Deleting photos in iPhoto leaves photo file on disk

I've imported photos from my camera's SD card by dragging and dropping the image files into an album in iPhoto on my MacBook.  I've browsed through the photos and deleted the one's I don't want but have found that the file still exists on the hard drive in a directory in My Pictures.  The option (in iPhoto settings/preferences) to copy the image file when importing into iPhoto is not checked.
I would reasonably expect that when I delete a photo from within iPhoto that the image file on disk would also be deleted?  Every other photo browser/organiser application I've used before does just that or at least prompts you to confirm whether you also want to delete the file from disk.
I'm sure I must be missing something - surely iPhoto can't be that dumb an application?

The option (in iPhoto settings/preferences) to copy the image file when importing into iPhoto is not checked.
When you made that choice you opted to take responsibility for file management. In effect, you said to to iPhoto that you will decide what files are placed where and when they will be placed there. You also take responsibility for what files will be removed from there and when that will happen.  iPhoto will never touch files that it does not manage. So nothing dumb, just iPhoto responding to your choices.
It's one of the many reasons that running the Library in this mode is a bit pointless. You make more work for yourself with exactly zero benefit.
For more on iPhoto and file management see this User Tip:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6361

Similar Messages

  • Hi my question is how can I sort and delete photo files which I have had backed up multiple times? Another way how can I get rid of from the duplicate?

    Hi my question is how can I sort and delete photo files which I have had backed up multiple times? Another way how can I get rid of from the duplicate?

    Provide the name of the program you are using so a Moderator may move this message to the correct program forum
    The Cloud is not a program, it is a delivery process... a program would be Photoshop or InDesign or Muse or ???

  • I accidentally deleted photo files, can I retrieve them?

    I accidentally deleted photo files, is there any way to undo or retireve them?

    I spoke too soon! The Picassa 3 photos do not import well into my elements 
    program!  I just don't understand why, when I accidentally deleted the 
    files from elements, they don't show up in the trash bin. I looked/searched for
    the pictures...they seem gone! Is it time to call in a tech? I really
    appreciate  your help with this, you can imagine how distraught it is to lose
    about 6,000  pictures!!!
    Dr. Joe  Luciani
    Author Discussion: www.amazon.com/author/selfcoaching
    (http://www.amazon.com/author/selfcoaching)
    Daily  Self-Coaching blog: https://www.selfcoaching.net
    (https://www.selfcoaching.net/)
    Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/selfcoaching
    Twitter:https://twitter.com/SelfCoaching101
    In a message dated 6/20/2014 10:25:20 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
    [email protected] writes:
    I  accidentally deleted photo files, can I retrieve them?
    created by amosher (https://forums.adobe.com/people/amosher)  in 
    Photoshop Elements - View the full  discussion
    (https://forums.adobe.com/message/6480632#6480632)

  • I can't delete photo files to make room for iOS 8.

    I can't delete photo files to make room for iOS 8.

    Ive had this and solved it an entirely different way very quickly.
    Connect the ipad to the imac (i assume its an imac);
    Fire up itunes;
    while thats happening create a new folder called EMPTY in your Pictures folder on the imac;
    go back to itunes;
    select the ipad;
    go to photos on the ipad;
    select SYNC FROM SELECTED FOLDER;
    select your EMPTY folder;
    then hit SYNC and the photos / videos in photo albums / the albums will all instantly disappear.
    We had 7.98 Gb of syncd fotos and videos on the ipad and tried all the more lengthy [and unsuccessful] ways suggested elsewhere.
    There was so little space we couldnt u/d the IOS !
    OK, so we werent bothered about keeping the fotos that were on the ipad (they'd all been filed in iphot on the imac so not 'lost').
    Nice to find a solution for yourself when you're a silver surfer in your mid '60's
    pjfs

  • How do I delete photo files on my Iphone?

    How can I delete photo files on my Iphone?... I am able to delete pictures I take with the Iphone, but am unable to delete photos from my computer???

    Photos in the Photo Album are synced one way from the computer to the iPhone. If you connect the phone, then click on the Photos tab you can see what folder on your computer will sync to the Photo app. To remove photos from the Photo Album on the phone you must remove them from the folder on your computer, then sync the phone.

  • Deleting photo file from hard drive

    Hello,
    I would like to be able to delete items (photos) from both the iPhoto library and my hard drive, but I don't seem to be able to. After I delete items from the iPhoto library, the files are still on the hard drive... (I did empty the trash and I did delete the items from the Library folder)
    Note: I just started using iPhoto. I already had a large (?) (9000+ items) library of photos that I keep on an external firewire hard drive. I did not use the "Copy files to iPhoto Library folder when adding to library" function, because a) I didn't want to wait for the system to copy all 9000 images, b) my internal hard drive isn't really big enough to store all these images and c) I'd like to keep using other software (Photoshop, stich software, etc.) to view, open and edit my images.
    I like using iPhoto, it seems faster than what I've been using and I like the clean interface, but if I can't use iPhoto to both view and delete images it might not be the software I'm looking for...
    My apologies if this question has been answered prior - I just searched and couldn't find an answer.
    Thanks for all help!
    PowerBook G4 12"   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   iPhoto 6.06

    Theo
    Unfortunately the "Show File" or "Show Original File" command doesn't seem to work when more than one file is selected... (the program just points to one of the selected files). Is there a workaround?
    No, I think you'll need to do it one at a time.
    How would I specify more than one external application (e.g. Photoshop and a panorama stitching app)
    No, you won't be able to set up more than one app at a time. The obvious one being to set up Photoshop. What I would do is export the pics for stitching and then import the resulting image as a new image - but that's just me.
    Saving an additional file is as simple either duplicating in iPhoto or using Save As in Photoshop and the importing the new file.
    You can download with Image Capture (in your Applications folder) and rename files with a batch renamer such as File List. iPhoto has no facility to rename files except on export as filenames are quite irrelevant within iPhoto. You can, of course, apply titles in iPhoto.
    As you say, perhaps the app is not for you - it's not right for everybody in every situation.
    Regards
    TD

  • Deleting photo files from iPhone 4s

    After updating my iPhone 4s to iOS8 the photo app has changed.
    There's all kinds of different files all called something with "from My Mac"
    I can't delete the files OR the pictures inside the files and this is really annoying. I just want 1 single file with all my pictures, that's all.
    In iTunes when I click on Photos when my iPhone is connected I have deselected the "sync photos from" and clicked delete photos but they're all still there.
    How the **** do I get rid of these stupid files and pictures?!
    It's not even pictures I've taken with my iPhone. It's just random pictures from my macbook.

    Hi just cross posting here:
    How do I delete my iPhoto library on my iPhone and just have photostream?

  • When using a Seagate 1T external hard drive and Time Machine to back up hourly, if I delete photo files from the Mac hard drive before the next back up, are these retained on the Seagate drive or will they be lost (overwritten) in the next backu in the ne

    Does Time Machine erase previously saved files if, say, photos are deleted from the Macbook upon the next update, or will they be stored indefinately despite the current status of the files stored on the computer? Eg. can I bckup photo files to a Seagate 1T disc and then delete them to make more room on the computer in the knowlwdge that they are always going to be on the Seagate disc? Sorry if this is very elementary but I have not used a back up before like this, and am not sure how successive backups are overlaid or retained. Thanks!!

    TM is not designed to do what you ask. As Allan wrote TM is an incremental backup not an archival solution.
    If you delete a file from the HD it will eventually be removed from the TM backup (if it ever makes it on to the backup at all).
    How long before it is removed depends on a number of factors, TM disk drive size being one factor but not the only one.
    Material that is impossible to replace and is important to you (image files usually fitting that description) need to be backed up to as least one other drive and preferably more for long term storage.

  • Deleting Photo Files in Lightroom 4

    I use Aperture 3 and am thinking of switching to Lightroom 4.  I do not store my photos in the Aperture 3 library. Instead I store my photos in my own folder system on an external hard drive and I reference the files in Aperture.  This works well for most functions, but when I delete a photo from Aperture, it simply removes the thumbnail and all versions from Aperture, but does not delete the actual photo file on my hard drive.  If I want to delete the actual photo file I must click "show file in finder" and manually delete it from the finder window.
    Is the process of organizing photos in your own folder system, and deleting unwanted photos, more seemlessly integrated in Lightroom 4?
    Thanks!

    Yes
    When you start the delete, Lightroom will give the option to delete or simply remove the photo from the Lightroom catalog. Remove retains the file on disk whereas delete will delete the file.

  • How to delete photo files from ipad

    Now that I used the handy little card reader while on my last trip to download photos, my ipad is near capacity...urgh. How do I delete them? Is there a management system? Thanks!

    The links below have instructions for deleting photos.
    iOS and iPod: Syncing photos using iTunes
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4236
    iPad Tip: How to Delete Photos from Your iPad in the Photos App
    http://ipadacademy.com/2011/08/ipad-tip-how-to-delete-photos-from-your-ipad-in-t he-photos-app
    Another Way to Quickly Delete Photos from Your iPad (Mac Only)
    http://ipadacademy.com/2011/09/another-way-to-quickly-delete-photos-from-your-ip ad-mac-only
    How to Delete Photos from iPad
    http://www.wondershare.com/apple-idevice/how-to-delete-photos-from-ipad.html
    How to: Batch Delete Photos on the iPad
    http://www.lifeisaprayer.com/blog/2010/how-batch-delete-photos-ipad
    (With iOS 5.1, use 2 fingers)
    How to Delete Photos from iCloud’s Photo Stream
    http://www.cultofmac.com/124235/how-to-delete-photos-from-iclouds-photo-stream/
     Cheers, Tom

  • Saving photo file onto disk high resolution

    I am trying to put  my 10MB photo onto a CD so I can take the file to a printer.  When I drag the file onto the disk, the disk shows 330KB file. I can't print the file at 330KB. Why is the CD distorting my file and decreasing the resolution? How do I copy a photo file (jpeg or tiff) onto a CD?

    Are you dragging from a Finder folder or from something else?

  • How do I stop deleted photo files from restoring themselves?

    I've had this problem since Mountain Lion: I will delete image files (JPG and PNG) just to have them reapear a few days later in Finder. I've tried "Secure Empty Trash" but they still come back. I thought it might be Time Machine restoring the files, so I unplugged my USB hard drive that it backs up to only to find the files are still coming back. Please help!

    If you're syncing, you have to unselect the photos you no longer wish to sync, and they won't show up on your phone anymore.

  • Retrieving Deleted Photo Files

    Somehow the files holding all my photos were deleted from my iMac and I was wondering if any one else as experienced this and if there is anyway of retrieving the files after they have been removed from Trash?
    iMac (Intel dual core)   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    Another place you can recover digital photos from is your camera's flash memory.
    If they are recent photos and you haven't overwritten them with new photos, they could still be on the flash memory, even if your erased or reformatted the flash memory.
    There are inexpensive programs for Mac and PC that let you recover them.
    See this thread:
    http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=-1&messageID=4199547

  • Deleting photos from hard disk

    Hi, I have all of my photos on my hard disk and external hard drive. After I back up onto DVDs I would like to delete all of them off of my Mac (to free up some space).
    My question is, will I still see the thumbnails without having to connect the external hard drive (I do a lot of photo editing).
    Also, is there a correct way to delete, or should I just drag them into trash.
    Finally, if I spotlight search a photo, several are found of the same photo - why is this and how can I clean it up.
    As you have probably realised, I am not completely computer savvy and would appreciate any answers in a "Jack & Jill" style
    Many thanks

    Macssonew:
    First, iPHoto creates a minimum of 2 versions of each photo imported into the library, the original and the thumbnail file. If you edit a photo in iPhoto a 3rd version is created in the Modified folder. You cannot change that. It's how iPhoto works.
    I need more info on how you have things set up before I can advise you what your options are. How is your library setup currently? Do you copy files into the library when importing? Does the library contain the image files that are on the external HD?
    For what I understand now, you might be better served with multiple libraries, one smaller library on your laptop with current photos and a larger library on the external HD with the remaining photos. You can copy events or albums between libraries with the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager and keep keywords, comments, titles and any edited version intact.
    Or you might consider a more professional application, iView MediaPro, which can keep the "source" files on an external HD and have a catalog of them with thumbnails up to 640 x 480 on the laptop. You'd still be able to view the large thumbnails with the external HD not mounted assign keywords and other annotations, group into catalog sets or categories (albums in iPhoto), etc.
    Going the alias route has some big pitfalls. Without the source files available you can only see the thumbnails at their small size. You can't move them to albums or assign keywords. It's pretty limiting. If you have any video files in the library you won't be able to use it at all. iPhoto will continuously ask you to locate the video file. It can't operated with the video file missing as it can with the still image files missing.
    If you can describe exactly how things are set up and located we can better give you some ideas to pursue.
    Do you Twango?
    TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
    I've written an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 08 libraries. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

  • How to structure photo files on disk (PrEl 9)

    Hi
    Rather new user of Photoshop Elements..running version 9
    I'm in progress grouping the files in some sort of logical folder structure on disk....the idea I have is then to use "Keyword tags" in PrEl and take usage of the possibility of creating a structure based upon categories and subcategories underneath the "key word tags"....is this the right way of setting up the structure for my photos and video clips in elements organizer ?
    When I have started playing around with this my question is - should I really create a folder structure for my photos on thefile system OR should I jsut add everything in one single folder if my intention down the road is to do the detaled structure with smart tags for each photo in PrEL......whats the best approach here and the most "common" one. Perhaps its a bad idea to create a lot of categories/sub categories for all photos underneath "KeyWord tags" in PrEL or is this what to use it for ?
    //H

    Hi and thanks for your answer....
    but is Keyword tags section in PrEL where I should organize my structure (where I initially, before doing anything, have "people/places/events/others etc"....my idea was to add categories here like "Summer 2010" "Summer 2011" etc etc with their corresponding sub categories underneath....then, if "selecting" the tick box beside Summer 2011 I would instantly see all photos down that path, and if only selecting the tick box for a specific sub category underneath "Summer 2010" I will only see the photos associated to this specific sub category.....is this a good way of doing the structure in PrEl.......to use the keyword tags section with its built in category/subcategory possibilities OR is this something I should use perhaps the "Albums" functionality for ?
    Thanks
    //H

Maybe you are looking for