Make & keep
Copy Photos adjustments across a strip on Mac
Paste selected lighting and colour edits to several frames while keeping crop and retouch choices frame-specific.
Photos for Mac can copy an edit recipe from one image and paste it to multiple images. This is useful for a strip scanned or captured under consistent light. Choose a representative frame first, and treat the pasted result as a starting point: each expression, background, and exposure can still need individual review.
Prepare the reference edit
Double-click the reference image and choose Edit. Adjust the tone or colour until it is a useful baseline, then leave the edit view and select that image in the library. Choose Image > Copy Edits. In the options sheet, turn off adjustments that should not travel across the set; crop, retouch, red-eye, and third-party extension settings are not copied by this command.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Paste only compatible adjustments
Command-click the other frames, or select a larger group from the same session. Choose Image > Paste Edits. Photos applies the copied adjustments to that selection. If you selected several images, inspect both the darkest and lightest frame first, then scan the remaining images for clipped highlights, altered skin tone, or a colour cast introduced by a different background.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Review or revert exceptions
Use Command-Z to undo a recent paste, or select an individual image and choose Image > Revert to Original if you want to remove all its saved edits. For a frame with different lighting, edit it separately rather than forcing a uniform appearance across the strip.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Apple Photos User Guide for Mac — Editing basicsApple user guide