What is Apple Photos used for?

Apple Photos is the built-in photo and video library app for Mac that organizes, edits and shares images and syncs through iCloud. It is a good fit for keeping a family photo library in sync and quick edits before sharing.

Is Apple Photos free?

Yes. Apple Photos is free to use.

Is Apple Photos open source?

No. Apple Photos is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Apple Photos include Lynavo Drive, Immich and PhotoPrism.

What are some alternatives to Apple Photos?

Apple Photos competes with Google Photos, Amazon Photos and Adobe Lightroom. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Apple Photos alternatives.

Apple Photos: features, pricing and alternatives

About Apple Photos

Apple Photos is the photo and video app included with Apple's operating systems. It is used to import, browse and organize a personal library, and it gives access to that library from other Apple devices through iCloud Photos, so a picture taken on an iPhone appears on a Mac automatically.

The app includes editing tools for adjusting light and color and applying filters, plus Apple Intelligence features such as Clean Up, Reframe and Extend on supported setups. Memories groups photos and videos into collections of trips, holidays, people and pets, complete with music and titles. Sharing works through Mail, Messages, other apps and AirDrop for nearby Apple devices.

Key features

Photo and video library management
iCloud Photos sync across Apple devices
Built-in photo editing and filters
Memories collections with music and titles
Sharing through AirDrop, Mail and Messages
Apple Intelligence editing tools

Good fit for

→Keeping a family photo library in sync
→Quick edits before sharing

Tags: photo-library; photo-editing; icloud; macos; ios; apple; memories

Apple Photos: questions and answers

What is Apple Photos used for?: Apple Photos is the built-in photo and video library app for Mac that organizes, edits and shares images and syncs through iCloud. It is a good fit for keeping a family photo library in sync and quick edits before sharing.
Is Apple Photos free?: Yes. Apple Photos is free to use.
Is Apple Photos open source?: No. Apple Photos is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Apple Photos include Lynavo Drive, Immich and PhotoPrism.
What are some alternatives to Apple Photos?: Apple Photos competes with Google Photos, Amazon Photos and Adobe Lightroom. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Apple Photos alternatives.