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User profile for user: KahJih
KahJih Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

How to keep original date when exporting photos from iPhoto

Hi,

I’m trying to remove my photos on my old MacBook Pro (running macOS Sierra v10.12.6) from the “iPhoto” app so that I have enough space to update the macOS.

But each time I’m exporting it, it changes the created date to the current date.

I want it to keep the original date and time the photo was taken when exporting (as I want to sort the photos out according to the date/event when I have time).

How can I do that please?


My library was somewhat also copied to the app “Photos”, is it the same process to keep the original date & time for this app?


Thank you in advance for any help you may provide.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.12

Posted on May 2, 2022 12:53 AM

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,321 points

Posted on May 2, 2022 3:04 AM

How are you exporting? Use the File > Export command and export the phots as the unmodified original, if you want to keep the original file creation date. If you export an edited version Photos will render a new file with the adjustments applied, and this new file will have a new a new creation date.


Your example is showing that you are exporting your files in a very small size. You will lose a lot of image quality by exporting at such a small size.


For the Photos.app you can also only hope to save the the original file creation date by exporting the originals and not the edited versions. If photos is syncing with iCloud Photos you will probably get the date of the download from iCloud.


Why not moving the iPhoto Library and the Photos Library to an external volume to create enough free storage for the upgrade? This way you will save the edited versions with the capture dates of your Photos, all your albums, all the work you invested and not just the photos.

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,321 points

May 2, 2022 3:04 AM in response to KahJih

How are you exporting? Use the File > Export command and export the phots as the unmodified original, if you want to keep the original file creation date. If you export an edited version Photos will render a new file with the adjustments applied, and this new file will have a new a new creation date.


Your example is showing that you are exporting your files in a very small size. You will lose a lot of image quality by exporting at such a small size.


For the Photos.app you can also only hope to save the the original file creation date by exporting the originals and not the edited versions. If photos is syncing with iCloud Photos you will probably get the date of the download from iCloud.


Why not moving the iPhoto Library and the Photos Library to an external volume to create enough free storage for the upgrade? This way you will save the edited versions with the capture dates of your Photos, all your albums, all the work you invested and not just the photos.

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How to keep original date when exporting photos from iPhoto

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