MacOS Photos import doesn't maintain the changed date of an iOS photo.

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Level 2

158 points

MacOS Photos import doesn't maintain the changed date of an iOS photo.

If I use my iPhone to take a picture of a physical photo print from 1993, then on iPhone I go to Adjust Info > Adjust Date & Time and change the year to 1993, and then connect my iPhone to Mac via USB-C cable, and import the photo, in my macOS Photos Library view and Import view, the date of the photo is today, the date of capture, instead of what I would expect which is the *adjusted* date.

MacOS photo imports from iPhone should maintain the adjusted date of the photo, shouldn't it?

Posted on Sep 15, 2026 10:21 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

léonie

Level 10

204,641 points

Sep 15, 2026 10:44 AM in response to marcresure254

The best way to transfer photos with the adjusted dates is syncing with iCloud Photos, not the manual syncing with the USB cable. iCloud Photos will sync the adjusted dates to a Mac.

When you sync with a USB cable the unmodified original will be transferred. There may also be a second version with an "E" in the filename. Have you checked, if an edited version is also there? Does it have the adjusted date?

Which system version is running on your Mac and on your iPhone? The syncing via USB may differ, depending on the system versions.

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