{"id":"mac-storage-basics.where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac","category":{"id":"mac-storage-basics","title":"Mac storage basics"},"subcategory":{"id":"photos-music-video","title":"Photos, music and video"},"question":"Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac?","alt_questions":["photos library location mac","find photos library file","where are my photos saved on macbook","photos library.photoslibrary location","how big is my photos library"],"short_answer":"By default it's the Photos Library package in your Pictures folder. Check its size with Command-I, and never edit its contents by hand.","answer_markdown":"By default it's a single package called **Photos Library** in your **Pictures** folder. To see its size, select it in Finder and press **Command-I**.\n\nIt looks like one file but contains your originals, edits, thumbnails and the database that ties them together. Don't open it and move or delete things inside by hand — that can damage the library. Use Photos itself to delete, export or move it as a whole.\n\nIf you have several libraries, hold **Option** while opening Photos to see and choose between them.","answer_html":"

By default it's a single package called Photos Library in your Pictures folder. To see its size, select it in Finder and press Command-I.

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It looks like one file but contains your originals, edits, thumbnails and the database that ties them together. Don't open it and move or delete things inside by hand — that can damage the library. Use Photos itself to delete, export or move it as a whole.

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If you have several libraries, hold Option while opening Photos to see and choose between them.

","answer_text":"By default it's a single package called Photos Library in your Pictures folder. To see its size, select it in Finder and press Command-I.\n\nIt looks like one file but contains your originals, edits, thumbnails and the database that ties them together. Don't open it and move or delete things inside by hand — that can damage the library. Use Photos itself to delete, export or move it as a whole.\n\nIf you have several libraries, hold Option while opening Photos to see and choose between them.","tags":["photos","library","pictures"],"related":[{"id":"mac-storage-basics.how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos","question":"Why didn't deleting photos free up space on my Mac?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-empty-recently-deleted-in-photos"},{"id":"mac-storage-basics.what-is-the-system-photo-library","question":"What is the System Photo Library in Photos?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-the-system-photo-library"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"By default it's the Photos Library package in your Pictures folder. Check its size with Command-I, and never edit its contents by hand.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Mac storage basics","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/"},{"name":"Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac?","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac?","alternateName":["photos library location mac","find photos library file","where are my photos saved on macbook","photos library.photoslibrary location","how big is my photos library"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"By default it's a single package called Photos Library in your Pictures folder. To see its size, select it in Finder and press Command-I.\n\nIt looks like one file but contains your originals, edits, thumbnails and the database that ties them together. Don't open it and move or delete things inside by hand — that can damage the library. Use Photos itself to delete, export or move it as a whole.\n\nIf you have several libraries, hold Option while opening Photos to see and choose between them.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/where-is-the-photos-library-stored-on-a-mac"}}]},"fragment":"
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Mac storage basics · Photos, music and video

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Where is my Photos library stored on my Mac?

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Short answer: By default it's the Photos Library package in your Pictures folder. Check its size with Command-I, and never edit its contents by hand.

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By default it's a single package called Photos Library in your Pictures folder. To see its size, select it in Finder and press Command-I.

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It looks like one file but contains your originals, edits, thumbnails and the database that ties them together. Don't open it and move or delete things inside by hand — that can damage the library. Use Photos itself to delete, export or move it as a whole.

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If you have several libraries, hold Option while opening Photos to see and choose between them.

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