Bring the macOS Photos experience to Windows — folder-native, non-destructive photo management with Live Photo, maps, and smart albums.
Languages / 语言 / Sprachen:
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☕ Support
📥 Download & Install
💡 Quick Install: Click the buttons above to download the latest installer directly.
- Windows: Run the
.exeinstaller directly. - Linux (.deb): Install with the following command:
sudo apt install ./iPhotron_4.30_amd64.deb
- Linux (.AppImage): Make the file executable and run it:
chmod +x iPhotron-x86_64.AppImage ./iPhotron-x86_64.AppImage
For developers — install from source:
🚀 Quick Start
Or open a specific album directly:
iphoto-gui /photos/LondonTrip
🌟 Star History
🚀 Product Hunt
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🌟 Overview
iPhotron is a folder-native photo manager inspired by macOS Photos.
It organizes your media using lightweight JSON manifests and cache files —
offering rich album functionality while keeping all original files intact.
Key highlights:
🗺 Maps Extension
iPhotron's offline OBF map runtime ships as a self-contained maps extension
rooted at src/maps/tiles/extension/. That directory is the contract consumed
by local development, packaged builds, and the Windows installer.
The extension currently contains:
World_basemap_2.obfoffline map data- OsmAnd resources under
misc/,poi/,rendering_styles/, androuting/ - native binaries under
bin/, includingosmand_render_helper.exe,osmand_native_widget.dll,OsmAndCore_shared.dll, and the required Qt DLLs
Windows only: The full native maps extension runtime shown below is currently available on Windows only. On Linux and macOS, iPhotron continues to use the existing Python/legacy map path.
| Without maps extension | With maps extension |
|---|---|
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The extension is built upstream from the standalone PySide6-OsmAnd-SDK sub-project. That repository carries the vendored OsmAnd sources, Windows build scripts, native Qt widget bridge, and preview app used to produce the runtime consumed here.
See Development for the full "build the maps extension from the side project" workflow, and Executable Build for how the extension is synchronized into Nuitka and Windows installer builds.
✨ Features
🗺 Location View
Displays your photo footprints on an interactive map, clustering nearby photos by GPS metadata.

🎞 Live Photo Support
Seamlessly pairs HEIC/JPG and MOV files using Apple's ContentIdentifier.
A "LIVE" badge appears on still photos — click to play the motion video inline.

🧩 Smart Albums
The sidebar provides an auto-generated Basic Library, grouping photos into:
All Photos, Videos, Live Photos, Favorites, and Recently Deleted.
🖼 Immersive Detail View
An elegant viewer with a filmstrip navigator and floating playback bar for videos.
🎨 Non-Destructive Photo Editing
A comprehensive editing suite with Adjust and Crop modes:
Adjust Mode
- Light Adjustments: Brilliance, Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, Brightness, Contrast, Black Point
- Color Adjustments: Saturation, Vibrance, Cast (white balance correction)
- Black & White: Intensity, Neutrals, Tone, Grain with artistic film presets
- Color Curves: RGB and per-channel (R/G/B) curve editor with draggable control points for precise tonal adjustments
- Selective Color: Target six hue ranges (Red/Yellow/Green/Cyan/Blue/Magenta) with independent Hue/Saturation/Luminance controls
- Levels: 5-handle input-output tone mapping with histogram backdrop and per-channel control
- Master Sliders: Each section features an intelligent master slider that distributes values across multiple fine-tuning controls
- Live Thumbnails: Real-time preview strips showing the effect range for each adjustment

Crop Mode
- Perspective Correction: Vertical and horizontal keystoning adjustments
- Straighten Tool: ±45° rotation with sub-degree precision
- Flip (Horizontal): Horizontal flip support
- Interactive Crop Box: Drag handles, edge snapping, and aspect ratio constraints
- Black Border Prevention: Automatic validation ensures no black edges appear after perspective transforms
All edits are stored in .ipo sidecar files, preserving original photos untouched.
ℹ️ Floating Info Panel
Toggle a floating metadata panel showing EXIF, camera/lens info, exposure, aperture, focal length, file size, and more.

💬 Rich Interactions
- Drag & drop files from Explorer/Finder directly into albums.
- Multi-selection & context menus for Copy, Show in Folder, Move, Delete, Restore.
- Smooth thumbnail transitions and macOS-like album navigation.
📚 Documentation
For deeper technical details, see the following docs:
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Overall architecture, module boundaries, data flow, key design decisions |
| Development | Dev environment, dependencies, debugging, and the full side-project-based maps extension workflow |
| Executable Build | Nuitka packaging, AOT filters, maps extension sync, and Windows installer/runtime notes |
| Security | Permissions, encryption, data storage locations, threat model |
| Changelog | All version release notes and changes |
🧩 External Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ExifTool | Reads EXIF, GPS, QuickTime, and Live Photo metadata. |
| FFmpeg / FFprobe | Generates video thumbnails & parses video info. |
Ensure both are available in your system
PATH.
Python dependencies (e.g., Pillow, reverse-geocoder) are auto-installed via pyproject.toml.
📄 License
MIT License © 2025
Created by Haibin Zhao (OliverZhaohaibin)
iPhotron — A folder-native, human-readable, and fully rebuildable photo system.
No imports. No database. Just your photos, organized elegantly.

