How to save and export Photo Booth pictures on Mac

The documented export options

Apple describes selecting a thumbnail and choosing File > Export, or dragging it to the desktop. For one frame in a 4-up photograph, select that frame and export or drag the frame itself. File > Export Original saves a photograph without its applied effect. Still exports are JPEG; video clips are MOV.

Evidence: Official software guide

Open the saved file

After exporting, open the file from the destination folder. Check the frame count, orientation and pixel dimensions. Rename it with a recognisable date or session name. A filename is useful bookkeeping, but it does not establish when an undated historic photograph was taken.

Keep your export and the app library until you have confirmed the result and backed up the files you want. Do not remove the only original because a message app shows a preview.

Prepare a print or collage copy

For a strip, place the chosen images into the intended layout rather than stretching a four-picture grid into a narrow column. Work from copies and crop each slot separately. Decide the print dimensions before sending the file to a printer; “fit” and “fill” can produce different results.

Send it without relying on a temporary preview

Use a file attachment or download method that preserves the quality you need. Ask the recipient to save and open one test. For a video, verify playback on their device. For a photograph intended for an album, keep a high-quality copy separate from any smaller social version.

If your menu differs, use the Photo Booth guide for your installed macOS version. The export route is part of Apple’s app; a third-party web booth may have a completely different save process.