Frames · Features
What you can do with Frames
Explore what Frames can do. Full instructions are in the app.
Import and sources5 features
- Mac5
- iPhone4
- Duo4
- iPad4
- Apple TV1
Card import
Import from memory cards or USB PTP cameras, grouped by session, with duplicate checks and RAW+JPEG pairing.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Card importon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Import… beside the card under DEVICES in the sidebar.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Import from Card… under + in the Library. Photographs go to an album named after the card.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Import from Card… under + in the Library. Photographs go to an album named after the card.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV reads its own Photos library.
Locations from a Track
Place photographs without a location by matching their capture times to a recorded route, at card import or afterwards. Correct the camera clock on a timeline. Existing locations are kept.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Locations from a Trackon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add a GPX, FIT or KML file in the import’s Location stage, or choose Photo › Add Locations from Track… after import.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose a Health workout or a track file in the import’s Location stage, or Add Locations from Track in the selection’s More menu.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose a Health workout or a track file in the import’s Location stage, or Add Locations from Track in the selection’s More menu.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV receives locations placed on your other devices through Library Sync and adds no controls for them.
Folder destinations
Import to a folder using date and sequence patterns, with existing-file protection and source-coverage information.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Folder destinationson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
In the import sheet, choose Folder and set the folder and filename patterns.
- iPhoneNot on this device
A card imports into Photos, in an album named after the card.
- DuoNot on this device
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot on this device
A card imports into Photos, in an album named after the card.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no card import.
Source setup
Add Apple Photos or a folder from the source picker, with guidance through the first scan.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Source setupon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Photos Library or Choose Folder… on the first-run screen, or drop a folder on the window.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap Use the Photos library, or Choose Folder… to pick one in Files.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Use the Photos library, or Choose Folder… to pick one in Files.
- Apple TVAdapted
Press Show My Photographs once; Frames then keeps previews of this Apple TV’s whole Photos library.
Original downloads
Fetch iCloud originals as needed, share matching requests and cache completed downloads locally.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Original downloadson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Pause in Loupe, zoom, open Develop, export or prepare a presentation to fetch an original.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Pausing in Loupe, zooming, Develop, exporting, sharing or preparing a presentation fetches it.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Pausing in Loupe, zooming, Develop, exporting, sharing or preparing a presentation fetches it.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV downloads no originals; a show asks Photos for each photograph at the screen’s size.
Library and organisation29 features
- Mac29
- iPhone25
- Duo25
- iPad25
- Apple TV16
Frames treatment sidecars
Carry named treatments and their original recipe JSON beside folder photographs. Review imports, keep existing treatments and undo unchanged imports.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Frames treatment sidecarson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
In Info → Sync, review Write treatments or Read treatments for a connected folder photograph.
- iPhoneNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- DuoNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- iPadNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- Apple TVNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
Automatic XMP exchange
Opt into debounced metadata exchange for connected folders. Independent changes merge; conflicts wait for review. Pick and Reject use Frames’ verdict property.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Automatic XMP exchangeon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Enable Automatic XMP exchange in Settings › Library, then review conflicting files from its notice.
- iPhoneNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- DuoNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- iPadNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- Apple TVNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
Catalogue recovery and transfer
Export a consistent catalogue with metadata and treatments, without filesystem grants. Stage a validated import or backup restore for the next launch and retain the previous catalogue.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Catalogue recovery and transferon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Use Settings › Library to export, stage an import or restore a backup; reopen Frames to activate it.
- iPhoneNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- DuoNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- iPadNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
- Apple TVNot on this device
This folder and catalogue transfer interface is available on Mac.
Journey
Explore the current Browse result on a map of photographed stops, one day at a time or every day together, each stop named after its place or town. A photograph without GPS takes its place from photographs taken around the same time. Open a photograph in Loupe and return to the same day and map position. Quick springs bring previews and visible cards into place; Reduce Motion keeps their arrivals still.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Journeyon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Journey after Grid, Loupe and Compare in Browse's toolbar, then choose a day or All Days and a photographed stop.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Journey in Browse's view menu. Upright, swipe through the journey's photographs in the drawer below the map; turned sideways, the stops sit in a column beside it.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Journey in Browse's view menu, then select a day and a stop. The stops and their photographs sit in a column beside the map.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV keeps its existing Browse and Present views.
World
See every located photograph in the Browse result on a lit globe, with a river of time beneath it. Brush a span or draw a place to narrow Browse, select a place to light its visits, and play a span to watch places light in turn. Open a place’s photographs beside the map and save the place search for later. Follow month and year labels to choose dates and scrub a selected span.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Worldon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose World above All Days in Journey, or zoom a Journey map out past a continent. Hover, ⌘-drag, ⌥-scroll and the keys work the globe and the river. Open a glow’s popup to show its photographs and save the place search.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose World on the switch in the map's top corner; the same switch on the globe returns to Journey. The globe stays above the river, with the trips in the brush scrolling beneath.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose World above All Days in Journey; the trips sit beside the globe.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV keeps its existing Browse and Present views.
Trips and days
Under a capture-date sort, the grid groups photographs into trips and days. Name a trip, select or fold it from its heading, or drag the heading onto an album.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Trips and dayson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Sort by capture date. Click a heading to select its photographs, click its triangle to fold a trip, right-click for Rename Trip…, or drag it onto an album in the sidebar.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap a heading to select its photographs in Select mode. Touch and hold it for Add to…, Rename Trip… and Fold Trip.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap or touch and hold a heading as on iPhone, or drag it onto an album in the sidebar.
- Apple TVAdapted
Trip and day headings show their names, including names given on other devices. They take no selection, name or fold.
Slideshow
Present kept and developed photographs from Browse, with large controls that hide automatically, a slow drift and a choice of transition.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Slideshowon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Slideshow in Browse. Large controls fade after four seconds; a tap or pointer movement reveals them.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Slideshow in the view menu. Tap to reveal controls and swipe to page.
- DuoAdapted
Use Slideshow in Browse with the same large touch controls as iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Slideshow in the view menu. Large touch controls adapt to the available width.
- Apple TVAdapted
Swipe to page; Play/Pause pauses on a strip of neighbours; Down opens Info; Settings holds the slideshow options.
Capture metadata sync
Share camera, lens and exposure details between devices after one device reads the original.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Capture metadata syncon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Enable Library Sync. Capture details read from an original travel on the next sync round.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Enable Library Sync to receive capture details without downloading the RAW file.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Enable Library Sync to receive capture details without downloading the RAW file.
- Apple TVAdapted
Receives capture details for browsing and never uploads them.
Shortcuts library actions
Find photographs, manage metadata, collections and versions, and save treatments with Apple Shortcuts.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Shortcuts library actionson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add Frames actions in Shortcuts and pass their results to the next step.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; writing automation actions run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Batch edit
Paste a treatment onto a selection after reviewing affected treatments and downloads.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Batch editon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Copy a treatment with ⇧⌘C in Develop, select photographs and press ⇧⌘V to review and start.
- iPhoneAdapted
Copy Treatment in Develop’s … menu, then Paste Treatment… in the view menu. Switches pick the parts.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Copy Treatment in Develop’s … menu, then Paste Treatment… in the view menu. Switches pick the parts.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Photos in place
Catalogue your Apple Photos library without copying or relocating originals.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Photos in placeon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Photos Library on the first-run screen or under + in SOURCES.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap Use the Photos library on the first screen. Frames reads this device’s Photos in place.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Use the Photos library on the first screen. Frames reads this device’s Photos in place.
- Apple TVAdapted
Frames catalogues this Apple TV’s whole Photos library as previews Photos makes at 2048 pixels, fetched from iCloud where the device lacks a photograph.
Folder sources
Browse folder and drive sources alongside Apple Photos in one catalogue. Review missing originals and scan failures with file paths and retry actions.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Folder sourceson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Choose Folder… under + in SOURCES, or drop a folder on the window. Right-click a source for Review Source Issues… with file locations and retry actions.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Folder… under + in the Library picks a folder in Files, a share or a drive. Touch and hold a source and choose Review Source Issues… to filter issues, copy a file path or retry.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Folder… under + in the Library picks a folder in Files, a share or a drive. Touch and hold a source and choose Review Source Issues… to filter issues, copy a file path or retry.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV reads its own Photos library.
Library sync
Sync source changes while preserving ratings and verdicts for missing photographs that may return.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Library syncon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click ⟳ beside a source, or ⌥-click it to rescan. Changes in Photos sync on their own.
- iPhoneAdapted
Touch and hold a source for Sync Now or Rescan. Changes in Photos sync on their own.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Touch and hold a source for Sync Now or Rescan. Changes in Photos sync on their own.
- Apple TVAdapted
The library catches up when Frames opens or returns, and when Photos changes.
Own catalogue
Frames stores its data locally and backs up the catalogue before schema migrations.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Own catalogueon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
The catalogue lives in Frames’ own folder and is backed up before each schema migration.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Each device keeps its own catalogue, backed up before each schema migration.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Each device keeps its own catalogue, backed up before each schema migration.
- Apple TVAdapted
Apple TV keeps its catalogue in caches, since nothing on it writes a decision.
Browse
Browse a whole source, one or several albums, or a collection, then search and filter within it.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Browseon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press B, then choose a place in the sidebar; ⌘-click or ⇧-click to add more albums. ⌥⌘S hides or shows the sidebar.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap Browse, then the collection title to open the Library and choose a place, one album at a time.
- DuoAdapted
Open flat, the Library stands at the leading edge. A fold puts it away until it is flat again.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Browse. The Library is a column beside the grid, and the collection title opens it. Choose one album at a time.
- Apple TVAdapted
Home draws shelves of the library, its collections and its albums; Collections in the sidebar holds every one, and Search narrows the whole library.
Library organising
Create and organise Photos albums and folders from Browse, with changes synced through Photos.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Library organisingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Right-click a collection for New Album Here, Rename or Delete; drag rows and photographs onto albums.
- iPhoneAdapted
Touch and hold an album or folder to create, rename, move or delete it. Add to… files a selection into an album or a new one.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Touch and hold an album or folder to create, rename, move or delete it, or drag photographs onto an album in the Library column.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV changes nothing in Photos.
Undo
Undo up to 100 catalogue actions, including supported batches in one step.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Undoon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘Z. The status bar says what was restored.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap Undo in Choose’s bar, or shake to undo anywhere.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Undo in Choose’s bar, or press ⌘Z on a keyboard.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Nothing on Apple TV writes, so there is nothing to undo.
Storage panel
Inspect and clear six rebuildable caches while keeping the catalogue intact.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVavailable
On each device
Storage panelon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open Settings › Storage › Derived data to see each store and remove it.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Settings from the Library, then Storage.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Open Settings from the Library, then Storage.
- Apple TVSame as Mac
Open Settings in the sidebar; Storage is under Library.
Metadata backfill
Read missing camera, lens and exposure data from originals through the Photos source panel.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Metadata backfillon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Double-click the Photos source and start Fill capture metadata.
- iPhoneNot yet
The Photos source has no metadata fill here.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
The Photos source has no metadata fill here.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV reads the capture metadata Photos records and fetches no originals to add more.
Search
Find photographs by detected content, visible text or keywords you add.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Searchon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘F in Browse and type words, then ⏎ or Space to add each.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open the Library, switch to Search and type words, subjects or text.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Open the Library, switch to Search and type words, subjects or text.
- Apple TVAdapted
Choose Search in the sidebar and type words with the remote; the photographs answer from the first letter.
Explore drawer
Explore predefined categories and visual styles with suggestions and matching counts from your collection.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Explore draweron each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘F; the drawer opens under the field. Click Filters beside the field to close it.
- iPhoneAdapted
Search offers predefined categories and visual styles beside keywords, dates, gear and ratings.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Search offers predefined categories and visual styles beside keywords, dates, gear and ratings.
- Apple TVAdapted
Search offers one row of chips: saved searches, your keywords, detected subjects, cameras, lenses and years.
Folder sync
Folder sources refresh on launch, mount and manual scan, with automatic change detection on local drives.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Folder syncon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Sources scan on launch and mount. Click ⟳ for a network share changed while mounted.
- iPhoneAdapted
Folders in Files, iCloud Drive or on a drive rescan when Frames returns or you pull down the grid.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Folders in Files, iCloud Drive or on a drive rescan when Frames returns or you pull down the grid.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no folder sources.
Scene tags
Detected words describe photographs and can be clicked to filter the library.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Scene tagson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press I and click a detected word to filter Browse by it.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Choose Info in the view menu and tap a detected label to filter by it.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Info in the view menu, or press I, and tap a detected label to filter by it.
- Apple TVAdapted
Hold Select on a photograph in Search, or swipe down in a show, for Info; a detected label there plays its photographs.
Photographs like this one
Press S to find up to 100 visually similar photographs, subject to active filters.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Photographs like this oneon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Select a photograph in Browse and press S, or choose More Like This.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose a photograph, open Search in the Library and tap More Like This.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose a photograph, open Search in the Library and tap More Like This.
- Apple TVAdapted
Info shows photographs like the one on screen; select one to play them from it.
Keywords you type
Add keywords to a photograph and search them alongside detected words.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Keywords you typeon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press I, choose Metadata → Description, type under KEYWORDS and press ⏎.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Choose Info in the view menu and type under Keywords.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Info in the view menu, or press I, and type under Keywords.
- Apple TVAdapted
Info and Search show keywords as chips: in Info one plays its photographs, in Search it filters.
Captions and credit
Add captions and credit for export; on Mac, edit capture metadata and exchange XMP sidecars.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Captions and crediton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press I for Metadata: Description edits titles and credit; Capture corrects time and lens; Sync reads or writes XMP sidecars for folder photographs.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Type under Caption in Info. Creator and copyright are in Settings › General.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Type under Caption in Info. Creator and copyright are in Settings › General.
- Apple TVAdapted
Info shows a caption, a show fades it in over each photograph, and Search finds its words.
Saved searches
Save queries and filters under a name in the sidebar, with counts that update as the catalogue changes.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Saved searcheson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Save above the grid and name the search. It appears under SAVED SEARCHES.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap Save search in Search. Open one under Saved; touch and hold it to remove it.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Save search in Search. Open one under Saved; touch and hold it to remove it.
- Apple TVAdapted
Search shows saved searches as chips at the start of its row. Apple TV saves none.
Monochrome filter
Filter Browse to photographs whose selected treatment uses Monochrome.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Monochrome filteron each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Monochrome in the control band.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap Monochrome among Search’s filters.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Monochrome among Search’s filters.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Search on Apple TV has no Monochrome control; a saved search that uses it still applies.
Browse filters
Narrow photographs by rating, RAW files, edited treatments and Monochrome, alongside search.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Browse filterson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Set RAW only, Edited, Kept, Monochrome and the minimum rating in the control band. Rejected photographs stay hidden until Show rejected.
- iPhoneAdapted
Search opens with RAW only, Kept, Edited, Monochrome and Rated. Tap a star for the floor. Rejected photographs stay hidden until Show rejected.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Search opens with RAW only, Kept, Edited, Monochrome and Rated. Tap a star for the floor. Rejected photographs stay hidden until Show rejected.
- Apple TVAdapted
Search narrows by words, keywords, subjects, gear and year, and offers Show Rejected when only rejected photographs match; a saved search with ratings or statuses still applies.
Choosing photographs14 features
- Mac14
- iPhone13
- Duo13
- iPad13
- Apple TV1
Choosing in four phases
Review a shoot in four phases: Sweep, Rate, Inspect and Cleanup.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Choosing in four phaseson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press C, then the comma and full-stop keys to step through Sweep, Rate, Inspect and Cleanup.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap the phase name in the top bar to choose among the four.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap the phase name in the top bar, or press the comma and full-stop keys on a keyboard.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has Browse and Present only.
Verdicts and ratings
Keep or reject photographs and rate them from one to five stars using separate controls.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Verdicts and ratingson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press P to keep, X to reject, U to clear and 1–5 to rate.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap Keep, Reject or a star in Choose’s bar, or touch and hold a frame.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Keep, Reject or a star in Choose’s bar, touch and hold a frame, or use the keys.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV shows no ratings or verdicts and sets neither; a saved search made elsewhere still filters by them.
Grid
Browse adjustable thumbnails with range selection, four sort orders and rating and verdict marks.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Gridon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘1. Click, ⇧-click or ⌘-click to select; double-click to open in Loupe.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap a photograph to open it, or Select Photos to choose several. Pinch to resize.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap to open, Select Photos to choose several, pinch to resize. Arrow keys work on a keyboard.
- Apple TVAdapted
In Search, move with the remote and the focused photograph grows. Click it to present from there.
Sets
Group related photographs into sets and fold them to a cover photograph. With sync on, a set stays folded the same way on every device.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Setson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘K or right-click a selection for Stack into Set. ⇧K folds a set and ⌥K uses a photograph as its cover.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Browse, touch and hold a selected photograph for Stack into Set, or a set’s photograph for Fold Set, Use as Cover or Dissolve Set.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
In Browse, touch and hold a selected photograph for Stack into Set, or a set’s photograph for Fold Set, Use as Cover or Dissolve Set.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Search shows a folded set as its cover and an open one as its photographs, with no plate. The remote cannot fold or unfold it.
Loupe
View one photograph from fit to 400%, with a filmstrip and info panel.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Loupeon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘2 or double-click a photograph. Space toggles 100% and fit; I shows the info panel.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap a photograph to open it. Swipe to move, pinch or double-tap to zoom, pull down to close.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap a photograph to open it and pinch to zoom. The info panel is a column beside it.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Click a photograph to present it full screen.
Navigator and glass
Use the navigator above fit or press G at fit to inspect a detail at 100%, 200% or 400%.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Navigator and glasson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
The navigator appears above fit. At fit, press G for the glass.
- iPhoneAdapted
Pinch to look closer, up to 400%. There is no navigator or glass.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Pinch to look closer, up to 400%. There is no navigator or glass.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Presentations show the whole photograph.
Face close-up
Press N to see a photograph's faces in Info, below Rating and Verdict, at up to full size.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Face close-upon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press N in Loupe or Compare. The faces appear in Info, below Rating and Verdict.
- iPhoneAdapted
Face Close-Up is in the view menu over the loupe. The faces head the info sheet.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Face Close-Up is in the view menu. The faces head the info column, in Loupe and Compare.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Presentations show the whole photograph.
Compare
Compare up to six photographs with linked panning and individual alignment offsets.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Compareon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Select several photographs and press ⌘3. Pinch or drag to move every pane together.
- iPhoneAdapted
Compare is in the view menu and a held photograph’s More. Panes stack, or sit across in landscape.
- DuoAdapted
Closed, as on iPhone. Open, the panes tile across the whole display.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Compare from the view menu, or from More on a held photograph.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Compare. A show puts two upright photographs side by side.
Sharpest pane in Compare
Once every pane shows its original, a small mark names the photograph whose subject is sharpest. It decides nothing.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Sharpest pane in Compareon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Rest on a comparison. Once every pane shows its original, the sharpest subject’s caption carries the mark.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
The mark sits in the pane’s caption, as on the Mac.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
The mark sits in the pane’s caption, as on the Mac.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Compare.
Originals on demand
Browse local previews and load originals when you pause in Loupe, zoom, edit or request them.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Originals on demandon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Pause in Loupe, zoom past fit, open Develop or press Load original in the rendition panel.
- iPhoneAdapted
Pausing in Loupe, zooming or opening Develop fetches the original. Compare has Load originals.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Pausing in Loupe, zooming or opening Develop fetches the original. Compare has Load originals.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV fetches no originals. Its previews and a show’s pictures come from Photos at the size they are drawn.
Develop prewarm
Frames prepares the editing render while you pause on a photograph in Loupe, with progress in the control band.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Develop prewarmon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Pause on a photograph in Loupe; the ring in the control band shows the preparation.
- iPhoneNot yet
Develop shows a cached preview while the original loads.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
Develop shows a cached preview while the original loads.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Safe delete
Delete photographs only from Cleanup, with confirmation before files are removed.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Safe deleteon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
In Cleanup, click the red delete button at the foot of the rail and confirm.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
In Cleanup, tap the delete button in Choose’s bar and confirm.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
In Cleanup, tap the delete button in Choose’s bar and confirm.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Cleanup and deletes nothing.
Review controls
Use the control band to change phase, rate photographs and track review progress.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Review controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click a phase in the control band. Its inset line shows how much of that pile has gone.
- iPhoneAdapted
The phase menu in the top bar shows each pile’s count and sets Inspect’s floor.
- DuoAdapted
The phase menu in the top bar shows each pile’s count and sets Inspect’s floor.
- iPadAdapted
Large verdict discs and stars adapt to the window. Hover to preview, or slide across the controls and release to commit.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has Browse and Present only.
Review rail
Use phase-specific controls for keeping, rating and rescuing photographs, with position and verdict in the status bar.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Review railon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
The left rail holds the phase’s buttons; the status bar shows position and verdict.
- iPhoneAdapted
The phase’s buttons sit in a bar under the photograph, with Undo beside them.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, Undo and the phase’s buttons stand on the system’s rail down the trailing edge.
- iPadAdapted
The phase’s buttons sit in a bar under the photograph, with Undo beside them.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has Browse and Present only.
Editing and colour46 features
- Mac46
- iPhone43
- Duo43
- iPad43
- Apple TV5
Colour grading
Tint shadows, midtones, highlights or the whole selected target with one wheel, exact numeric controls, Balance and Blending. Works on Background and mask layers.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Colour gradingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose a tonal range and drag the wheel or edit its numeric rows in Colour Grading.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Colour, choose a tonal range in Colour Grading and drag the wheel or its numeric rows.
- DuoAdapted
In Colour, choose a tonal range in Colour Grading and drag the wheel or its numeric rows.
- iPadAdapted
In Colour, choose a tonal range in Colour Grading and drag the wheel or its numeric rows.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop. Saved colour grading and perspective render in Browse and Present.
Perspective correction
Correct convergence with Vertical, Horizontal and Aspect, or align four guides. Trim Empty Edges keeps empty edges out while preserving the stored crop.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Perspective correctionon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
In Crop & straighten, adjust Vertical, Horizontal and Aspect or align four guides and apply.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Crop, adjust Vertical, Horizontal and Aspect or drag four guides and apply.
- DuoAdapted
In Crop, adjust Vertical, Horizontal and Aspect or drag four guides and apply.
- iPadAdapted
In Crop, adjust Vertical, Horizontal and Aspect or drag four guides and apply.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop. Saved colour grading and perspective render in Browse and Present.
Version comparison
Reveal a saved reference and the editing version with a movable divider, shared framing and one zoom and pan. The reference recipe stays unchanged.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Version comparisonon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click the split button beside + in Develop's control band, or right-click a version, then choose a reference and drag the divider. A focused divider also uses arrow keys.
- iPhoneAdapted
Touch the split button beside + under Version, choose a reference and drag the divider. The split button in place of the eye closes it.
- DuoAdapted
Choose Compare With in the version menu, choose a reference and drag the divider. The split button in place of the eye closes it.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Compare With in the version menu, choose a reference and drag the divider. The split button in place of the eye closes it.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no version comparison.
Shortcuts Develop actions
Set a Develop control, reset adjustments or set a crop with Apple Shortcuts, on the photograph open in Develop or on photographs a shortcut found.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Shortcuts Develop actionson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add Frames actions in Shortcuts and pass their results to the next step.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; writing automation actions run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Non-destructive editing
Edits are stored in Frames’ catalogue and leave original files unchanged.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Non-destructive editingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press D and edit. The recipe is kept in the catalogue and the original file is left as it was.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Choose Develop and edit. The recipe is kept in the catalogue and the original is left as it was.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Develop and edit. The recipe is kept in the catalogue and the original is left as it was.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop and changes no file.
Recipes
Frames saves adjustments automatically as recipes, including when you leave a photograph or quit during a drag.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Recipeson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Adjustments save 400 ms after the last change, and at once when you leave a photograph.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Adjustments save as you work, and at once when you leave a photograph or Develop.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Adjustments save as you work, and at once when you leave a photograph or Develop.
- Apple TVAdapted
A prepared presentation draws each photograph from its chosen recipe.
Copy and paste edits
Copy with ⇧⌘C and review with ⇧⌘V. Apply chosen adjustments to one or many frames as new versions by default, with explicit update choices and guarded Undo. The copied recipe survives restarts and is shared by windows on this device.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Copy and paste editson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⇧⌘C in Develop, then ⇧⌘V on another photograph. The status bar names what stayed behind.
- iPhoneAdapted
Copy Treatment and Paste Treatment are in Develop’s … menu; Paste Treatment… on a selection picks parts.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Copy Treatment and Paste Treatment are in Develop’s … menu; Paste Treatment… on a selection picks parts.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
RAW 9 decoding
Frames uses Apple’s on-device RAW 9 decoder for files that support it.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
RAW 9 decodingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Develop decodes with RAW 9 wherever the file supports it; Detail shows the controls it offers.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Develop decodes with RAW 9 wherever the file and device support it.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Develop decodes with RAW 9 wherever the file and device support it.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV decodes no RAW files. A show draws the picture Photos makes of each photograph.
Per-camera controls
Develop shows the RAW controls supported by each photograph and its decoder.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Per-camera controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open Develop; each group shows only the controls this file and its decoder support.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Develop shows supported controls within four stable tasks.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Develop’s column shows only the groups and controls this file supports.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
White balance
Adjust temperature and tint, or sample a neutral area with the RAW white-balance picker.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
White balanceon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Temperature and Tint, or press W on a RAW file and click a neutral area.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Adjust first. Drag Temperature and Tint in Light. On a RAW file, tap Pick White Balance, then a grey area.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Drag Temperature and Tint in the column. On a RAW file, tap Pick White Balance, then a grey area.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Develop tasks
Move between Looks, Adjust, Crop and Local. Related adjustments stay together in Light, Colour and Finish.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoadapted
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Develop taskson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Use Looks, Adjust, Crop and Local above the inspector. Each button scrolls its section heading to the top and highlights the current section as you scroll; Reduce Motion makes the jump immediate.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap the selected task to collapse or reopen the drawer, including from the closed iPhone Duo’s side rail. Choosing another task opens its controls. Adjust and Local remember their last section.
- DuoAdapted
The selected task is highlighted on the folded rail and open inspector. On a table, the four tasks share one row when space permits, leaving more height for adjustments.
- iPadSame as Mac
Use Looks, Adjust, Crop and Local above the inspector to jump to their controls.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Tone sliders
Adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Tone sliderson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks in Tone.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Drag the six sliders in Develop’s Light tab.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag the six sliders in Tone, in Develop’s column.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Tone curve
Edit composite and RGB point curves directly, or drag on the photograph to adjust a sampled tone.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Tone curveon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click the plot to add a point and drag it, or press T and drag on the photograph.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Adjust, then Light. Expand the Curve group to add and drag points. Pick from photograph adds a point at the tone you tap.
- DuoAdapted
Propped across a table, the photograph sits above and the curve below, on the flat half.
- iPadAdapted
Tap the plot to add a point and drag it. Pick from photograph adds a point at the tone you tap.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Focus peaking
Press K to highlight sharp edges measured from original pixels in green.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Focus peakingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press K in Loupe, Compare or Develop, or click the peaking button beside the glass.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Loupe or Compare, turn on Focus peaking in the view menu. Develop on iPhone draws none.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
In Loupe or Compare, turn on Focus peaking in the view menu or press K. Develop on iPad draws none.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV draws no marks on a photograph.
Colour mixer
Adjust hue, saturation and luminance across eight colour bands, selected directly or from the photograph.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Colour mixeron each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Pick a band from the strip and drag its three sliders, or press H and click a colour.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Colour, tap a band and a property, then drag. Pick from photograph chooses the band you tap.
- DuoAdapted
Propped across a table, the photograph sits above and the mixer below, on the flat half.
- iPadAdapted
Tap a band and a property, then drag. Pick from photograph chooses the band you tap.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Looks
Apply one of 32 included looks at adjustable strength, save your own or import Lightroom presets.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Lookson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press L and click a look. Click the applied look again to remove it and preserve your adjustments; Undo restores it. The + menu saves or imports looks.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Looks, tap a look to apply it. Tap the applied look again to remove it and preserve your adjustments; Undo restores the look. + saves or imports.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
In Looks above the inspector, tap a look to apply it. Tap the applied look again to remove it and preserve your adjustments; Undo restores the look.
- Apple TVAdapted
Presentations show each photograph’s look.
Monochrome process
Switch to Monochrome for black-and-white conversion controls and toning.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Monochrome processon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Monochrome at the top of Develop’s sidebar.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Tap Monochrome at the head of Develop’s Colour tab.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Monochrome ahead of the Colour group in Develop’s column.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Lens filters and bands
Choose a monochrome filter and adjust eight bands to control how original colours become grey.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Lens filters and bandson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Under Monochrome, click a filter, then drag the eight band sliders.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Under Monochrome in the Colour tab, tap a filter, then drag the eight band sliders.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Under Monochrome in the column, tap a filter, then drag the eight band sliders.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Toning
Tint monochrome shadows and highlights with presets or hue, strength and balance controls.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Toningon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Under Toning, click a preset, or set the hues, strengths and balance.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Under Toning in the Colour tab, tap a preset, or drag the hue, strength and balance sliders.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Under Toning in the column, tap a preset, or drag the hue, strength and balance sliders.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Vibrance and saturation
Adjust overall colour intensity with two controls in the Colour group.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Vibrance and saturationon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Vibrance and Saturation in the Colour group.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Drag Vibrance and Saturation in Develop’s Colour tab.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag Vibrance and Saturation in the Colour group of the column.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Presence
Adjust clarity, texture and dehaze across the photograph or within a mask.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Presenceon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Clarity, Texture and Dehaze in Presence, with Background or a layer selected.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Drag Clarity, Texture and Dehaze in the Finish section, for the whole photograph or a mask.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag Clarity, Texture and Dehaze in Presence, for the whole photograph or a mask.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Vignette and grain
Add a crop-relative vignette and film grain. Choose a stock and format in the grain popover, with a preview strip below.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Vignette and grainon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Vignette and Grain in Effects; click the row under Grain to choose a stock and format.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Adjust, then Finish. Grain Editor offers Amount, Stock, Format and a preview.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Under Finish, open the row below Grain to choose Stock and Format and see a preview.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Halation
Add a warm highlight glow in Colour or a neutral glow in Monochrome.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Halationon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag Halation in Effects. Monochrome makes the glow neutral.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Drag Halation in the Finish section. Monochrome makes the glow neutral.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag Halation in Effects, in the column. Monochrome makes the glow neutral.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Grain of its own
New grain edits use a photograph-specific pattern that remains stable between renders.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Grain of its ownon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Raise Grain; the photograph’s own seed keeps the pattern the same on every render.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Raise Grain; the photograph’s own seed keeps the pattern the same on every render.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Raise Grain; the photograph’s own seed keeps the pattern the same on every render.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Lens corrections
Apply a saved lensfun profile or manual distortion adjustment before other edits.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Lens correctionson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open Lens and click Apply beside the profile found, or drag Distortion on its own.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Under Lens in the Finish section, tap Apply beside the profile found, or drag Distortion.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Under Lens in the column, tap Apply beside the profile found, or drag Distortion.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
RAW detail controls
Use the sharpness, noise, moiré and other Detail controls supported by the current RAW file.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
RAW detail controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open Detail; it shows the sharpness, noise, moiré and other controls this file supports.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. Drag the Detail sliders in the Finish section; only those this file supports appear.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag the Detail sliders in the column; only those this file supports appear.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
HDR gain map
Adjust HDR strength on supported RAW files with a gain map, starting from zero.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
HDR gain mapon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
On a file with a gain map, drag HDR in Detail. It starts at zero; press J to watch clipping.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Adjust first. On a file with a gain map, drag HDR under Detail in the Finish section. It starts at zero.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
On a file with a gain map, drag HDR under Detail in the column. It starts at zero.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Crop and straighten
Crop with eight aspect choices including Free, five composition guides and four ways to set the angle.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Crop and straightenon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press R, or click the crop button on the folded Crop heading, then drag the handles. Straighten with the slider, a drag outside or ⌘-drag along a line.
- iPhoneAdapted
In Crop, drag the rectangle or its grips and pick an aspect. Straighten with Angle or Auto level.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Crop, drag the rectangle or its grips and pick an aspect. Straighten with Angle or Auto level.
- Apple TVAdapted
Presentations show each photograph’s crop.
Rotation and flips
Rotate the cropped photograph left or right in 90° steps, or flip horizontally and vertically. Close the crop tool with Done to use the orientation buttons.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Rotation and flipson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Close the crop tool with Done, then click the rotate and flip buttons in Crop & straighten.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Close the crop with Done, then tap the rotate and flip buttons in the Crop tab.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Close the crop with Done, then tap the rotate and flip buttons under Crop in the column.
- Apple TVAdapted
Presentations show each photograph’s orientation.
Auto Level
Detect and level a horizon automatically, with a message when no horizon is found.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Auto Levelon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click Auto Level in Crop & straighten. The panel says so when no horizon is found.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Tap Auto Level beside Crop. It says No horizon found when there is none.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Auto Level beside Crop. It says No horizon found when there is none.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Spot and stroke repairs
Press Q, then click to heal or clone a spot. Option-drag paints a longer repair; drag an empty area to pan.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Spot and stroke repairson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press Q, click a blemish for a spot, or ⌥-drag to paint a stroke. A plain drag pans.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. In Repairs, tap Repair, then tap a blemish for a spot or drag to paint a stroke.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Under Repairs in the column, tap Repair, then tap a blemish for a spot or drag to paint a stroke.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Found repair source
Frames finds nearby source material for each repair. Drag the source grip to choose a different area.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Found repair sourceon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Select a repair and drag its source grip, or choose Source → Automatic to let Frames choose again.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Select a repair and drag its source grip, or tap Automatic source to let Frames choose again.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Select a repair and drag its source grip, or tap Automatic source to let Frames choose again.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Dust maps
Save sensor spots and apply them to a selection or camera date range, with a summary and one-step undo.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Dust mapson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Under Repairs, Save spots as… names a map; Apply map puts it on a selection or a camera’s span.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. Dust maps… in Repairs saves spots and applies a map to this photograph or a selection.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Open Local first. Dust maps… in Repairs saves spots and applies a map to this photograph or a selection.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Find dust
Press ⇧K in Develop to highlight possible sensor dust and adjust the detection threshold.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Find duston each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⇧K in Develop to mark likely dust in amber, and drag Threshold.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. Tap Find dust in Repairs to mark likely dust in amber, and drag the threshold slider.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Open Local first. Tap Find dust in Repairs to mark likely dust in amber, and drag the threshold slider.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Composition review
Explore framing from your intention, an on-device reading of the photograph, measured observations and suggested crops, as a layer over Develop. Currently available on Mac.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Composition reviewon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click the Frames mark to lay Composition over the photograph, then click the card to expand the review.
- iPhoneNot yet
Composition review is being improved before it comes to this device.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
Composition review is being improved before it comes to this device.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop or Composition review.
Snapped repair stroke
Enable Snap to extend a repair stroke over detected objects it crosses.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Snapped repair strokeon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Leave Snap on and ⌥-drag a stroke across an object to cover all of it.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
With Repair on, turn on Snap to objects and drag a stroke across an object.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
With Repair on, turn on Snap to objects and drag a stroke across an object.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Interactive rendering
Most adjustments use a cached RAW decode, while RAW white balance and Detail trigger a new decode.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Interactive renderingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Drag any control; only RAW white balance and Detail decode the file again.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Drag any control; only RAW white balance and Detail decode the file again.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Drag any control; only RAW white balance and Detail decode the file again.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Honest histogram
Measure the histogram from original decodes and click clipping indicators to highlight affected pixels.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Honest histogramon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Read it in Loupe’s info panel or Develop. Click a clipping mark, or press J or ⇧J.
- iPhoneAdapted
Turn on Histogram in Develop’s … menu and tap its clipping marks. Loupe’s view menu marks clipping.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
The histogram heads Develop’s column; tap its clipping marks, or press J or ⇧J.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV shows no histogram.
Before and after
Hold / in Develop to view the unedited photograph through the current crop.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Before and afteron each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Hold / in Develop. The crop stays as it is while you hold.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Touch and hold the eye in Develop’s band to see the photograph as shot.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Touch and hold the eye on the band under the photograph to see it as shot.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Edited previews
Saved edited previews let Grid display the selected treatment and its edited mark.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Edited previewson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Leave an edited photograph; Grid then shows its treatment and the edited mark.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Leave an edited photograph; Grid then shows its treatment and the edited mark.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Leave an edited photograph; Grid then shows its treatment and the edited mark.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV makes none, and its grid draws no marks.
Version picker
Switch between saved treatments and ORIGINAL for viewing and export.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Version pickeron each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click a segment in the control band, or + to add one. Right-click to rename or delete.
- iPhoneAdapted
Version in Develop’s … menu picks a treatment or ORIGINAL, or adds one. There is no rename or delete.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Version in Develop’s … menu picks a treatment or ORIGINAL, or adds one. There is no rename or delete.
- Apple TVAdapted
Presentations show each photograph’s chosen treatment.
Moving a treatment
Copy and paste between treatment segments, with confirmation before replacing edits and undo when full restoration is available.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Moving a treatmenton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Right-click a segment for Copy Treatment, then right-click another for Paste Treatment.
- iPhoneNot yet
The version menu has no copy. Paste Treatment works between photographs.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
The version menu has no copy. Paste Treatment works between photographs.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Develop Field Guide
Question marks beside Develop’s controls open an explanation of what each does, what to try and how Frames processes it.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Develop Field Guideon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ? in Develop and click a question mark beside a control, or choose Develop Field Guide from Help.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Choose Help Buttons from Develop’s … menu, then tap a question mark. The slider stays live above its article.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Help Buttons from Develop’s … menu, then tap a question mark. The slider stays live above its article.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Auto tone
Set a starting point for the six Tone sliders with one click and undo it in one step.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Auto toneon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Auto Tone in Light shows its current mode. Press it to repeat that mode, or choose and apply another from its options menu.
- iPhoneAdapted
Auto Tone in Light shows its current mode. Press it to repeat that mode, or choose and apply another from its options menu.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Auto Tone in Light shows its current mode. Press it to repeat that mode, or choose and apply another from its options menu.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Soft proofing
Preview sRGB, Display P3, Adobe RGB or ProPhoto and highlight out-of-gamut colours.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Soft proofingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click the proofing button beside peaking, choose a space, and press ⇧⌘Y for the warning.
- iPhoneNot yet
Develop has no proofing space or gamut warning here.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
Develop has no proofing space or gamut warning here.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Undo and reset
Undo edits to the current photograph, reset an adjustment group or bypass it temporarily.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Undo and reseton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘Z to undo and ⇧⌘Z to redo. Each group header has RESET and a bypass switch.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap the undo arrow or shake; Redo is in the … menu. Each group has a reset glyph and a bypass switch.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap the undo or redo arrow, or press ⌘Z. Each group has a reset glyph and a bypass switch.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Masks and local adjustments14 features
- Mac14
- iPhone13
- Duo13
- iPad13
- Apple TV2
Mask layers
Apply adjustments through named layers with colour, visibility and opacity controls.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Mask layerson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click + in Layers or press M. Right-click a layer to rename, colour or invert it; drag it to reorder.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. Each layer in the Layers tab has a switch, Opacity and a … menu, with no rename, colour or reorder.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Each layer under Layers has a switch, Opacity and a … menu, with no rename, colour or reorder.
- Apple TVAdapted
Apple TV has no Develop. Presentations draw each photograph’s layers.
Drawn masks
Draw Radial, Linear and Brush masks that remain aligned through crop and straighten.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Drawn maskson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press M and drag on the photograph. Switch Radial, Linear and Brush in the row at the foot of Layers.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. Tap Radial, Linear or Brush in Layers and drag on the photograph; drag a handle to reshape.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Open Local first. Tap Radial, Linear or Brush in Layers and drag on the photograph; drag a handle to reshape.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
AI subject masks
Create layers from subjects, background, sky, people and objects detected on your Mac.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
AI subject maskson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click + in Layers and click a detected thumbnail, such as Subject, Background, a person or Sky.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. In the Layers tab, tap Find subjects, then tap a detected mask. Detection runs on the iPhone.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Under Layers, tap Find subjects, then tap a detected mask. Detection runs on the iPad.
- Apple TVAdapted
Apple TV has no Develop. Presentations draw subject masks.
People by part
Create separate or combined masks for available face parts, hair and clothes.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
People by parton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click + in Layers, then People by part. Pick people and parts, and choose A layer for each or one layer.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Once Find subjects finds a person, tap People by part, pick people and parts, then make the layers.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Once Find subjects finds a person, tap People by part, pick people and parts, then make the layers.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Hover to mask
Press M, hover over a detected object and click its highlight to create a mask layer.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Hover to maskon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press M and hover over the photograph. Click a highlighted object to make it a layer.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. There is no hover. Tap Find subjects in the Layers tab and tap a detected mask in the list.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
There is no hover, even with a pointer. Tap Find subjects under Layers and tap a detected mask.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Select tool
Click or draw a box to select an object, then click to include areas or ⌥-click to exclude them.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Select toolon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Select at the foot of Layers. Click or drag a box, click to include and ⌥-click to exclude.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. On iOS 27 or later, tap Select in Layers, then tap or drag a box. Tap to add; turn on Exclude from selection to remove.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
On iPadOS 27 or later, tap Select under Layers, then tap or drag a box. Tap to add; turn on Exclude from selection to remove.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Snapping brush
Enable Snap to include detected objects crossed by a brush stroke while retaining the painted line.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Snapping brushon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Brush, turn on Snap and paint across an object to take in all of it.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. With Brush on in the Layers tab, turn on Snap to objects and paint across an object.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
With Brush on under Layers, turn on Snap to objects and paint across an object.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Mask components
Add, subtract, reorder or disable individual shapes within a mask layer.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Mask componentson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Select a layer for its shape chips: switch add or subtract, click an eye to hide, drag to reorder.
- iPhoneAdapted
Select a layer; a shape’s … menu adds, subtracts, hides or deletes it. Shapes cannot be reordered.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Select a layer; a shape’s … menu adds, subtracts, hides or deletes it. Shapes cannot be reordered.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Mask overlays
Press V to cycle hidden, tint, zebra and matte views of the selected mask.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Mask overlayson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press V to cycle hidden, tint, zebra and matte, or pick one from the Layers header menu.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Local first. Tap Mask view in the Layers tab and choose Off, Tint, Zebra or Matte.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Mask view under Layers and choose Off, Tint, Zebra or Matte.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Portable masks
Copied detected masks are recalculated for the destination photograph.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Portable maskson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Copy with ⇧⌘C and paste with ⇧⌘V. A detected mask finds the subject of the photograph it lands on.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Copy and paste a treatment from Develop’s … menu. A detected mask finds the new photograph’s subject.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Copy and paste a treatment from Develop’s … menu. A detected mask finds the new photograph’s subject.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Range masks
Select a brightness band with Low, High and Falloff, or sample a colour and set its tolerance.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Range maskson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Luminance range or Colour range from + in Layers, then click its chip to set the band or Pick.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. Tap Luminance range or Colour range in Layers, then its chip. Pick Colour samples a tapped colour.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Tap Luminance range or Colour range under Layers, then its chip. Pick Colour samples a tapped colour.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Layer invert
Choose Invert to apply a layer outside its combined mask.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Layer inverton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Right-click a layer and choose Invert.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. Choose Invert mask from a layer’s … menu in the Layers tab.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Choose Invert mask from a layer’s … menu under Layers.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Mask selectivity
Limit individual mask shapes to matching colour and brightness, including subtracting shapes.
Macavailable
iPhonenot yet
Duonot yet
iPadnot yet
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Mask selectivityon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click a shape’s chip, turn on Selectivity and set Chroma and Luma.
- iPhoneNot yet
An existing selectivity still renders; it cannot be set here.
- DuoNot yet
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot yet
An existing selectivity still renders; it cannot be set here.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Mask diffusion
Soften the combined layer mask with Diffusion, alongside individual shape feather controls.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Mask diffusionon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Select a layer and set Diffusion beside Opacity. Each drawn shape keeps its own feather.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Open Local first. Select a layer in the Layers tab and set Diffusion. Radial has a feather handle and Brush has Soft.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Select a layer under Layers and set Diffusion. Radial has a feather handle and Brush has Soft.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop.
Export and sharing11 features
- Mac11
- iPhone11
- Duo11
- iPad11
- Apple TV0
Shortcuts file processing
Process incoming image files and return exports without adding the inputs to the library.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Shortcuts file processingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add Frames actions in Shortcuts and pass their results to the next step.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; writing automation actions run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Export
Press E in any mode to export the selection, or in Develop the photograph on screen, to a folder or the macOS share sheet. Choose format, size, metadata and naming, with download and space estimates.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Exporton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press E or choose Photo › Export… in any mode. Under Send to, choose Share or Folder, then click Share or Export.
- iPhoneAdapted
Tap Export with photographs selected or Export… in the view menu, in Browse or Choose; in Develop, Export… in the ⋯ menu. Send to Files or share.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Tap Export with photographs selected or Export… in the view menu, in Browse or Choose; in Develop, Export… in the ⋯ menu; or press E.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Publish to Photos
Allow publishing to send edited renderings to Photos, with Revert available and iCloud Photos sync supported.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Publish to Photoson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Publish when Frames asks, or set it in Settings › Ratings & Photos or the Photos source panel. Revert in Photos is in Develop.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Publish when asked, or set it in Settings › Ratings & Photos. Revert in Photos is in Develop.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Publish when asked, or set it in Settings › Ratings & Photos. Revert in Photos is in Develop.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no Develop and publishes nothing.
Export formats
Save JPEG, HEIF, 16-bit TIFF, or PNG at 8 or 16 bits.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Export formatson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose the format under The file in the export window.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Pick JPEG, HEIF, TIFF or PNG under File in the export sheet.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Pick JPEG, HEIF, TIFF or PNG under File in the export sheet.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Export colour spaces
Choose sRGB, Display P3 or Adobe RGB, with ProPhoto available for 16-bit output.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Export colour spaceson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose the colour space under The file in the export window.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Pick the colour space under File in the export sheet. ProPhoto needs a 16-bit format.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Pick the colour space under File in the export sheet. ProPhoto needs a 16-bit format.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Resize and sharpen
Resize by long edge or percentage and apply output sharpening after resampling.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Resize and sharpenon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Set a long edge or a percentage, and the sharpening, under Size in the export window.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose full size or a long edge, and the sharpening. A preset’s fit or percentage exports as saved.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose full size or a long edge, and the sharpening. A preset’s fit or percentage exports as saved.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Watermarks
Add text or image watermarks with nine positions, size, inset and opacity controls.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Watermarkson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open The mark, click its preview grid to place it, and set size, inset and opacity.
- iPhoneAdapted
The sheet adds no mark. A preset’s text mark is drawn; an image mark exports only where it was chosen.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
The sheet adds no mark. A preset’s text mark is drawn; an image mark exports only where it was chosen.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Export presets
Save, rename and reuse export settings, including the destination.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Export presetson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Pick a preset above the settings. The ⋯ menu saves, renames and deletes them.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Pick a preset at the top of the export sheet, or save, rename or delete one there.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Pick a preset at the top of the export sheet, or save, rename or delete one there.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Metadata controls
Choose whether exports include camera information, capture date, location and copyright.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Metadata controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Use the four switches under Metadata in the export window. Location starts off.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Use the four switches under Metadata in the export sheet.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Use the four switches under Metadata in the export sheet.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
File naming
Build folder and filename patterns from dates, sequence numbers and photograph metadata.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
File namingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Type patterns under Naming. The { } button lists the tokens and the path shows below.
- iPhoneAdapted
Type filename and subfolder patterns with the same tokens. The sheet has no token list.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Type filename and subfolder patterns with the same tokens. The sheet has no token list.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Existing-file handling
Choose Replace, Skip or Keep both for files already at the export destination.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Existing-file handlingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Choose Replace, Skip or Keep both in the export window before it starts.
- iPhoneAdapted
A file already there is kept, and the export takes a numbered name beside it.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
A file already there is kept, and the export takes a numbered name beside it.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no export.
Devices and workflow22 features
- Mac22
- iPhone19
- Duo19
- iPad19
- Apple TV6
Automator and script workflows
Run named shortcuts from Automator, Finder Quick Actions and scripts on Mac.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Automator and script workflowson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Run a named shortcut from Automator, Finder or Terminal.
- iPhoneNot on this device
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- DuoNot on this device
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot on this device
Use Frames actions in Shortcuts on this device.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; writing automation actions run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Spotlight search
Find albums, Frames collections and the photographs you kept, rated, captioned or gave keywords from Spotlight. A chosen photograph opens in the loupe with your words in Frames’ search.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Spotlight searchon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press Command-Space and type an album, a collection, or a photograph’s filename, caption or keyword.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Swipe down on the Home Screen and type the same words.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Swipe down on the Home Screen and type the same words.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present, and Frames adds nothing to its search.
Siri collection phrases
Open or present a Photos album or a Frames collection by asking Siri.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Siri collection phraseson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Say “Open album in Frames” or “Present album in Frames”.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Say the same phrases, or run them from Shortcuts.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Say the same phrases, or run them from Shortcuts.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; Frames has no Siri phrases there.
Siri work phrases
Ask Siri to show what is left to choose or develop, give the selected photographs stars, or present your best photographs.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Siri work phraseson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Say “Show what’s left to choose in Frames”, “Show what’s left to develop in Frames”, “Give this four stars in Frames” or “Present my best photographs in Frames”.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Say the same phrases, or run them from Shortcuts.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Say the same phrases, or run them from Shortcuts.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present; Frames has no Siri phrases there.
Handoff
Continue with the photograph in the loupe or Develop on another device. When it has yet to reach that device, Frames says so and downloads nothing.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Handoffon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Open a photograph in the loupe or Develop, then take it from the other device’s Dock or app switcher.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Take the photograph from the app switcher; it opens in the same mode.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Take the photograph from the app switcher; it opens in the same mode.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no loupe or Develop to hand off from.
Widgets
See work left to choose or develop, recent edits, highest-rated photographs and collections from the desktop or Home Screen.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Widgetson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add a Frames widget to the desktop or Notification Centre. Click a photograph on it to open that photograph in Frames.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Add a Home Screen widget or a compact count on the Lock Screen.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Add a Home Screen widget and choose a collection if wanted.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no WidgetKit widgets; its Top Shelf view presents photographs separately.
Judge from a widget
Keep or reject the next photograph from the latest import in the Left to Choose widget. The verdict is written in Frames and syncs like any other, and the next photograph appears.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Judge from a widgeton each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add the medium or large Left to Choose widget to the desktop, then press Keep or Reject.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Add the medium or large Left to Choose widget to the Home Screen; its buttons work once the iPhone is unlocked.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Add the medium or large Left to Choose widget to the Home Screen; its buttons work once the iPad is unlocked.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no WidgetKit widgets and writes no verdict.
Work waiting controls
Open Left to Choose or Left to Develop from a Control Centre control.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Work waiting controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
On macOS 26 or later, add Left to Choose or Left to Develop to Control Centre.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Add either control to Control Centre or the Lock Screen, or assign it to the Action button.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Add either control to Control Centre or the Lock Screen.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV offers Browse and Present and has no Control Centre controls.
Present anywhere
Start Present from a Control Centre control, a slideshow widget or Top Shelf.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Present anywhereon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Add a Slideshow widget, or on macOS 26 add the Present control to Control Centre.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Add a Slideshow widget or a Present control to Control Centre, Lock Screen or Action button.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Add a Slideshow widget or a Present control to Control Centre or Lock Screen.
- Apple TVAdapted
Put Frames in the Home Screen top row; Top Shelf shows On this day, Best of and the newest trip across the screen, and plays each or opens it as a mosaic.
Background progress
Imports, exports, presentation preparation and other jobs you start keep going, and keep reporting truthfully, when you leave Frames.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Background progresson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Follow long jobs on the Dock icon; a completion notification appears when the window is not key.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Started jobs continue outside Frames; follow them on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island.
- DuoSame as Mac
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Started jobs continue outside Frames; follow them as Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV counts an import on Home and adds no Live Activity.
On-device AI
RAW processing, mask detection and horizon detection run on your device.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
On-device AIon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Vision and Core Image run on the Mac. Photographs are never uploaded to be processed.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
RAW decoding, mask and horizon detection, and scene analysis run on the device itself.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
RAW decoding, mask and horizon detection, and scene analysis run on the device itself.
- Apple TVAdapted
Scene analysis for Search and each presentation’s rendering run on the Apple TV. It has no Develop.
Keyboard-first
Use shortcuts for reviewing and editing photographs, and press ? for contextual help.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Keyboard-firston each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Every review and edit has a key. Press ? to see the keys beside the controls in the window.
- iPhoneAdapted
With a keyboard attached, the Mac’s Choose and view keys work, and ? turns the help buttons on and off in Develop.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
With a keyboard attached, the Mac’s Choose and view keys work, and ? turns the help buttons on and off in Develop.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV is driven by the Siri Remote and has no help overlay.
Activity queue
Track library, photograph and output work in one panel, with progress, errors and recent history.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Activity queueon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Click the activity ring in the control band. The panel floats while you keep working.
- iPhoneAdapted
Choose Activity from the view menu or Develop’s … menu for progress, Stop, retries and recent work.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
Choose Activity from the view menu or Develop’s … menu for progress, Stop, retries and recent work.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV counts an import on Home and has no activity queue.
Progressive loading
Photographs appear from available previews and improve as better renditions become ready.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Progressive loadingon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
A photograph opens from the best preview on hand and sharpens as better renditions arrive.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
A photograph opens from the best preview on hand and sharpens as better renditions arrive.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
A photograph opens from the best preview on hand and sharpens as better renditions arrive.
- Apple TVAdapted
A show draws the cached preview first, then a picture at the screen’s size from Photos once it arrives.
Committed dark
The interface stays dark in every system appearance to keep viewing conditions consistent.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVavailable
On each device
Committed darkon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Nothing to set. Frames stays dark whatever the system appearance.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Nothing to set. Frames stays dark in Light and Dark Mode, from the launch screen on.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
Nothing to set. Frames stays dark in Light and Dark Mode, from the launch screen on.
- Apple TVSame as Mac
Nothing to set. Frames stays dark whatever the Apple TV’s appearance.
Native macOS
Frames uses native macOS controls and Metal-backed photograph views.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Native macOSon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
AppKit and SwiftUI controls, menus and windows, around Metal-backed photograph views.
- iPhoneNot on this device
Native UIKit and SwiftUI controls, with a Metal-backed photograph view.
- DuoNot on this device
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot on this device
Native UIKit and SwiftUI controls, with a Metal-backed photograph view.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV uses tvOS’s own controls and focus engine, driven by the Siri Remote.
Across devices
Browse, choose and develop on Mac, iPhone and iPad; present kept and developed frames with large controls, and use touch controls on Duo with a whole-photo overview beside a persistent 100% detail preview in Develop. Apple TV offers Browse and Present.
Macavailable
iPhoneavailable
Duoadapted
iPadavailable
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Across deviceson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
The whole application: Browse, Choose, Develop, Present and export, with menus, keys and rawctl.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
Browse, Choose, Develop, Present and export with touch controls.
- DuoAdapted
In Develop, keep the whole photograph on the left page and a persistent 100% detail preview beside the controls on the right. A fold keeps your place.
- iPadSame as Mac
Browse, Choose, Develop, Present and export, with room for the Library, photograph and panel.
- Apple TVAdapted
Apple TV curates its own Photos library into shelves and presents it. It edits nothing.
Manual in the app
Search the bundled manual by tool or task, browse chapters and sync bookmarked topics through iCloud.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Manual in the appon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Press ⌘? or choose Frames Manual from Help. It opens in a window of its own. Bookmark topics here; they sync through iCloud.
- iPhoneAdapted
Open Settings › Frames Manual. Read offline, search the full text and return to your reading position. Bookmark topics here; they sync through iCloud.
- DuoAdapted
Open Settings › Frames Manual. The reader adapts its contents to the available width. Bookmark topics here; they sync through iCloud.
- iPadAdapted
Open Settings › Frames Manual. A chapter sidebar sits beside the page when there is room. Bookmark topics here; they sync through iCloud.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV has no manual or help overlay.
Accessible controls
Controls have accessibility labels, grouped star rows and phase announcements for VoiceOver.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVadapted
On each device
Accessible controlson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
VoiceOver reads each control’s label, a star row as one group and each phase with its count, and announces each verdict, rating and new version.
- iPhoneAdapted
VoiceOver reads the stars as one Rating you swipe up or down. Controls reflow at larger text sizes.
- DuoAdapted
Open, as on iPad. Closed, as on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
VoiceOver reads the stars as one Rating you swipe up or down. At larger text, panels open as sheets.
- Apple TVAdapted
Apple TV draws tvOS’s standard buttons and lists for VoiceOver. It has no star row.
rawctl
Import, inspect, render and troubleshoot through a command-line tool using the same catalogue.
Macavailable
iPhonenot available
Duonot available
iPadnot available
Apple TVnot available
On each device
rawctlon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Run rawctl in Terminal. It works on the same catalogue as the application.
- iPhoneNot on this device
rawctl is a command-line tool for the Mac.
- DuoNot on this device
As on iPhone.
- iPadNot on this device
rawctl is a command-line tool for the Mac.
- Apple TVNot on this device
rawctl is a command-line tool for the Mac.
App icon choices
After purchase, choose Silver, Glowing, Halo, Obsidian, Porcelain or Contour in Settings. The choice is saved on each device.
Macadapted
iPhoneavailable
Duoavailable
iPadavailable
Apple TVnot available
On each device
App icon choiceson each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
After purchase, choose one of six app icons under Settings › General › Purchase. It changes the Dock icon while Frames runs.
- iPhoneSame as Mac
After purchase, choose one of six app icons on the Purchase page of Settings to change the Home Screen icon.
- DuoSame as Mac
As on iPhone.
- iPadSame as Mac
After purchase, choose one of six app icons on the Purchase page of Settings to change the Home Screen icon.
- Apple TVNot on this device
Apple TV keeps its standard app icon.
Getting started
Start with small tips on Choose, Keep and Develop, meet other features through later tips, and open in-app guidance whenever you want to learn more.
Macavailable
iPhoneadapted
Duoadapted
iPadadapted
Apple TVnot available
On each device
Getting startedon each device
Full instructions are in the app- Mac
Small tips point at Choose, Keep and Develop in turn; open the companion from Help › Getting Started.
- iPhoneAdapted
A photograph welcomes you. Small tips point at Choose, Keep and Develop in turn, or at Keep alone where the modes are tabs.
- DuoAdapted
As on iPhone.
- iPadAdapted
A photograph welcomes you. Small tips point at Choose, Keep and Develop in turn, or at Keep alone where the modes are tabs.
- Apple TVNot on this device
A new Apple TV offers one button, Show My Photographs, and Home fills in as the previews land.
New to Frames? Read the feature guide. For full instructions, open the manual in the app.