Can I use places and categories when creating a smart album in Photos for Mac

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Can I use places and categories when creating a smart album in Photos for Mac

I would like to include places and categories along with other criteria when I search for photos on my Mac. Is this possible?

For example, I would like to find pictures of my son from a certain location. When I create a Smart Album, I can specify that "Person" should be my son, but I can't find any way to specify the location in a Smart Album.

Similarly, Photos has created a category called "Ice Cream". I'd like create a Smart Album for pictures where "Person" is my son and that are in the category "Ice Cream". Again, I cannot find a way to do this.

I would also be happy to do this using the Search function rather than a smart album.

Is there any way to combine places and/or categories with other search criteria?

MacBook Pro 15", OS X 10.11

Posted on Apr 4, 2020 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Apr 4, 2020 11:48 AM in response to Andrew Shalit

What system and Photos versions are you running?

It can be done with the Search field this way:

adding the elements in the search field separated by a comma (,).

It can't be done in Smart Albums are those search terms are not available:

Tell Apple what missing features you'd like restored or new features added in Photos via Feedback - Photos - Apple

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Answer 2

Apr 4, 2020 11:58 AM in response to Old Toad

I am using MacOS 10.14.6. Photos appears to be version 4.0 (3461.7.140).

When I try to use the search field this way I get "no result".

For example, if I type "Westport" it lets me select that city. But then if I follow the city name with a comma I get a message saying "no result". If I then type the name of a person, it continues to just show me the results for the city.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

197,321 points

Apr 4, 2020 1:16 PM in response to Andrew Shalit

To be able to use the categories in a smart album or certain places, you need a workaround. You can search in a smart album for keywords or albums or text.

So search for the category "Ice Cream", then assign the keyword "Ice Cream" to these photos or collect them in an album named "Ice Cream". Now you can use the smart rules "Keyword is Ice Cream" or album is "Ice Cream". using the keyword would allow you to use the filter "SHowing only Ice Cream" as well,

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

210,615 points

Apr 4, 2020 12:00 PM in response to Andrew Shalit

I'm on Catalina and Photos 5.0 so it may be a feature that was added with Catalina and Photos 5.

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Answer 5

Apr 4, 2020 1:24 PM in response to léonie

Thank you, that's helpful to know. I have not been planning on upgrading to Catalina but this is a feature I'd like.

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Can I use places and categories when creating a smart album in Photos for Mac

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