PhotoKit

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Work with image and video assets managed by the Photos app, including those from iCloud Photos and Live Photos, using PhotoKit.

Posts under PhotoKit tag

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On iOS 26.6.1 and 26.6.2, Exif (XResolution / YResolution) values become 0 when an image attached in the Gmail app is saved to the Photos app
My app is built with Xcode 26.1 and uses a customized photo picker implemented with the PhotoKit Framework. After saving an image attached in the Gmail app to the Photos app on iOS 26.6.1 or iOS 26.6.2, when my app selects and loads that image, the Exif XResolution and YResolution values are both reported as 0. Is this an iOS bug? The following code retrieves the XResolution and YResolution values from the PHAsset of the selected image. private func selectAsset(_ asset: PHAsset) { let options = PHImageRequestOptions() options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat PHImageManager.default().requestImageDataAndOrientation(for: asset, options: options) { data, _, _, _ in DispatchQueue.main.async { if let data { let options = PHImageRequestOptions() options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat PHImageManager.default().requestImageDataAndOrientation(for: asset, options: options) { data, _, _, _ in guard let data, let source = CGImageSourceCreateWithData(data as CFData, nil), let properties = CGImageSourceCopyPropertiesAtIndex(source, 0, nil) as? [CFString: Any], let tiff = properties[kCGImagePropertyTIFFDictionary] as? [CFString: Any] else { print("XResolution: NaN, YResolution: NaN") return } let xResolution = tiff[kCGImagePropertyTIFFXResolution] as? Double let yResolution = tiff[kCGImagePropertyTIFFYResolution] as? Double print("XResolution: \(xResolution.map { String($0) } ?? "NaN"), YResolution: \(yResolution.map { String($0) } ?? "NaN")") } } } } } Result on iOS 26.6 XResolution: 72, YResolution: 72 Result on iOS 26.6.1 and 26.6.2 XResolution: 0, YResolution: 0
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PhotoKit IMG_XXXX names for videos?
I save stills and videos with PHAssetCreationRequest. I do not set originalFilename. Photos saved with addResource(with: .photo, data:) show originalFilename values like IMG_XXXX.HEIC in PHAssetResource. Videos saved with addResource(with: .video, fileURL:) from AVCaptureMovieFileOutput keep the temp file name (a UUID .mov). The docs say that if originalFilename is omitted, Photos infers a name from the file URL when one is provided, otherwise it generates a name. Is there a supported way for a third-party app to get a system IMG_XXXX original filename for a newly saved video? Thank you.
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Display HDR images for PhotoKit assets
In my app I get a UIImage for a PHAsset via PHImageManager.requestImage(for:targetSize:contentMode:options:resultHandler:). I directly display that image in a UIImageView that has preferredImageDynamicRange set to .high. The problem is I do not see the high dynamic range. I see the HDRDemo23 sample code uses PhotosPicker to get a UIImage from Data through UIImageReader whose config enables prefersHighDynamicRange. Is there a way to support HDR when using the Photos APIs to request display images? And is there support for PHLivePhoto displayed in PHLivePhotoView retrieved via PHImageManager.requestLivePhoto?
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How to utilize PHLivePhotoRequestOptions.preferHDR to support HDR in Live Photos?
The iOS 27 SDK newly exposed PHLivePhotoRequestOptions.preferHDR. Its documentation states: For best results, only enable this when you intend to display an HDR experience in PHLivePhotoView — for example, when the view’s preferredImageDynamicRange is greater than standard (SDR). PHLivePhotoView has no preferredImageDynamicRange property. How is this API to be used then?
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PHPhotoLibrary.performChanges completionHandler not called when deleting assets on iOS 26
In my app, I use api provided in Photos framework to delete specified photo. But after upgrading to iOS 26, the delete function in some iOS device no longer work. The api will never triggers the system confirmation dialog, and the completionHandler is never called. In the iOS Photos app, deletion works correctly on the same assets, but calling the API from my app does not work. Steps to Reproduce Make sure the app has Full Photo Library Access. Execute the following code: PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ let assetsToBeDeleted = PHAsset.fetchAssets(withLocalIdentifiers: delUrls, options: nil) PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets(assetsToBeDeleted) }, completionHandler: completionHandler) Expected Behavior The system should present a confirmation dialog asking the user to delete the selected photos. After the user confirms, the deletion should occur, and the completionHandler should be called with success or error. Actual Behavior The system delete confirmation dialog does not appear. The completionHandler is never called. Environment iOS Versions: 26.1 / 26.0.1 It looks like api bug. I want to check Is it a know issue and will be fixed. Thanks
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PHAssetResource deprecated originalFilename replaced with filename, but PHAssetExtendedMetadata only has originalFilename in iOS 27
PHAssetExtendedMetadata has the following API: /// The original file name of this asset. open var originalFilename: String? { get } And PHAssetResource has the following API: @available(iOS, introduced: 9, deprecated: 27, message: "Use filename instead") open var originalFilename: String { get } /// The filename associated with this asset resource (if any) @available(iOS 27, *) open var filename: String? { get } I'm confused why PHAssetExtendedMetadata (iOS 27+) has originalFilename while PHAssetResource originalFilename was deprecated and replaced with filename. I would have expected PHAssetExtendedMetadata's property be named filename to match. Are all 3 of these all the exact same name or can there be differences?
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PHAssetChangeRequest deleteAssets completionHandler for recently captured 48MP DNG sometimes never called
I want to report a issue on PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets Environment iOS 18.5, iOS 26.2.5, iOS 27.0 Steps to Reproduce Capture a 48MP ProRAW (DNG) photo with the Camera app. Open my app, call the following api to delete this photo: PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets(assets) }, completionHandler: completionHandler) Expected The system delete-confirmation dialog appears; after the user confirms, the asset is deleted and the completionHandler is called or report error if it failed Actual Sometime the following issue happens: The confirmation dialog never appears and the completionHandler is never called no success, no error, no timeout. The built-in Photos app can delete the affected asset but API can't. The stuck request leaks permanently. Even after the same asset is subsequently deleted via the built-in Photos app, the pending completionHandler is still never invoked. Workaround for this issue When the issue happens, restarting the iPhone or reinstall app can not help to fix it But I found if I leave the device alone for an extended period (maybe 10 min~1 hour) and restart the iPhone, finally I found PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets work again. It looks like some background task for 48MP RAW image in DNG format stuck delete API. I need to wait the task finished and restart device to reset stuck status. But I can not know when the DNG is ready to delete, it looks like my app hangs I think the better behavior is completion block should return a error to tell user what happens instead of not calling completion block.
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884
Jul ’26
Add a value to the Photos Caption field
In the iOS Photos app there is a caption field the user can write to. How can you write to this value from Swift when creating a photo? I see apps that do this, but there doesn't seem to be any official way to do this using the Photo library through PHAssetCreationRequest or PHAssetResourceCreationOptions or setting EXIF values, I tried settings a bunch of values there including IPTC values but nothing appears in the caption field in the iOS photos app. There must be some way to do it since I see other apps setting that value somehow after capturing a photo.
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Jul ’26
Request photo library authorization popup on macOS Catalyst can't be dismissed
I have an iOS app that I want to publish to the Mac App Store as a Catalyst app, but I noticed a situation where the app can't be closed and has to be force quit. The problem happens if the user has 0 photos in their Photo Library, and hits "Limited Access" on the request authorization prompt (In my case PHPhotoLibrary.requestAuthorization(for: .readWrite). Since the popup is a system prompt, I can't manually add a close button to it. I tried wrapping it in a view with a close button but the popup always shows up over any view I'm presenting within my app. If anyone has a workaround that would be greatly appreciated!
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Jul ’26
PHPickerViewController: UI rendering failure and data retrieval errors on iOS 17 & 26.4
Description: I am encountering critical issues with PHPickerViewController using the "Zero-Permission" configuration. The behavior differs significantly between iOS 17 and iOS 26.4, but both prevent successful image selection. Observed Behaviors: On iOS 26.4 (iPhone 17 Pro Max): The PHPicker UI fails to render the photo grid entirely. Upon initialization, the system UI displays an "Unable to load photo" alert, preventing users from even viewing or selecting images. On iOS 17: The picker UI loads, but after the user selects an image and adds it, the subsequent itemProvider.loadObject call consistently fails, returning an error and preventing our app from retrieving the image data. Current Implementation: var config = PHPickerConfiguration() config.filter = .images config.selectionLimit = pickLimit // Problematic logic: if ABTestManager.shared.isPHPickerCurrent { config.preferredAssetRepresentationMode = .current } let pickerVC = PHPickerViewController(configuration: config) pickerVC.delegate = self user device Images: What I have tested: I have been using preferredAssetRepresentationMode = .current in my AB tests. I have not yet tested .compatible mode, as my application logic requires access to high-fidelity assets. However, the current behavior suggests a regression or a fundamental incompatibility with how the system handles image containers for high-end hardware (e.g., iPhone 17 Pro Max) in the out-of-process picker. Supporting Documentation: Minimal Reproducible Project: [Attached] Logs: [Attached sysdiagnose logs] My Questions: Is the "Unable to load photo" UI failure on iOS 26.4 a known limitation for certain high-resolution asset types when using .current mode? Are there specific handling requirements for NSItemProvider when the system fails to resolve the image data in .current mode on older iOS 17 devices? Given that these failures occur in a "Zero-Permission" context, are there specific metadata or image processing constraints I should be aware of to prevent the picker from entering a "failed" state?
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Jun ’26
Best practice for rapid sequential Live Photo captures with AVCapturePhotoOutput?
Hi everyone, I’m working on a camera app as a learning project and have reached a point where I’m trying to better understand the intended architecture for Live Photo capture using AVCapturePhotoOutput. The app currently supports: Live Photos Depth data Location metadata Multiple lens presets on a virtual multi-camera device Everything is working well, but I’m now thinking about capture throughput and rapid shutter presses. Right now, my implementation is fairly conservative. I wait for a Live Photo capture to finish processing and importing before allowing another capture. This is reliable, but it doesn’t feel particularly camera-like when compared to Apple’s Camera app. One observation from field testing caught my attention: I took a Live Photo, immediately switched lenses, then took another Live Photo. When I viewed the first Live Photo later, the movie portion included the lens-switching actions that occurred after I pressed the shutter. That made me realize that I may be thinking about the capture lifecycle incorrectly. My questions are: When using AVCapturePhotoOutput with Live Photos enabled, what is the earliest point at which a capture can be considered “safely secured”? Is it expected that apps wait for PhotoKit import to complete before accepting another Live Photo capture request? If supporting rapid sequential shutter presses, is the recommended approach to queue capture requests and process them one at a time? Are there any best practices around lens changes or camera reconfiguration while a Live Photo is still being captured or processed? I’m not looking for details about the implementation of Apple’s Camera app. I’m mainly trying to understand the recommended approach when working with the public AVFoundation APIs. I’d appreciate any guidance, documentation references, or examples from developers who have worked through similar problems. Thanks!
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Jun ’26
PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest doesn't upload iCloud-optimized photos — is this expected?
I'm implementing PHBackgroundResourceUploadExtension to back up photos and videos to our cloud storage service. During testing, I observed that iCloud-optimized photos (where the full-resolution original is stored in iCloud, not on device) do not upload. The upload job appears to silently skip these assets. Questions: Is this behavior intentional/documented? I couldn't find explicit mention of this limitation. If the device only has the optimized/thumbnail version locally, does the system: - Automatically download the full-resolution asset from iCloud before uploading? - Skip the asset entirely? - Return an error via PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest? For a complete backup solution, should we: - Pre-fetch full-resolution assets using PHAssetResourceManager.requestData(for:options:) before creating upload jobs? - Use a hybrid approach (this extension for local assets + separate logic for iCloud-only assets)? Environment: iOS 26, Xcode 18
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Jun ’26
How to upload large videos with PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest?
I'm implementing a PHBackgroundResourceUploadExtension to back up photos and videos from the user's library to our cloud storage service. Our existing upload infrastructure uses chunked uploads for large files (splitting videos into smaller byte ranges and uploading each chunk separately). This approach: Allows resumable uploads if interrupted Stays within server-side request size limits Provides granular progress tracking Looking at the PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest.createJob(destination:resource:) API, I don't see a way to specify byte ranges or create multiple jobs for chunks of the same resource. Questions: Does the system handle large files (1GB+) automatically under the hood, or is there a recommended maximum file size for a single upload job? Is there a supported pattern for chunked/resumable uploads, or should the destination URL endpoint handle the entire file in one request? If our server requires chunked uploads (e.g., BITS protocol with CreateSession → Fragment → CloseSession), is this extension the right mechanism, or should we use a different approach for large videos? Any guidance on best practices for large asset uploads would be greatly appreciated. Environment: iOS 26, Xcode 18
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Jun ’26
PHPickerConfiguration.preselectedAssetIdentifiers not work
let authStatus = PHPhotoLibrary.authorizationStatus(for: .readWrite) let fetchResult = PHAsset.fetchAssets(withLocalIdentifiers: selectedAssetIDs, options: nil) print("[AlbumCreation] authStatus=\(authStatus.rawValue) IDs=\(selectedAssetIDs.count) PHAsset匹配=\(fetchResult.count)") // result is: [AlbumCreation] authStatus=3 IDs=3 PHAsset匹配=3 var config = PHPickerConfiguration(photoLibrary: .shared()) config.preselectedAssetIdentifiers = selectedAssetIDs config.selectionLimit = 0 let picker = PHPickerViewController(configuration: config) picker.delegate = self present(picker, animated: true)
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May ’26
PHPhotosErrorDomain Code: 3302 started affecting my users recently.
Recently I received multiple user email supports because the app cannot save video to photos, they are all on iOS 26.x The code in my app around recording video and saving to Photos hasn't changed in years. I'm not able to reproduce it locally, I tried on all my available devices. In recently published build I added additional logs and it appears that all of cases that fail with 3302 have the photos access set to "Limited Access". It never happens to users with "Full Access". In that build I also added a fallback, when saving to photos fails, the app saves to Documents and it seems it works (two of my users affected users confirmed it), but it's very unfortunate. I think it kind of proves that videos aren't broken given that users are able to play them just fine. On of users says that for him saving to Photos works for 2-3 times after he reinstalls the app and then it stops working. Did anything recently changed in how we should save videos to photos? I'm using the following code. I can see in git blame that I haven't changed in since 2020 and never encountered those errors in development or heard about those issues until around 1 month ago. Thank you. PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges { PHAssetChangeRequest.creationRequestForAssetFromVideo(atFileURL: fileURL) } completionHandler: { success, error in
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Apr ’26
Trying to load image & identifier from photo library with PhotosPicker
I'm updating an older Mac app written in Objective C and OpenGL to be a mutliplatform app in SwiftUI and Metal. The app loads images and creates kaleidoscope animations from them. It is a document-based application, and saves info about the kaleidoscope into the document. On macOS, it creates a security-scoped bookmark to remember the user's chosen image. On iOS, I use a PhotosPicker to have the user choose an image from their photo library to use. I would like to get the itemIdentifier from the image they choose and save that into my document so I can use it to fetch the image when the user reloads the kaleidoscope document in the future. However, the call to loadTransferable is returning nil for the itemIdentifier. Here is my iOS/iPadOS code: #if os(macOS) // Mac code #else PhotosPicker("Choose image", selection: $selectedItem, matching: .images) .onChange(of: selectedItem) { Task { if let newValue = selectedItem { scopeState.isHEIC = newValue.supportedContentTypes.contains(UTType.heic) let data = try? await newValue.loadTransferable(type: Data.self) print("newValue = \(newValue)") print("newValue.supportedContentTypes = \(newValue.supportedContentTypes)") scopeState.selectedImageID = newValue.itemIdentifier scopeState.selectedImageData = data } } } #endif The debug print statements show: newValue = PhotosPickerItem(_itemIdentifier: "9386762B-C241-4EE2-9942-BC04017E35C1/L0/001", _shouldExposeItemIdentifier: false, _supportedContentTypes: [<_UTCoreType 0x20098cd40> public.png (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec060> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec150> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low (not dynamic, declared)], _content: _PhotosUI_SwiftUI.PhotosPickerItem.(unknown context at $1e75ee3bc).Content.result(PhotosUI.PHPickerResult(itemProvider: <PUPhotosFileProviderItemProvider: 0x11d2bd680> {types = ( "public.png", "com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard", "com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low" )}, _objcResult: <PHPickerResult: 0x11b18cff0>))) newValue.supportedContentTypes = [<_UTCoreType 0x20098cd40> public.png (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec060> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec150> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low (not dynamic, declared)] And the returned item has a nil itemIdentifier. (note the _shouldExposeItemIdentifier=false in the log of the selected item). How do I get the itemIdentifier for the user's chosen image? And is that valid to then fetch the asset when the user reloads their document? Is it like a security-scoped bookmark on macOS, where the itemIdentifier is like a key that gives me permission to reload the image? If not, what do I need to do in order to reload the image the next time the user opens a saved kaleidoscope document?
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Apr ’26
Clarification on Disk Write Limits (bug_type 145) and Cross-Volume Write Amplification
Hello Apple Developer Support and Community, I am a senior software engineer investigating a Disk Writes Resource Violation (bug_type 145) for a photo-management application (BeePhotos v2.3.0). We observed a violation where the app dirtied approximately 1GB of file-backed memory in just 48 seconds, triggering a resource report. [Core Diagnostic Data] The following data is extracted from the .crash report: Event: disk writes Action taken: none Writes caused: 1073.96 MB over 48.28s (Average: 22.24 MB/second) System Limit: 1073.74 MB over 86,400 seconds (Daily limit) Device: iPhone 15 Pro (iPhone16,2) OS Version: iOS 26.4 (Build 23E244) Free Space: 3852.25 MB (Approx. 3.8 GB) [Implementation Details] Our application performs the following sequence for a 1GB video download: Download: Uses NSURLSessionDownloadTask to download the file to the system-provided location URL (in the /tmp or com.apple.nsurlsessiond directory). Move: In didFinishDownloadingToURL, we move the file to the App’s sandbox Library/Caches directory using FileManager.default.moveItem(at:to:). Save: We then add the file to the Photo Library via PHAssetCreationRequest.addResource(with:fileURL:options:) using the local URL in Library/Caches. [Technical Questions] I suspect the 1GB download is being "amplified" into ~3GB of total physical writes, and I would like to confirm the following: Cross-Volume Move: Does moving a file from the nsurlsessiond managed temporary directory to the App’s sandbox Library/Caches constitute a Cross-Volume Move on APFS? If so, does this effectively double the write count (1GB download + 1GB copy-on-move)? PHPhotoLibrary Ingestion: When using PHAssetCreationRequest, does the system perform another 1:1 data copy of the source file into the assets database? Would this result in a 3rd GB of writing? Low Disk Space Impact: Given the device only had 3.85 GB free, does the system’s "low disk space" state (near the 150MB threshold) increase the overhead for metadata updates or physical write amplification that counts towards this limit? Best Practices: To stay within the daily 1GB budget for high-resolution media, is it recommended to call PHAssetCreationRequest directly using the location URL from didFinishDownloadingToURL to avoid intermediary copies? Are there any permission or lifecycle risks with this approach? Any insights from the Apple engineering team or the community on how to minimize the write footprint during high-speed ingestion would be highly appreciated. Best regards
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Apr ’26
macOS 26.4 regression with Mac Catalyst apps using PhotoKit: Photos do not appear when using limited access - Failed to get sandbox extension for url - Image request failed with error PHPhotosErrorDomain Code 3303
I just submitted FB22318443. In Mac Catalyst apps running on macOS 26.4, if you choose to limit the app's access to specific photos (as opposed to granting full access), the photos do not appear in the app. 💀 This issue does not occur on iPadOS. It is a macOS 26.4 regression. It occurs even with apps built using a previous version of the SDK such as 26.2. A sample of the console logs: [RM]: 4-1-1 failed to decode for asset: 9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D, error code: 3303, description: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3303 "(null)" Failed to get sandbox extension for url: file:///Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos%20Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg, error: Error Domain=com.apple.photos.error Code=44001 "sandbox extension not in the cache after requesting them for path: /Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=sandbox extension not in the cache after requesting them for path: /Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg} [RM]: 1-1-1 Image request failed with error: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3303 "(null)"
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Mar ’26
On iOS 26.6.1 and 26.6.2, Exif (XResolution / YResolution) values become 0 when an image attached in the Gmail app is saved to the Photos app
My app is built with Xcode 26.1 and uses a customized photo picker implemented with the PhotoKit Framework. After saving an image attached in the Gmail app to the Photos app on iOS 26.6.1 or iOS 26.6.2, when my app selects and loads that image, the Exif XResolution and YResolution values are both reported as 0. Is this an iOS bug? The following code retrieves the XResolution and YResolution values from the PHAsset of the selected image. private func selectAsset(_ asset: PHAsset) { let options = PHImageRequestOptions() options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat PHImageManager.default().requestImageDataAndOrientation(for: asset, options: options) { data, _, _, _ in DispatchQueue.main.async { if let data { let options = PHImageRequestOptions() options.isNetworkAccessAllowed = true options.deliveryMode = .highQualityFormat PHImageManager.default().requestImageDataAndOrientation(for: asset, options: options) { data, _, _, _ in guard let data, let source = CGImageSourceCreateWithData(data as CFData, nil), let properties = CGImageSourceCopyPropertiesAtIndex(source, 0, nil) as? [CFString: Any], let tiff = properties[kCGImagePropertyTIFFDictionary] as? [CFString: Any] else { print("XResolution: NaN, YResolution: NaN") return } let xResolution = tiff[kCGImagePropertyTIFFXResolution] as? Double let yResolution = tiff[kCGImagePropertyTIFFYResolution] as? Double print("XResolution: \(xResolution.map { String($0) } ?? "NaN"), YResolution: \(yResolution.map { String($0) } ?? "NaN")") } } } } } Result on iOS 26.6 XResolution: 72, YResolution: 72 Result on iOS 26.6.1 and 26.6.2 XResolution: 0, YResolution: 0
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17h
PhotoKit IMG_XXXX names for videos?
I save stills and videos with PHAssetCreationRequest. I do not set originalFilename. Photos saved with addResource(with: .photo, data:) show originalFilename values like IMG_XXXX.HEIC in PHAssetResource. Videos saved with addResource(with: .video, fileURL:) from AVCaptureMovieFileOutput keep the temp file name (a UUID .mov). The docs say that if originalFilename is omitted, Photos infers a name from the file URL when one is provided, otherwise it generates a name. Is there a supported way for a third-party app to get a system IMG_XXXX original filename for a newly saved video? Thank you.
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597
Activity
1w
Display HDR images for PhotoKit assets
In my app I get a UIImage for a PHAsset via PHImageManager.requestImage(for:targetSize:contentMode:options:resultHandler:). I directly display that image in a UIImageView that has preferredImageDynamicRange set to .high. The problem is I do not see the high dynamic range. I see the HDRDemo23 sample code uses PhotosPicker to get a UIImage from Data through UIImageReader whose config enables prefersHighDynamicRange. Is there a way to support HDR when using the Photos APIs to request display images? And is there support for PHLivePhoto displayed in PHLivePhotoView retrieved via PHImageManager.requestLivePhoto?
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How to utilize PHLivePhotoRequestOptions.preferHDR to support HDR in Live Photos?
The iOS 27 SDK newly exposed PHLivePhotoRequestOptions.preferHDR. Its documentation states: For best results, only enable this when you intend to display an HDR experience in PHLivePhotoView — for example, when the view’s preferredImageDynamicRange is greater than standard (SDR). PHLivePhotoView has no preferredImageDynamicRange property. How is this API to be used then?
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285
Activity
1w
PHPhotoLibrary.performChanges completionHandler not called when deleting assets on iOS 26
In my app, I use api provided in Photos framework to delete specified photo. But after upgrading to iOS 26, the delete function in some iOS device no longer work. The api will never triggers the system confirmation dialog, and the completionHandler is never called. In the iOS Photos app, deletion works correctly on the same assets, but calling the API from my app does not work. Steps to Reproduce Make sure the app has Full Photo Library Access. Execute the following code: PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ let assetsToBeDeleted = PHAsset.fetchAssets(withLocalIdentifiers: delUrls, options: nil) PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets(assetsToBeDeleted) }, completionHandler: completionHandler) Expected Behavior The system should present a confirmation dialog asking the user to delete the selected photos. After the user confirms, the deletion should occur, and the completionHandler should be called with success or error. Actual Behavior The system delete confirmation dialog does not appear. The completionHandler is never called. Environment iOS Versions: 26.1 / 26.0.1 It looks like api bug. I want to check Is it a know issue and will be fixed. Thanks
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851
Activity
2w
PHAssetResource deprecated originalFilename replaced with filename, but PHAssetExtendedMetadata only has originalFilename in iOS 27
PHAssetExtendedMetadata has the following API: /// The original file name of this asset. open var originalFilename: String? { get } And PHAssetResource has the following API: @available(iOS, introduced: 9, deprecated: 27, message: "Use filename instead") open var originalFilename: String { get } /// The filename associated with this asset resource (if any) @available(iOS 27, *) open var filename: String? { get } I'm confused why PHAssetExtendedMetadata (iOS 27+) has originalFilename while PHAssetResource originalFilename was deprecated and replaced with filename. I would have expected PHAssetExtendedMetadata's property be named filename to match. Are all 3 of these all the exact same name or can there be differences?
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352
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2w
PHAssetChangeRequest deleteAssets completionHandler for recently captured 48MP DNG sometimes never called
I want to report a issue on PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets Environment iOS 18.5, iOS 26.2.5, iOS 27.0 Steps to Reproduce Capture a 48MP ProRAW (DNG) photo with the Camera app. Open my app, call the following api to delete this photo: PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets(assets) }, completionHandler: completionHandler) Expected The system delete-confirmation dialog appears; after the user confirms, the asset is deleted and the completionHandler is called or report error if it failed Actual Sometime the following issue happens: The confirmation dialog never appears and the completionHandler is never called no success, no error, no timeout. The built-in Photos app can delete the affected asset but API can't. The stuck request leaks permanently. Even after the same asset is subsequently deleted via the built-in Photos app, the pending completionHandler is still never invoked. Workaround for this issue When the issue happens, restarting the iPhone or reinstall app can not help to fix it But I found if I leave the device alone for an extended period (maybe 10 min~1 hour) and restart the iPhone, finally I found PHAssetChangeRequest.deleteAssets work again. It looks like some background task for 48MP RAW image in DNG format stuck delete API. I need to wait the task finished and restart device to reset stuck status. But I can not know when the DNG is ready to delete, it looks like my app hangs I think the better behavior is completion block should return a error to tell user what happens instead of not calling completion block.
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884
Activity
Jul ’26
Add a value to the Photos Caption field
In the iOS Photos app there is a caption field the user can write to. How can you write to this value from Swift when creating a photo? I see apps that do this, but there doesn't seem to be any official way to do this using the Photo library through PHAssetCreationRequest or PHAssetResourceCreationOptions or setting EXIF values, I tried settings a bunch of values there including IPTC values but nothing appears in the caption field in the iOS photos app. There must be some way to do it since I see other apps setting that value somehow after capturing a photo.
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2
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1
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832
Activity
Jul ’26
PHAsset Additional Properties
Following Metadata should be accessible from PHAsset Object: Title, caption, Keywords. Write now they are available in the SQLite Photo Library, but thats is not a clean solution.
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893
Activity
Jul ’26
Request photo library authorization popup on macOS Catalyst can't be dismissed
I have an iOS app that I want to publish to the Mac App Store as a Catalyst app, but I noticed a situation where the app can't be closed and has to be force quit. The problem happens if the user has 0 photos in their Photo Library, and hits "Limited Access" on the request authorization prompt (In my case PHPhotoLibrary.requestAuthorization(for: .readWrite). Since the popup is a system prompt, I can't manually add a close button to it. I tried wrapping it in a view with a close button but the popup always shows up over any view I'm presenting within my app. If anyone has a workaround that would be greatly appreciated!
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2
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547
Activity
Jul ’26
PHPickerViewController: UI rendering failure and data retrieval errors on iOS 17 & 26.4
Description: I am encountering critical issues with PHPickerViewController using the "Zero-Permission" configuration. The behavior differs significantly between iOS 17 and iOS 26.4, but both prevent successful image selection. Observed Behaviors: On iOS 26.4 (iPhone 17 Pro Max): The PHPicker UI fails to render the photo grid entirely. Upon initialization, the system UI displays an "Unable to load photo" alert, preventing users from even viewing or selecting images. On iOS 17: The picker UI loads, but after the user selects an image and adds it, the subsequent itemProvider.loadObject call consistently fails, returning an error and preventing our app from retrieving the image data. Current Implementation: var config = PHPickerConfiguration() config.filter = .images config.selectionLimit = pickLimit // Problematic logic: if ABTestManager.shared.isPHPickerCurrent { config.preferredAssetRepresentationMode = .current } let pickerVC = PHPickerViewController(configuration: config) pickerVC.delegate = self user device Images: What I have tested: I have been using preferredAssetRepresentationMode = .current in my AB tests. I have not yet tested .compatible mode, as my application logic requires access to high-fidelity assets. However, the current behavior suggests a regression or a fundamental incompatibility with how the system handles image containers for high-end hardware (e.g., iPhone 17 Pro Max) in the out-of-process picker. Supporting Documentation: Minimal Reproducible Project: [Attached] Logs: [Attached sysdiagnose logs] My Questions: Is the "Unable to load photo" UI failure on iOS 26.4 a known limitation for certain high-resolution asset types when using .current mode? Are there specific handling requirements for NSItemProvider when the system fails to resolve the image data in .current mode on older iOS 17 devices? Given that these failures occur in a "Zero-Permission" context, are there specific metadata or image processing constraints I should be aware of to prevent the picker from entering a "failed" state?
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297
Activity
Jun ’26
Best practice for rapid sequential Live Photo captures with AVCapturePhotoOutput?
Hi everyone, I’m working on a camera app as a learning project and have reached a point where I’m trying to better understand the intended architecture for Live Photo capture using AVCapturePhotoOutput. The app currently supports: Live Photos Depth data Location metadata Multiple lens presets on a virtual multi-camera device Everything is working well, but I’m now thinking about capture throughput and rapid shutter presses. Right now, my implementation is fairly conservative. I wait for a Live Photo capture to finish processing and importing before allowing another capture. This is reliable, but it doesn’t feel particularly camera-like when compared to Apple’s Camera app. One observation from field testing caught my attention: I took a Live Photo, immediately switched lenses, then took another Live Photo. When I viewed the first Live Photo later, the movie portion included the lens-switching actions that occurred after I pressed the shutter. That made me realize that I may be thinking about the capture lifecycle incorrectly. My questions are: When using AVCapturePhotoOutput with Live Photos enabled, what is the earliest point at which a capture can be considered “safely secured”? Is it expected that apps wait for PhotoKit import to complete before accepting another Live Photo capture request? If supporting rapid sequential shutter presses, is the recommended approach to queue capture requests and process them one at a time? Are there any best practices around lens changes or camera reconfiguration while a Live Photo is still being captured or processed? I’m not looking for details about the implementation of Apple’s Camera app. I’m mainly trying to understand the recommended approach when working with the public AVFoundation APIs. I’d appreciate any guidance, documentation references, or examples from developers who have worked through similar problems. Thanks!
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933
Activity
Jun ’26
PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest doesn't upload iCloud-optimized photos — is this expected?
I'm implementing PHBackgroundResourceUploadExtension to back up photos and videos to our cloud storage service. During testing, I observed that iCloud-optimized photos (where the full-resolution original is stored in iCloud, not on device) do not upload. The upload job appears to silently skip these assets. Questions: Is this behavior intentional/documented? I couldn't find explicit mention of this limitation. If the device only has the optimized/thumbnail version locally, does the system: - Automatically download the full-resolution asset from iCloud before uploading? - Skip the asset entirely? - Return an error via PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest? For a complete backup solution, should we: - Pre-fetch full-resolution assets using PHAssetResourceManager.requestData(for:options:) before creating upload jobs? - Use a hybrid approach (this extension for local assets + separate logic for iCloud-only assets)? Environment: iOS 26, Xcode 18
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866
Activity
Jun ’26
How to upload large videos with PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest?
I'm implementing a PHBackgroundResourceUploadExtension to back up photos and videos from the user's library to our cloud storage service. Our existing upload infrastructure uses chunked uploads for large files (splitting videos into smaller byte ranges and uploading each chunk separately). This approach: Allows resumable uploads if interrupted Stays within server-side request size limits Provides granular progress tracking Looking at the PHAssetResourceUploadJobChangeRequest.createJob(destination:resource:) API, I don't see a way to specify byte ranges or create multiple jobs for chunks of the same resource. Questions: Does the system handle large files (1GB+) automatically under the hood, or is there a recommended maximum file size for a single upload job? Is there a supported pattern for chunked/resumable uploads, or should the destination URL endpoint handle the entire file in one request? If our server requires chunked uploads (e.g., BITS protocol with CreateSession → Fragment → CloseSession), is this extension the right mechanism, or should we use a different approach for large videos? Any guidance on best practices for large asset uploads would be greatly appreciated. Environment: iOS 26, Xcode 18
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5
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1.6k
Activity
Jun ’26
A few issues with the iPhone Photos app
I’m curious what framework and rendering technique you’re using for the photo album’s grid zoom in and out. Why is it so incredibly smooth? I can’t seem to pull that off 🤦‍♂️
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603
Activity
May ’26
PHPickerConfiguration.preselectedAssetIdentifiers not work
let authStatus = PHPhotoLibrary.authorizationStatus(for: .readWrite) let fetchResult = PHAsset.fetchAssets(withLocalIdentifiers: selectedAssetIDs, options: nil) print("[AlbumCreation] authStatus=\(authStatus.rawValue) IDs=\(selectedAssetIDs.count) PHAsset匹配=\(fetchResult.count)") // result is: [AlbumCreation] authStatus=3 IDs=3 PHAsset匹配=3 var config = PHPickerConfiguration(photoLibrary: .shared()) config.preselectedAssetIdentifiers = selectedAssetIDs config.selectionLimit = 0 let picker = PHPickerViewController(configuration: config) picker.delegate = self present(picker, animated: true)
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424
Activity
May ’26
PHPhotosErrorDomain Code: 3302 started affecting my users recently.
Recently I received multiple user email supports because the app cannot save video to photos, they are all on iOS 26.x The code in my app around recording video and saving to Photos hasn't changed in years. I'm not able to reproduce it locally, I tried on all my available devices. In recently published build I added additional logs and it appears that all of cases that fail with 3302 have the photos access set to "Limited Access". It never happens to users with "Full Access". In that build I also added a fallback, when saving to photos fails, the app saves to Documents and it seems it works (two of my users affected users confirmed it), but it's very unfortunate. I think it kind of proves that videos aren't broken given that users are able to play them just fine. On of users says that for him saving to Photos works for 2-3 times after he reinstalls the app and then it stops working. Did anything recently changed in how we should save videos to photos? I'm using the following code. I can see in git blame that I haven't changed in since 2020 and never encountered those errors in development or heard about those issues until around 1 month ago. Thank you. PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges { PHAssetChangeRequest.creationRequestForAssetFromVideo(atFileURL: fileURL) } completionHandler: { success, error in
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663
Activity
Apr ’26
Trying to load image & identifier from photo library with PhotosPicker
I'm updating an older Mac app written in Objective C and OpenGL to be a mutliplatform app in SwiftUI and Metal. The app loads images and creates kaleidoscope animations from them. It is a document-based application, and saves info about the kaleidoscope into the document. On macOS, it creates a security-scoped bookmark to remember the user's chosen image. On iOS, I use a PhotosPicker to have the user choose an image from their photo library to use. I would like to get the itemIdentifier from the image they choose and save that into my document so I can use it to fetch the image when the user reloads the kaleidoscope document in the future. However, the call to loadTransferable is returning nil for the itemIdentifier. Here is my iOS/iPadOS code: #if os(macOS) // Mac code #else PhotosPicker("Choose image", selection: $selectedItem, matching: .images) .onChange(of: selectedItem) { Task { if let newValue = selectedItem { scopeState.isHEIC = newValue.supportedContentTypes.contains(UTType.heic) let data = try? await newValue.loadTransferable(type: Data.self) print("newValue = \(newValue)") print("newValue.supportedContentTypes = \(newValue.supportedContentTypes)") scopeState.selectedImageID = newValue.itemIdentifier scopeState.selectedImageData = data } } } #endif The debug print statements show: newValue = PhotosPickerItem(_itemIdentifier: "9386762B-C241-4EE2-9942-BC04017E35C1/L0/001", _shouldExposeItemIdentifier: false, _supportedContentTypes: [<_UTCoreType 0x20098cd40> public.png (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec060> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec150> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low (not dynamic, declared)], _content: _PhotosUI_SwiftUI.PhotosPickerItem.(unknown context at $1e75ee3bc).Content.result(PhotosUI.PHPickerResult(itemProvider: <PUPhotosFileProviderItemProvider: 0x11d2bd680> {types = ( "public.png", "com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard", "com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low" )}, _objcResult: <PHPickerResult: 0x11b18cff0>))) newValue.supportedContentTypes = [<_UTCoreType 0x20098cd40> public.png (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec060> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.standard (not dynamic, declared), <UTType 0x11e4ec150> com.apple.private.photos.thumbnail.low (not dynamic, declared)] And the returned item has a nil itemIdentifier. (note the _shouldExposeItemIdentifier=false in the log of the selected item). How do I get the itemIdentifier for the user's chosen image? And is that valid to then fetch the asset when the user reloads their document? Is it like a security-scoped bookmark on macOS, where the itemIdentifier is like a key that gives me permission to reload the image? If not, what do I need to do in order to reload the image the next time the user opens a saved kaleidoscope document?
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1.3k
Activity
Apr ’26
Clarification on Disk Write Limits (bug_type 145) and Cross-Volume Write Amplification
Hello Apple Developer Support and Community, I am a senior software engineer investigating a Disk Writes Resource Violation (bug_type 145) for a photo-management application (BeePhotos v2.3.0). We observed a violation where the app dirtied approximately 1GB of file-backed memory in just 48 seconds, triggering a resource report. [Core Diagnostic Data] The following data is extracted from the .crash report: Event: disk writes Action taken: none Writes caused: 1073.96 MB over 48.28s (Average: 22.24 MB/second) System Limit: 1073.74 MB over 86,400 seconds (Daily limit) Device: iPhone 15 Pro (iPhone16,2) OS Version: iOS 26.4 (Build 23E244) Free Space: 3852.25 MB (Approx. 3.8 GB) [Implementation Details] Our application performs the following sequence for a 1GB video download: Download: Uses NSURLSessionDownloadTask to download the file to the system-provided location URL (in the /tmp or com.apple.nsurlsessiond directory). Move: In didFinishDownloadingToURL, we move the file to the App’s sandbox Library/Caches directory using FileManager.default.moveItem(at:to:). Save: We then add the file to the Photo Library via PHAssetCreationRequest.addResource(with:fileURL:options:) using the local URL in Library/Caches. [Technical Questions] I suspect the 1GB download is being "amplified" into ~3GB of total physical writes, and I would like to confirm the following: Cross-Volume Move: Does moving a file from the nsurlsessiond managed temporary directory to the App’s sandbox Library/Caches constitute a Cross-Volume Move on APFS? If so, does this effectively double the write count (1GB download + 1GB copy-on-move)? PHPhotoLibrary Ingestion: When using PHAssetCreationRequest, does the system perform another 1:1 data copy of the source file into the assets database? Would this result in a 3rd GB of writing? Low Disk Space Impact: Given the device only had 3.85 GB free, does the system’s "low disk space" state (near the 150MB threshold) increase the overhead for metadata updates or physical write amplification that counts towards this limit? Best Practices: To stay within the daily 1GB budget for high-resolution media, is it recommended to call PHAssetCreationRequest directly using the location URL from didFinishDownloadingToURL to avoid intermediary copies? Are there any permission or lifecycle risks with this approach? Any insights from the Apple engineering team or the community on how to minimize the write footprint during high-speed ingestion would be highly appreciated. Best regards
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434
Activity
Apr ’26
macOS 26.4 regression with Mac Catalyst apps using PhotoKit: Photos do not appear when using limited access - Failed to get sandbox extension for url - Image request failed with error PHPhotosErrorDomain Code 3303
I just submitted FB22318443. In Mac Catalyst apps running on macOS 26.4, if you choose to limit the app's access to specific photos (as opposed to granting full access), the photos do not appear in the app. 💀 This issue does not occur on iPadOS. It is a macOS 26.4 regression. It occurs even with apps built using a previous version of the SDK such as 26.2. A sample of the console logs: [RM]: 4-1-1 failed to decode for asset: 9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D, error code: 3303, description: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3303 "(null)" Failed to get sandbox extension for url: file:///Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos%20Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg, error: Error Domain=com.apple.photos.error Code=44001 "sandbox extension not in the cache after requesting them for path: /Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=sandbox extension not in the cache after requesting them for path: /Users/Jordan/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary/resources/derivatives/masters/9/9290CC20-B85D-47B5-BDBE-D330FE61773D_4_5005_c.jpeg} [RM]: 1-1-1 Image request failed with error: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3303 "(null)"
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1.1k
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Mar ’26