PyObjC Framework Photos

12.1 · active · verified Tue Apr 14

This library provides Python wrappers for the Photos framework on macOS, allowing Python applications to interact with the user's photo library. It's part of the larger PyObjC project, enabling access to Objective-C frameworks from Python. The current version is 12.1 and follows the PyObjC project's release cadence, often aligning with macOS SDK updates and Python version support.

Warnings

breaking PyObjC 12.0 dropped support for Python 3.9. PyObjC 11.0 dropped support for Python 3.8. The latest versions require Python 3.10 or later.
Fix: Ensure your Python environment is 3.10 or newer. Upgrade Python if necessary.
gotcha PyObjC (and thus `pyobjc-framework-photos`) is a macOS-specific library. It provides bindings to Apple's Objective-C frameworks, which are only available on macOS.
Fix: Only use this library on macOS systems. Cross-platform applications requiring photo access will need alternative solutions for non-macOS platforms.
breaking PyObjC 11.1 introduced significant changes to how initializer methods are modeled, aligning with `clang`'s automatic reference counting (ARC) documentation. Custom `init` methods in Python subclasses might behave differently regarding reference counting.
Fix: Review custom Python `init` methods for Objective-C classes, especially regarding ownership and reference counts. Test your application thoroughly after upgrading to 11.1 or later if you have such methods.
gotcha Experimental free-threading support (PEP 703) in Python 3.13 is *not* fully supported by PyObjC. While PyObjC 11.0 introduced *experimental* support, there may still be stability or performance issues when running with free-threading enabled.
Fix: If using Python 3.13 with PyObjC, be aware that free-threading support is experimental. Monitor PyObjC release notes for updates on stability. For critical applications, consider using Python 3.12 or earlier until free-threading support is mature.

Install

pip install pyobjc-framework-photos Install pyobjc-framework-photos

Imports

Photos
```
import Photos
```
objc
```
import objc
```

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to check Photos library authorization and list the titles of a few user-created albums. This code must be run on macOS. You might need to grant your Python environment (e.g., Terminal.app or your IDE) access to Photos via System Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos.

import Photos
import objc

def list_some_photo_data():
    # All Cocoa calls must be made within an autorelease pool
    pool = objc.autorelease_pool()
    try:
        # Check authorization status for Photos access
        status = Photos.PHPhotoLibrary.authorizationStatus()

        if status == Photos.PHAuthorizationStatusAuthorized:
            print("Photos access is authorized.")
            
            # Fetch all user albums
            user_albums = Photos.PHAssetCollection.fetchAssetCollectionsWithType_subtype_options_(
                Photos.PHAssetCollectionTypeAlbum,
                Photos.PHAssetCollectionSubtypeAny,
                None
            )
            print(f"Found {user_albums.count()} user albums:")
            for i in range(min(3, user_albums.count())): # List up to 3 albums
                album = user_albums.objectAtIndex_(i)
                print(f"- {album.localizedTitle()}")
        elif status == Photos.PHAuthorizationStatusLimited:
            print("Photos access is limited (user selected specific photos).")
            # Can still fetch, but only for selected photos
        else:
            print(f"Photos access is not authorized. Current status: {status}")
            print("Please ensure your application (or terminal) has Photos access granted in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos.")
    finally:
        # The pool must be released
        del pool

if __name__ == '__main__':
    list_some_photo_data()

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