How on earth do I send photos via the new "Photos" application???

Question

Level 1

18 points

How on earth do I send photos via the new "Photos" application???

I'm using a new iMac. Very fast cable connection (Comcast). The newest software on all Apple products I own (10.10.3 and iOS 8.3). I do not need to update any software.

Now, with that said, I am so incredibly frustrated. How do I email photos using the "Photos" app like we always have with "iPhoto"??

To clarify, I am selecting three simple photos to email to a friend. I have all 3 selected, and then I click on that box (I don't know the official name of the box, but it's the square thing with an arrow pointing up out of it). When I click on that box, *THAT* is where I should see an option to email. But I don't. This is what I see instead:

iCloud Photo Sharing

Messages

AirDrop

Facebook

Flickr

More

None of those options are what I want----I want to EMAIL someone. So I click on "More". Clicking on "More" launches a System Preferences menu for "Extensions". Huh???? Wow am I confused. Anyway, so I sit here staring at the "Extensions" box, and I do see my email program in there (Outlook---I do NOT use Mail). Outlook is "greyed out" and is not clickable. But I do see that Outlook does indeed have a check mark next to it already.

Folks, at this point I am so lost and frustrated I'm ready to scream. I've been a heavy Apple user since 1985. That's THIRTY YEARS! I've never used a PC---ever. I have been Mac all the way, through all of their ups and downs. And it's so frustrating to me that a user like me can not figure out something that SHOULD be incredibly easy.

I would sure appreciate some help so that I can just email photos from "Photos" just like we've always done with iPhoto.

(PS: Yes, I know that I can drag photos out of Photos and plop them down onto the Desktop. Then I can create a new email, and click "attach", and bring those emails into the email. However: 1) That's too clumsy and way too many steps, and 2) It does not allow us to choose from small/medium/large/actual size. I also discovered that I can't even click and drag a photo out of Photos and into an email. It just bounces back. Super, super frustrating!!!!). Thanks for any assistance.

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Apr 12, 2015 9:01 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Jun 21, 2017 10:35 AM in response to 12L195

In order for the Mail option to show in the Sharing menu you must have an email account represented by the Mail app. Open Mail, go to the Mail/Accounts preference pane, click on the "+" button at the bottom of the left hand pane and add your email account:

Once you do that Mail will show in the Sharing menu:

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Answer 2

Paweltu

Level 1

4 points

Mar 23, 2017 1:36 AM in response to 12L195

photos and calendar are some of the worst pieces of mac software - they are designed for low end users and not for power users - you can use export or view in finder or go directly to library and do what you want but what a pain in the butt...

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Answer 3

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,860 points

Mar 23, 2017 2:16 AM in response to Paweltu

they are designed for low end users and not for power users

Love the sneer in "low end" and heaven save us from the self-appointed "power" user. Seriously, they are free. What on earth did you expect?

And you've obviously never figured out the Share menu or the Media Browser, so hardly a "Power" user...

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Answer 4

Paweltu

Level 1

4 points

Mar 23, 2017 3:29 AM in response to Yer_Man

wouldn't you think that email sharing is something people would use. I did read a logic behind the way photos or calendar are managed - there is a sense in it as well but it is designed to help people with low level of experience. Calendar is even bigger mess...

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Answer 5

LarryHN

Level 10

106,124 points

Mar 23, 2017 2:05 PM in response to Paweltu

You do not have to unless you want to use that feature - your post is like complaining that I do want to be bothered want having may car key and starting the car when I want to drive some where - To use ail with photos you have to set it up and there is no other alternative

LN

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Answer 6

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,860 points

Mar 24, 2017 12:04 AM in response to Paweltu

So you're no longer saying it's not possible? Progress I suppose.

Why? Because life is hard and sometimes you have to do a once-off set up. Then you die. Or, use one of the other methods and you won't have to do the once-off set up. Mind you, you'll die anyway.

If you want help with this:

Or even move one picture from one folder to the other physically?

you'll need to give context. But if you're referring to Photos then remember that Folders hold Albums, not photographs. Albums hold photographs.

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Answer 7

AnnaBK

Level 1

4 points

Jun 20, 2017 10:24 PM in response to 12L195

It's June 2017 and I have exactly the same problem! I've worked around it using 'Export' but this seems a little convoluted for the supposedly user-friendly Mac. I too use Outlook and had the greyed-out checkmark of doom. I'm not techy at all so I have not idea if this is fixable, but I only had Photos installed this year so it should be a fairly recent version. agh!

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Answer 8

Jul 12, 2017 6:06 PM in response to 12L195

This answer is several years late but in case someone comes to this thread with this question in 2017...It all depends (and this was true in 2015) on how many photos you choose to send at once. The Photos App will only show you emailing as an option if the total file size of the images is less than 20 megs or so. More than that cannot be sent in one email. If you’ve chosen more than can be sent via email it will show you ways to send or share the images that are available for the volume of data you have selected.

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Answer 9

Sep 9, 2017 1:27 PM in response to LarryHN

Larry - hi

sorry to disagree with you. Microsoft and Apple between them have several hundred billion dollars in cash. They should use a minuscule fraction of that to see that their software works in a user friendly fashion.

It's inexcusable that after this lapse of time it's still not possible to replicate the behaviour of iPhoto and simply email a single or multiple photos choosing the image resolution while doing so.

I hope Apple can recover the old 'Tog' approach to interface design and functionality, rather than allow the increasing mess that is iTunes for example to propagate.

best regards

nick

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Answer 10

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,860 points

Sep 9, 2017 3:38 PM in response to nick maris

It's inexcusable that after this lapse of time it's still not possible to replicate the behaviour of iPhoto and simply email a single or multiple photos choosing the image resolution while doing so.

Er, it is. No idea what you're tiling about there.

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Answer 11

Jan 3, 2017 5:57 PM in response to 12L195

A late...just an FYI, this link solved all my issues (which were exactly the same as yours):

If Share options or Markup is missing after upgrading to OS X Yosemite or El Capitan - Apple Support

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Answer 12

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,860 points

Apr 12, 2015 10:53 PM in response to 12L195

The problem si that Outlook needs an update to work with the new extension system for Photos.app. I don't have Outlook on this machine, but isn't there a Media Browser in it?

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Answer 13

12L195 Author

Level 1

18 points

Apr 13, 2015 5:39 AM in response to Yer_Man

Hi Terence,

Yes, Outlook does indeed have a Media Browser in it. However, all that shows up is Photo Booth when in the "Photos" tab. The other two tabs are "Music" and "Movies".

I've never seen (or noticed) this Media Browser before, so this is the first time I've ever clicked on it. Any idea how to get my photos from "Photos" into the Media Browser? (I wish Apple had not made these changes. Especially calling the application "Photos". I can already see it now----people will be talking about photos (and in their mind, they are talking about photos---ie, pictures.......but the reader will take photos as the application photos, and their comments to each other will go flying over each other's head. Example: "You mean you don't have photos on your new iMac???". Answer: No, I have not had a chance to take any photos yet". Then, "Not photos, but photos!!!!". Response: "Huh?? I don't understand". I totally see that happening......why Apple, why????)

Anyway....what is the solution for the millions of us that have an Apple and use Outlook? (I would use Mail if Apple offered HTML----but they don't. They only offer "Rich Text" which has always baffled me".

Thanks for any suggestions.

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Answer 14

LYKUNO

Level 1

39 points

Apr 16, 2015 3:50 PM in response to 12L195

Hi 12L195,

I just downloaded the new 10.10.3 update and got the new Photos app, replacing iPhoto. My experience with my first attempt to share a photo via Outlook matched yours precisely. The Extensions "Share Menu" shows the icons for Outlook Mail, Messages and AirDrop having grayed out check marks which cannot be cleared or reentered. I was initially concerned as I have a 27" iMac dating back to mid-2011, and thought it could be a vintage issue; however since your Mac is bright and shiny new, I have hopes that this will get the attention it deserves. As a longtime Mac guy (dating back to a IICX), I find this most frustrating. I will continue to pursue a resolution and will report back if I find it (and will check back here frequently to see if your issue gets a workable solution response. Good luck to us all!

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Answer 15

Apr 16, 2015 4:02 PM in response to LYKUNO

Hi LYKUNO,

Oh this is so frustrating. I'm really surprised that nobody has popped up here with an answer. The knowledge on here is amazing and very helpful, but for some reason on this one, nuttin'.....

If I figure out the solution, I will also post it here. If I have time tomorrow morning, I'm going to give AppleCare a jingle.

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