Support & Help Center

Get answers to common questions or reach out to us directly for assistance. Step-by-step guides for the Mac app and the companion apps live in the Help center.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are my thumbnails not showing up?
  If your library is extremely large, the background indexing might still be running. You can force a rebuild by right-clicking your library in the sidebar and selecting "Rebuild Thumbnails".


• Can I move my photos to another hard drive?
  Yes! LocalPhotos builds metadata in the specific folder you chose during library registration. If you move your entire media folder to an external drive, you just need to ensure the metadata folder comes with it or you point the app to it, and all your faces and albums will transfer instantly.


• Does the app require an internet connection?
  The core Mac library works without an internet connection, and photos are never uploaded to LocalPhotos servers. If you enable Places, exact GPS coordinates are sent to Apple to resolve place names, and map viewport requests go to Apple Maps. Companion Sync, NAS, and iCloud features connect only to equipment or services you choose.


• Is the free trial the full app?
  Yes. The 21-day trial has no feature caps. When it expires, already processed content remains browsable in view-only mode. Editing, imports, new processing, export and sharing, library changes, and Companion Sync pause until you buy Lifetime Pro. Nothing is deleted and no payment is taken automatically.


• What does the "Lifetime Pro" license include?
  It's a one-time purchase that gives you a perpetual license to the version you buy — no subscription. It is provided as-is and does not promise future feature upgrades, new versions, or guaranteed compatibility with future macOS releases. Full details are in our License Terms.

Mobile Companion Apps — In Release Testing

The iPhone, iPad, and Android apps are being release-tested and are not yet available on the App Store or Google Play. The information below describes the current test builds and may change before release.

• How do I connect the companion to my Mac?
  In a test build, turn on Companion Sync in Mac Settings, enable it for the library, then pair the device with the rotating PIN or QR code. See the pairing guide. Public downloads are not available yet.


• Can I connect when I'm away from home?
  Yes. Use Connect by Address with a private-network address from Tailscale or another VPN. LocalPhotos does not relay the connection through its own servers.


• Is the companion free, and can it work offline?
  Pricing will be confirmed before public release. Test builds cache the library index and thumbnails for offline browsing, and you can keep selected originals offline. The mobile apps can also build libraries from storage the device can reach without a Mac.


• Does the companion upload my photos anywhere?
  Photos are never uploaded to LocalPhotos servers. They move directly between paired devices or storage you choose. Optional Places sends exact coordinates — not photos — to Apple or Google for place names and sends map viewport requests to the platform map provider. Android's on-device ML Kit may send Google anonymous technical diagnostics. See the privacy policy.

Need More Help?

If you're experiencing a bug or need further assistance, please check out our Contact Us page.