How do you export photos from Mac's Photos app to a folder, USB stick or external hard drive?

This question comes up very regularly from Mac users. Just this week, I assisted a client who needed to get here photos downloaded from iCloud Photo Library without turning on iCloud Photo Library on her Mac. (Here's a separate article describing how to do this.)

Part of the process of doing this involved exporting all the photos that we downloaded from another Photos Library, so that they could then be imported into her 'real' Photos Library. 

If you have a set of photos that you wish to put onto a USB stick or external drive - or even just pull out of Photos and put into a folder on your Mac - how do you do this?

This week's Mac Handy Hint provides an easy-to-follow short video with step by step directions 

This hint is for iTandCoffee Club members only.  

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How to export photos from the Photos app

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Related tips and articles from iTandCoffee
Some of these tips are members-only tips.  Join now to gain access to these tips.

Handy Hints (members only)

• ​How to highlight one colour in a Photo in Mac Photos on High Sierra
• Answering your questions about iCloud Photo Library
• ​Correcting the date or location of a photo in Mac Photos
• Using the People feature in Photos on the Mac
• Getting edited iPhone (or iPad) photos across to your computer using iCloud Shared Streams
• Exporting photos from Mac's Photos app to USB, external drive or folder
• Clean up Bursts of Photos on your Mac​
• How to enable the 'Sidebar' in the Photos app
• How to delete your iPhoto library after migration to the new Photos app on Mac
• Deleting iPhone and iPad photos in bulk using a Mac
• A great way of sharing your photos with others - no emailing or texting required!

​Blog Articles (all readers)

• Discovering 'People' in Photos, messaging groups, and making sure your messages are private
• A great tip for Mac Photos users - Show in Moment
• ​Storage issues on my Macbook Air after migrating from iPhoto to Photos
• ​Client Question: Where do I find my iPhoto photos when I want to add a photo to an email or upload to eBay or Facebook?
• I edit images in Photos on my iPhone, but they don't import to my computer!
• Why  can I no longer import my iPhone photos to my computer?​     
• Mac crashing after Sierra upgrade - here's what was causing this problem
• Are your 'bursts' of photos causing your iPad, iPhone or Mac to 'burst its storage banks'?​
• Trying out some interesting new Photo Book options​
• How to add music to a Photos slideshow when you have Apple Music
• How Apple's Photos app 'saved the day'!

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Learn about Photos and iCloud in these great guides

Would you like access to any iTandCoffee Guides? Online and Premium iTandCoffee Club members can download these guides for FREE! Here's the Coupon Code for those who have this membership. Find out more about the iTandCoffee Club here.

The Photos App on the Mac guides

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Files, Folders and Finder on the Mac guides

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The Camera App on the iPad and iPhone - Guides

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The Photos App on the iPad and iPhone - Guides

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Watch iTandCoffee class videos on the topics of iCloud and Photos ​

Online and Premium iTandCoffee Club members can watch ANY iTandCoffee class videos for free, any time. Check out the full range of videos here. Non-members can purchase access to individual videos below.

On Sale

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The Photos App on the Mac - 2 x class videos (1 month's access)

A$60.00 A$50.00

Watch recordings of actual iTandCoffee classes. This 2-part series of classes covers everything you need to know about the Photos app on the Mac.

Your purchase gives you 1 month's access to these videos.

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Taking, viewing and managing Photos on your iPad and iPhone - Live Class Video (1 month's access)

A$30.00

Watch recording of this actual iTandCoffee classes. This two-hour session filmed at iTandCoffee shows how to take great photos on your iPhone and iPad, as well as how to manage them - albums, deleting, editing and more.

Your purchase gives you 1 month's access to these videos.

To gain unlimited access to these videos, join The iTandCoffee Club as a Premium member.

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Make a Photo Book from your Digital Photos - class video (1 month's access)

A$30.00

Watch recording of this actual iTandCoffee classes. This class covers shows you who to create a photo book from their digital photos.

Your purchase gives you 1 month's access to these videos.

To gain unlimited access to these videos, join The iTandCoffee Club as a Premium member.

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