Photos is not sorting on the right time (due to different time zones?)

My photos are not sorting on the correct time they were taken.

I have photos from my iPhone and from a DSLR camera. Both were set to the correct time zone. But for some reason the photos from my iPhone are sorted on the time zone I am in now, not during the trip.


Which results in a list of DSLR photos from noon interrupted by iPhone photos taken in the evening. If I look at the info of each photo, the time they were taken is correct (at noon and in the evening). But the sorting of the Photos app is not taking that time to sort my photos. What can I do about this?



Posted on Apr 28, 2025 12:39 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 28, 2025 2:38 AM

Are you viewing your photos in Photos for Mac or in photos on your iPhone?


If you are using a Mac:


You may want to check, which timezone has been applied to the photos by the Photos.app, when you imported them. You can see the timezone assigned by Photos, when you select one of the photos and use the command "Image > Adjust Date& Time". On the bottom of the "Adjust Date &Time" panel you will se the "closest city". This will tell you the Timezone Photos has assigned when you imported the photos from your camera or iPhone.

The problem ist - when you import the photos from a camera, while you are no longer in the timezone where the photos have been taken, Photos may assign different timezones on import, depending on the GPS location of the photos. If the photos does not have been tagged with GPS, Photos may assign the timezone of the system time set on your Mac and the timezones will differ for photos taken with a camera without GPS and an iPhone.


To find all photos there the time needs fixing,

  • a smart album with the rule "Photo > is not > tagged with GPS" may help.
  • Then select all photos in this album and assign the correct "Closest city" in the "Adjust Date & Time" dialog. This will just change the timezone name to display the date.
  • Afterwards correct the "Date&Time adjusted" so it will match again the "Date&Time original."

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 28, 2025 2:38 AM in response to GewoonStijn

Are you viewing your photos in Photos for Mac or in photos on your iPhone?


If you are using a Mac:


You may want to check, which timezone has been applied to the photos by the Photos.app, when you imported them. You can see the timezone assigned by Photos, when you select one of the photos and use the command "Image > Adjust Date& Time". On the bottom of the "Adjust Date &Time" panel you will se the "closest city". This will tell you the Timezone Photos has assigned when you imported the photos from your camera or iPhone.

The problem ist - when you import the photos from a camera, while you are no longer in the timezone where the photos have been taken, Photos may assign different timezones on import, depending on the GPS location of the photos. If the photos does not have been tagged with GPS, Photos may assign the timezone of the system time set on your Mac and the timezones will differ for photos taken with a camera without GPS and an iPhone.


To find all photos there the time needs fixing,

  • a smart album with the rule "Photo > is not > tagged with GPS" may help.
  • Then select all photos in this album and assign the correct "Closest city" in the "Adjust Date & Time" dialog. This will just change the timezone name to display the date.
  • Afterwards correct the "Date&Time adjusted" so it will match again the "Date&Time original."

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Photos is not sorting on the right time (due to different time zones?)

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