Photos changes file names and adds XMP files

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Photos changes file names and adds XMP files

Photos keeps changing the name of my files and adding XMP files causing pandemonium! I have a TON of photos and videos (about 2 libraries each year about 300-400 GB each) so it’s a lot to keep up with and obviously too big for one library. Sometimes I have to export a photo and every time it does it changes the name from something like img1001.jog to WNDJRITIDBWNRJR.jpg

so then in my busy life sometimes I reimport photos to the correct library- since it’s a different name it imports again causing massive duplicates. Additionally EVERY single photo is 2 items- they suddenly (as in 2 hours ago) all have XMPs along side them. So when I export 2 items I get 4 and so on… what is going on? How do I stop these things before I go crazy!

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.3

Posted on Mar 5, 2026 8:47 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Richard.Taylor

Level 7

22,878 points

Mar 6, 2026 6:43 AM in response to SoaringOverTexas

SoaringOverTexas wrote: Im exporting the original files

Then you get some choices:

You can choose to use the original file name or something else. And you can choose to Export IPTC as XMP.

XMP will be a file with IPTC metadata like titles, captions, etc. The Original picture file will be exported with only its original metadata, so you can use the XMP file for extras you've added in editing. I never check that box-- I figure if I wanted that metadata I'd export a file with the edited picture.

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