How to Fix Incorrect Sorting of Movies and Images in macOS Photos

If you’re struggling with your photos and videos not appearing in the expected order within the macOS Photos app, you’re not alone. Metadata issues can cause confusion when it comes to sorting. This guide will walk you through how to correct any sorting discrepancies related to dates, time zones, and GPS information.

Understanding the Basics of Metadata

When the Photos app imports images and videos, it relies on metadata to determine their sorting order. Here are the key points regarding how this works:

Date and Time: The original date and time of the media file is set by its metadata.
Time Zone: The computer’s current time zone will influence how dates are displayed.

Key Metadata Tags That Impact Sorting

Several internal metadata tags can impact how your media files are sorted. These include:

GPS Location: This can alter the time zone used by the Photos app.
Creation Date Tags: If the ‘Keys:CreationDate’ tag is present in a video or ‘ExifIFD:OffsetTimeOriginal’ in an image, it can take precedence over other tags, overriding local time settings.
Photos App Time Zone Display: This feature must be enabled manually in the Photos settings.

How to Fix Sorting Issues

You can resolve sorting problems either inside the Photos app or prior to importing your files using third-party tools like GraphicConverter or ExifTool. Here’s how to handle it step-by-step.

Method 1: Correcting Dates and Time Zones in Photos

Adjusting Dates and Time Zones:
- Open Photos.app.
- Select the images or videos you want to fix.
- Go to Image > Adjust Date and Time….
- Set your desired date and time and select the closest city to automatically adjust the time zone.
Setting a Location:

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- Select your media files.
- Click on Window > Info (or Command-I).
- Assign a location by typing and selecting from the suggestions or paste GPS coordinates in the format of 40.74842, -73.98561.
- If there’s an existing location, you may need to hide it first via Image > Location > Hide Location.
Editing Title and Keywords:
- Open Window > Info while your media is selected.
- Add Title, Caption, or Keywords to the files.

When media is exported from Photos, it should maintain the correct metadata date but may cause confusion with the file system creation dates. To fix these, you can utilize GraphicConverter to set file creation and modification dates based on the internal metadata.

Method 2: Editing Originals Before Import

If you prefer a cleaner approach, especially for videos:

Use Third-Party Tools:
- GraphicConverter or ExifTool can be used to edit the metadata before importing files to Photos. This ensures that the proper creation dates are set.
Utilizing ExifTool:
- Install ExifTool, available through their official website.
- Use the command line to adjust the QuickTime:CreateDate, Keys:CreationDate, and GPS Coordinates.
Here’s a command sample to update creation dates:
```
exiftool -m -overwrite_original '-QuickTime:CreateDate=2001:01:01 12:00:00' '-Keys:CreationDate=2001:01:01 12:00:00-05:00' movie.mp4
```

Checking and Verifying Metadata

To confirm the changes you’ve made to your media, you can utilize either the Finder or GraphicConverter:

In Finder: Right-click your file and select Get Info. Here you can see the modified metadata.
With GraphicConverter: Use the File > Browse… feature, select the file, and check the ExifTool tab for detailed info.

Exporting Media with Updated Metadata

After fixing the metadata, you may want to export your files:

In Photos.app, select your media and choose File > Export > Export Unmodified Originals.
Ensure you’ve selected the option to export IPTC data as .xmp files for any updated metadata.

Conclusion

Fixing sorting issues in the macOS Photos app can be straightforward with the right approach. Whether adjusting dates and time zones within the app or using external tools, you can organize your images and videos to display as you intend. By understanding and manipulating the metadata effectively, you can prevent future sorting issues and enjoy your media library as it should be.

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