Photos FAQs

Question 1

Can Photos integrate with AI assistants?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Photos is specifically designed as an MCP server to integrate with AI assistants. It provides clear instructions for configuration with applications like the Claude Desktop App, allowing the AI to leverage its tools to interact with your Photos library.

Question 2

What are the technical requirements to run Photos?

Accepted Answer

Photos requires macOS 13.0 or later, Swift 6.0 or later (Xcode 16+), and an existing Photos app library. It's built using Apple's PhotoKit framework.

Question 3

What is Photos and what does it do?

Accepted Answer

Photos is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server written in Swift that provides AI assistants with secure, read-only access to your macOS Photos library. It enables browsing albums, searching for photos by various criteria, retrieving detailed metadata, and exporting images.

Question 4

How does Photos ensure privacy and security?

Accepted Answer

Photos is strictly read-only; it cannot modify, delete, or create any assets in your library. It uses system-level permission handling via Apple's PhotoKit, requiring explicit authorization. Image exports are handled via temporary, self-deleting files.

Question 5

What search capabilities does Photos offer?

Accepted Answer

You can search photos by date range, media type, favorites, Vision ML keywords (e.g., 'food', 'city'), place names (e.g., 'Paris'), or specific geographic locations (latitude/longitude radius). It also allows listing all user and smart albums.

Photos

Photos

Key Features

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Key Features

Use Cases