How do I upload photos from my Mac's Photos app?

Took your yard photos on an iPhone? If your iPhone and Mac use the same Apple Account with iCloud Photos turned on, those pictures appear in the Mac's Photos app automatically. But when you go to upload one to SimplyScapes, they can seem impossible to find — the upload window shows your folders, and the photos aren't in any of them.

Nothing is wrong. The Photos app keeps pictures inside its own library rather than in regular folders, so they don't show up when you browse files. Here are three easy ways to get them in — the first two need no exporting at all.

Pick straight from the upload window (easiest)

The Mac's file window has a built-in shortcut to your photo library:

1. In SimplyScapes, click any upload spot — for example, New Design, then the upload box.
2. When the file window opens, look at the sidebar on the left and scroll down to the Media section. Click "Photos".
3. Your photo library appears, newest first — recent iPhone shots are right at the top.
4. Click the photo you want, then click "Open". Done — no exporting or converting needed.

If a photo takes a few seconds to come over, that's your Mac fetching the full-quality version from iCloud — give it a moment.

Drag and drop to the Desktop

Prefer something more hands-on?

1. Open the Photos app and find your photo.
2. Drag it onto your Desktop. macOS saves a regular copy there — the original stays safely in your library.
3. Upload that copy from the Desktop like any other file.

Export a copy (full control)

When you need a specific format, or several photos at once:

1. In the Photos app, select the photo (or photos).
2. Choose File > Export > Export Photos.
3. Pick JPEG as the format, click "Export", and choose a folder — the Desktop works well.
4. Upload the exported files from that folder.

A note on iPhone photo formats

iPhones save photos in HEIC format by default, and where you can use them depends on the upload spot:

• Starting a new design — HEIC works as-is, up to 25 MB. Just pick your photo and go.
• Adding to your image library or replacing a background — these accept JPG, PNG, and WEBP only. For those spots, export the photo as JPEG first (see above).

More format help: My photo won't upload.

Related

• How do I start a design from a photo?
• What makes a good background image?