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Find actual file location for macOS Ventura Photos picture

I'm trying to clean up my library. Several years back, I put a lot of pictures in my Pictures folder, but not in the Photos Libraray.photoslibrary folder. Now I'm not sure whether those pictures are duplicated in my Photos library. I've tried selecting the image in Photos and click File > Find File in Finder, but that's grayed out. Right-click > Get Info doesn't tell where it is either. If I click File > Consolidate it says its already in the library. I've even tried rummaging around in the Photos.sqlite database with sqlite3 and I can find the image name that I see in Photos, but I can't find the mapping to the name on the filesystem.


What I really want to know is, for a give image in Photos, is it in the System Library (I have 3 libraries. One is the normal system library and 2 copies on a removable drive), and if so, is the file in the Photos Libraray.photoslibrary folder or is it located external to that folder (if that's even possible).


I'm going to take a guess that if the file is located in the Library, that indeed Find File in Finder will be grayed out. If it's located elsewhere, then Find File in Finder will be selectable.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 4, 2023 1:46 PM

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Posted on Sep 5, 2023 1:18 PM

You could create a smart album in Photos, to search for all photos that have not been imported into the Photos Library, but are referenced in the Finder.


  • File > New smart album
  • Set the rule to "Photo > is > Referenced".

Any item you are seeing in this smart album has not yet been copied into the library. For these items you could use the command "File > Show referenced file in Finder" to see the referenced file. Then use "File > Consolidate" to copy the referee ed file into the library, then delete it in the Finder.


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 5, 2023 1:18 PM in response to AixNPanes

You could create a smart album in Photos, to search for all photos that have not been imported into the Photos Library, but are referenced in the Finder.


  • File > New smart album
  • Set the rule to "Photo > is > Referenced".

Any item you are seeing in this smart album has not yet been copied into the library. For these items you could use the command "File > Show referenced file in Finder" to see the referenced file. Then use "File > Consolidate" to copy the referee ed file into the library, then delete it in the Finder.


Sep 5, 2023 12:29 PM in response to AixNPanes

Hey AixNPanes,


It's best to use the Photos app itself to manage your photos as the photos are stored within the library. Take a look at the following for some great tips on managing and finding your photos in the Photos app: Organize and find your photos on your Mac - Apple Support


You'll also find some great information in the Photos User Guide here: System Photo Library overview in Photos on Mac - Apple Support


We hope this helps.


Take care!

Find actual file location for macOS Ventura Photos picture

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