Apple Photos: Renaming Photos On Import

Hi All,

I use Apple Photos to store all my photos and videos and have noticed that Apple Photos is changing the name of my renamed photos after I import them.

For years, my workflow has looked something like this:

I use automator to rename my photo files with a naming convention of YYYYMMDD_HHMM_0001.

After renaming, I then import the photos into Apple Photos

Then place in structured albums.

In recent weeks, I have turned iCloud Photos on in my iPhone to sync between my phone and MacBook Pro. Before flipping that switch, I used to manually export my photos from my phone, rename the files, then import them into Apple Photos. I turned on iCloud Library sync to save me the hassle of connecting my phone for file exports.

Now that I have iCloud Photo Library turned on (on my iPhone), I created a Smart Folder on my MBP 'called photos titled IMG'. I know that the iPhone defaults to that naming convention for new photos so this Smart Folder scans my library for files not named with my naming convention. I noticed in this Smart Folder, I had a file from 2020 that I know I had renamed but Apple Photos titled it IMG-#### as if it had never been renamed before import.

I luckily backed up my renamed iPhone export files, so I looked up the file to confirm and it was renamed correctly. With the original renamed file available, I decided to delete the photo from my Photos library and reimport it by dragging the file from Finder to Photos.

The file reimported but did so without the name I gave it. I tried multiple times - deleting the file from Apple Photos (iCloud library), even deleting it from my Photos trash can, reimporting but it but it still reimports with the IMG file name.

I cannot figure out why Photos will not import with the file name I gave the file. I don't think this has anything to do with me flipping the switch to iCloud Library on my phone. And this does not happen with all of my photos either. Some files within a same batch import with the renamed file name just fine, while some do not.

Is there a step I'm missing to get Photos to recognize my file name or is this a possible bug? I've included a sample below.

1. Renamed file in Finder Inspector (Before Photos Import)

2. File in Photos Inspector (After Photos Import)

Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

MacOs: Ventura 13.4.1 (c)