all,


I’ve got two questions.


  1. What’s the difference between folders and albums? It’s driving me nuts as I can’t work it out when organising my photos.
  2. Is there a way to clearly see if you’ve missed sorting certain photos into their appropriate album that you’ve created. I’m going crazy because without keep going to and fro from All photos to the album I’ve created I can’t see if I’ve missed it or not.


thanks


Gill

iPad, iPadOS 16

Posted on May 3, 2023 12:31 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 3, 2023 5:06 PM

Hi Gill,

welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community.


Re: "What’s the difference between folders and albums?"


This is the way I understand it:

Folders hold files created / saved / in a great many apps.

You can generally navigate to them easily to find the file you want


In the Photos app: Folders are called Albums.

You need to first go to the Photos app, in order to access those files.

___________________________________________________________


Re: "Is there a way to clearly see if you’ve missed sorting certain photos into their appropriate album that you’ve created."


One idea: Stay in the Library view, and just work through the Photos (left to right & row by row) dragging them to the appropriate Album(s) one by one, or in groups when they are side by side. (Keep track of where you are up to if you take a break). Then, when you are done with the Library, go view / organise the album

Else:

Another way of working may be: In the Library, carefully select everything you want in a particular album, (eg: if you want: note the filenames (IMG-[number] tho it isn't necessary) and, only when you are sure you have selected everything, drag them all to the album you created in one go.

___________________________________________________________


Apple support have a useful article online:

How to: Organize and find your photos on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Eg: says:

Add to an existing album

  1. Open Photos.
  2. Tap Select, then tap the photos and videos that you want to add.
  3. Tap the Share button , then tap Add to Album and choose an album.

___________________________________________________________


If you use iCloud.com

(Although it doesn't mention Photos in Albums)

How to:

Organise files and folders in iCloud Drive on iCloud.com – Apple Support


All the best :-)

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 3, 2023 5:06 PM in response to GillyRogers

Hi Gill,

welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community.


Re: "What’s the difference between folders and albums?"


This is the way I understand it:

Folders hold files created / saved / in a great many apps.

You can generally navigate to them easily to find the file you want


In the Photos app: Folders are called Albums.

You need to first go to the Photos app, in order to access those files.

___________________________________________________________


Re: "Is there a way to clearly see if you’ve missed sorting certain photos into their appropriate album that you’ve created."


One idea: Stay in the Library view, and just work through the Photos (left to right & row by row) dragging them to the appropriate Album(s) one by one, or in groups when they are side by side. (Keep track of where you are up to if you take a break). Then, when you are done with the Library, go view / organise the album

Else:

Another way of working may be: In the Library, carefully select everything you want in a particular album, (eg: if you want: note the filenames (IMG-[number] tho it isn't necessary) and, only when you are sure you have selected everything, drag them all to the album you created in one go.

___________________________________________________________


Apple support have a useful article online:

How to: Organize and find your photos on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Eg: says:

Add to an existing album

  1. Open Photos.
  2. Tap Select, then tap the photos and videos that you want to add.
  3. Tap the Share button , then tap Add to Album and choose an album.

___________________________________________________________


If you use iCloud.com

(Although it doesn't mention Photos in Albums)

How to:

Organise files and folders in iCloud Drive on iCloud.com – Apple Support


All the best :-)

Organising ICloud Photos into Folders or Albums

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