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photos

Query the Apple Photos.sqlite database to search and retrieve local photos.

1|Updated Feb 15, 2026
Search Tags:#search#sqlite#metadata#macos#export#photos#apple-photos
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/n0rvyn/indie-toolkit --skill photos-n0rvyn
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: photos
Source: https://github.com/n0rvyn/indie-toolkit/tree/main/mactools/skills/photos
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/n0rvyn/indie-toolkit --skill photos-n0rvyn

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Quickly find, inspect, and export images from a local Apple Photos library without manually opening Photos.app or browsing folders, saving time when locating specific shots, verifying metadata, or preparing files for downstream tasks like OCR or sharing.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Keyword and filename search: Search by filename, title, or other textual attributes to locate photos quickly.
  • Recent and album browsing: List recent photos by date range and enumerate or inspect photos inside albums with count resolution.
  • Metadata inspection and export: Show detailed metadata (UUID, date, dimensions, location, camera/lens info) and export local image files for processing (e.g., OCR or attachments).
    Use case: Find scanned receipt photos from last month, inspect EXIF and location data, and export the selected image for OCR processing.

Quick Start

Search my Photos library for "beach" and export the first matching photo to /tmp for OCR.

Frequently Asked Questions about photos

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I search my local Apple Photos library without opening the Photos app?▼

You can search your local Apple Photos library by querying the Photos.sqlite database directly to find images by filename, title, or keywords without launching the Photos app, enabling fast retrieval and metadata inspection.

What are the prerequisites for accessing Apple Photos metadata on macOS?▼

Accessing Apple Photos metadata on macOS requires granting Full Disk Access to read the local Photos library and perform read-only SQLite queries against the Photos.sqlite database to resolve photo file paths.

How do I export photos from my Apple Photos library for OCR processing?▼

You can export photos from your Apple Photos library by resolving the local image file paths through SQLite queries and copying the selected files to a directory like /tmp for downstream OCR processing or sharing.

Can I browse recent photos and albums by querying the Apple Photos database?▼

Yes, you can browse recent photos and enumerate album contents by executing read-only SQLite queries against the Photos database to list images by date range and resolve album counts.

What photo metadata can I inspect by querying the Apple Photos SQLite database?▼

Querying the Apple Photos SQLite database allows you to inspect detailed photo metadata including UUID, capture date, dimensions, location data, and camera or lens information.

Why does querying the Apple Photos database fail to return my locally stored images?▼

Querying the Apple Photos database fails to return locally stored images if the execution environment lacks Full Disk Access, which is required to read the local Photos library and resolve file paths.

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