Apple Photos Sort Using Keywords or Other Identifiers Is Unreliable

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Apple Photos Sort Using Keywords or Other Identifiers Is Unreliable

I have continuing problems with Apple Photos that has largely left me losing faith and confidence in continued use of it for the desktop. I use Smart Albums and regardless of what I use as an Identifier; keywords, Text, etc., the application pulls into Smart Folders images that in no way meet the Smart Folder criteria I set up for them. It is random and frustrating to say the least as I depend on this feature for accuracy and dependability to maintain a large photo library of fine art images.

In using the "Text" criteria for example "Leo" it will pull any image with text that contains not the specific word "Leo" but anything within the file that has those three letters within it. For example below; it pulled in all images with the name "Leon" in the title. I would think that since the criteria only offers "is", "isn't", or "contains", that it would be specific when using "is". I am not using "contains" which would logically include in the results any files containing those three letters within any word anywhere within a file's information. I don't understand how "is" would do the same as that would seem redundant. Also, changing the criteria to either makes no difference as the results are the same.

However, this problem is not limited to just the three criteria when using "Text" but others as well. It occurs randomly and without any obvious reason that I can figure out.

The program also does not sort or filter in real time more than two thirds of the time when creating or editing the Smart Album filters. I have to quit out of the program and restart it almost each time for it to update a given Smart Folder. There are times that no matter what I do, it will not update and include given images the fit the Smart Folder criteria. This too is random, as occasionally it will update in real time, but far less frequently than it doesn't.

Another issue is that when importing from files, the ability for the program to recognize duplicates that may already exist within it is sketchy. It either does, or it doesn't without rhyme or reason, despite duplicates existing. This too has become a problem as sometimes image files being quite large, having duplicates within a large library is problematic to say the least.

At this point I am ready to trash the entire set up and find a more reliable application as Photos just does not seem to be trusted to handle such basic filtering requirements to meet my needs. Is anyone else having this issue, and if so what is the cause of it, and have you found any way to fix it?

I am including screenshots to show the issue. For the sake of brevity I am including only a few examples as just this Smart Folder alone is rife with problems like this and it is not the only one.

iMac 21.5″

Posted on Jan 10, 2025 9:59 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 14, 2025 7:04 AM in response to databank-aftwo

I don't have those problems, so it's probably not the app or the OS that's at fault. If you're interested in investigating it, then to narrow things down, try these steps:

Restart the computer (of course)
Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes, and it often helps. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Those are the easiest things to try first. Then try these:

Use another library if you have one, or make a small test Library with a few pictures in it and see if the same thing happens. You can create a new Library by closing Photos and then option-clicking on the Photos icon.
Make a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it
Rebuild your Photos Library--close Photos and re-launch by option-command-clicking the app icon.

The idea is to find out if the problem is with the Library, with your account, or with caches and login items, and stuff like that. One of these steps may fix the problem, but their failure to work also helps figure out what's happening.

Again, I'm sure no one wants you to rely on something that doesn't work for you. I hope you find a more suitable platform.

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Answer 2

Jan 10, 2025 10:14 AM in response to databank-aftwo

databank-aftwo wrote:

In using the "Text" criteria for example "Leo" it will pull any image with text that contains not the specific word "Leo" but anything within the file that has those three letters within it. For example below; it pulled in all images with the name "Leon" in the title. I would think that since the criteria only offers "is", "isn't", or "contains", that it would be specific when using "is". I am not using "contains" which would logically include in the results any files containing those three letters within any word anywhere within a file's information. I don't understand how "is" would do the same as that would seem redundant. Also, changing the criteria to either makes no difference as the results are the same.

What happens if you put the term in quotations.

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Answer 3

Jan 14, 2025 6:34 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Unfortunately that did not work either. In fact I will give an example with this as well as another issue with Photos.

1.) Upon creating a Smart List with whatever criteria used, it will not apply it in real time but only (if only when it actually does) after quitting the program and reopening it. This is a sporadic situation that occurs randomly, but more often than it doesn't.

2.) In this particular case, but not isolated to it, I have a Smart List for an artist named Leon V Solon. I created criteria for Leon, "Leon", Leon V Solon, and " Leon V Solon", trying each separately and alone and the Smart List would not pull in the one image I have of the artist. This was even after applying it as a keyword, entering it as a Title, or Text. The application refuses to pull the artist's image into its Smart List. Even when deleting the original Smart List and recreating it, it will not function.

This is not isolated to just this particular instance, I only use it as an example.

Unfortunately, Apple's native applications are noted for being buggy from as far back as when I began using them in the early to mid 1990s. Normally, I don't believe this would be a problem that people would complain about, except that Apple does not respond in kind by fixing those problems despite repeated bug reports and complaints. I've noticed that in some instances, Apple has removed the bug report option in the drop down menus of certain applications where they once existed. The only applications that I've not had problems with are those that were created by other companies who Apple then later acquired and made their own. Logic Pro (Originally Notor Logic acquired from Emagic in 2002) is one I use and seldom have any troubles with is one of those applications that Apple acquired. It only seems this issue has become worse in time, with many of Apple's applications. Their focus on driving people to subscription services through them rather than adding innovative qualities or simply correcting commonly complained about problems on other forums is notorious. And truthfully, I've pretty much decided to move on to Linux. I just can't afford their devices any longer or justify putting myself in debt for them.

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Answer 4

Jan 14, 2025 7:41 AM in response to databank-aftwo

databank-aftwo wrote:

Thank you. I have from time to time. I often receive a rather unhelpful reply unfortunately.

You won't get any reply from the feedback page (which is stated). But all feedback gets routed to the appropriate teams.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions, so if you have complaints and want Apple to know about them, submit feedback.

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Answer 5

Jan 14, 2025 7:04 AM in response to databank-aftwo

Perhaps you should tell Apple your thoughts:

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 6

Jan 10, 2025 1:53 PM in response to databank-aftwo

databank-aftwo wrote:

In using the "Text" criteria for example … I would think that since the criteria only offers "is", "isn't", or "contains", that it would be specific when using "is".

No.

"Text" is pretty non-specific, and we use it that way.

At this point I am ready to trash the entire set up and find a more reliable application as Photos just does not seem to be trusted to handle such basic filtering requirements to meet my needs

I'm sure no one wants you to rely on something that doesn't work for you. Let us know what you find.

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Answer 7

Jan 14, 2025 7:26 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Thank you. I have from time to time. I often receive a rather unhelpful reply unfortunately. In some cases where I have pointed out grievous situations with other issues in the community forums they have been either censored or rejected. Of course these are the same complaints on non-Apple owned forums written of but this is Apple’s. They can do as it wishes. These days I seek aid from both as unfortunately the responses here are not always helpful. Sometimes there’s this need to protect the company from criticism in general which I have little patience for. I am far too old school for that. But thank you again and be well.

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Apple Photos Sort Using Keywords or Other Identifiers Is Unreliable

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