How can I disable memories and facial recognition in Photos for macOS?

Doesn't look like you can. However, if you're concerned about private information escaping into the ether this might help (then again, it might not!)

System Photo Library overview

When you first use Photos, you create a new library or select the library that you want to use. This library automatically becomes your System Photo Library. Although you can use multiple photo libraries in Photos, the System Photo Library is the only library that can access iCloud services, including iCloud Photo Library, iCloud Photo Sharing, and My Photo Stream. In addition, some Apple apps and third-party apps also access your System Photo Library using the Media Browser.

By default, your System Photo Library is stored in the Pictures folder on your Mac, but you can move it to another location on your Mac or store it on an external storage device. However, to use iCloud services, the external storage device must be formatted using Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, also known as HFS+.

If you want, you can create additional libraries and store them in any location on your Mac or on an external storage device. However, keep these things in mind:

• You can work with the photos in only one library at a time. To work with photos in another library, you must switch to that library.
• If you switch to a library other than the System Photo Library, the changes you make are not reflected in iCloud Photo Library, because iCloud Photo Library only synchronizes changes from your System Photo Library. If you create any other libraries, you should ensure they are backed up using Time Machine.
• You can switch to another library and designate it as the System Photo Library. If you designate a new System Photo Library, you must turn on iCloud services in Photos preferences again. When you turn on iCloud Photo Library after designating a new System Photo Library, the photos stored in iCloud are merged with those in the new System Photo Library. Once the content from the new System Photo Library is uploaded to iCloud, the libraries cannot be unmerged, so it’s a good idea to consider carefully before changing your System Photo Library.

By default, all the files you import into Photos are stored in the current photo library. If you want, you can set Photos to leave the files you import in their original locations (for example, on a storage device) and not place them in the library. For more information, see Change where Photos stores your files.

WARNING: To avoid accidentally deleting or corrupting a Photos library, do not alter the contents of a library in the Finder.

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What you could do is make your system library with, say, one photo in it.

Create a new library (hold the option key while starting Photos and click create new library on the window that pops up). Then use that for photo management. Only the System Library has all the iCloud linking etc. You haven't turned that onto the above probably won't make any difference but thought I'd mention it anyway!

Fluk3 wrote:

...I find them very disturbing, creepy and invasive. I don't want Apple's AI profiling me and my life's photos. Apple says they respect my privacy but this is contrary to that claim....

...I no longer want to even take any more photos until this is resolved....

...This isn't a free service like FB or Google where I would expect to be violated (I boycotted both). I pay a LOT for the Mac, the iPhone, iCloud drive, etc. I'm not the product I'm the customer, supposedly....

I feel your frustration, but after 25 years of using Apple (or the internet) services, I have news for you - you've already been mined.

The features in Photos you don't like can be 'hidden' by 'turning off', but they go on in the background anyway. I don't like that that happens either, but it's common place. Thankfully, Apple have a decent record on privacy.

Are you using your iDevice for taking pictures, linking that to another Apple hardware item, then using Photos (or iPhoto) to organize over the last 25 years? Hmmm....?

Photos is 'free' as in 'bundled' with Mac OS. You really don't have to use it.

I hope you get to where you want to be.

Obviosly, Apple thinks it’s a good idea to browse the pictures in his not Pro App named Photos and not give the opportunity to deactivate this feature. It’s a pretty new philosophy for me as I’ve never seen such an option in an Apple application since 1984, when I bought my first Macintosh (which had a huge amount of memory : 128 kb !!).

The only way I’ve found not to be disturbed by « Memories » is to deactivate it in Notifications and never touch the button at the bottom of the Photos screen.

It’s not the last so called Artificial Intelligence trouble we will be faced to.

I feel your frustration, but after 25 years of using Apple (or the internet) services, I have news for you - you've already been mined.

Unlike Google and others, both Apple recognition features are performed locally on your devices. Your photos are not being sent to server farms to go thru the recognition AI algorithms and do not become the property of Google in the process.

It’s a relatively old post, but I also do not want my phone “deciding” when I have a “new memory”. Leave my frigging pictures alone. I don’t need any automatic facial recognition, etc. I work in the intel field and I just do not want this feature. Period.

I 100% completely agree with the original post. "Just ignore it" is a lousy answer. That kind of complacency is exactly what got us into this data mining **** of an existence. It's also why I am moving to Linux and away from Apple on my desktop. If I could find reasonable phone that was just did what I want and kept my info truly private my iPhone wouldn't even be a memory. Provide all the optional extras you want Apple, but let me just work with the basics I enjoy without all the clutter please.

Apple used to have a motto of "Only what's necessary." Not so much anymore. The elegance is gone.

Steve

So you don’t like what Photos does, but you insist on not using any other app. In what world does that make sense?

There are plenty of other photo management and editing apps out there. Chose one that fits your needs.

the answer is simple and you already have it - you can not "turn off" those features - you can only ignore them or use different software - someone giving you the correct answer is not being a troll - in fact your posts come much closer to trolling the forums

Photos is what it is and you can not turn those features off - all you can do is choose to use it or not - not liking a correct answer is no reason to attack the volunteer you took their time to give it to you

Calm down and Have a great week

LN

Your paranoia is unjustified. No one sees your images unless you choose to share them. I never look at Memories and don't tick facial recognition when the app asks so it doesn't bother me, nor does they take up space.

Rather than complaining, etc. take a proactive approach and tell Apple what features you'd like changed or new features added in Photos via https://www.apple.com/feedback/photos.html.