Mac app for photographers
Restore missing photo locations with review first.
Placeframe helps photographers bring missing location metadata back to Apple Photos by matching Google Maps Timeline history on your Mac, then letting you review proposed places before anything is written.
- Runs locally on your Mac by default
- Reviews proposed places before every write
- Built for Apple Photos libraries, not generic cloud catalogs
Who it is for
Built for photographers cleaning up older imports.
Placeframe is for photographers whose Apple Photos libraries include older DSLR, mirrorless, scanned, or migrated images that lost location metadata on the way in.
The point is not to automate past the decision. The point is to restore place without turning your archive into a blind batch job.
How it works
Import, inspect, apply.
The workflow is intentionally short: bring in a Timeline export, review proposed matches day by day, then write only the locations you approve.
-
Import the export you already have.
Placeframe reads `location-history.json` locally on your Mac and scans Apple Photos for candidates that need location data.
-
Review likely matches one day at a time.
Suggestions stay separate from confirmed writes, so you can inspect the map, compare timing, and decide deliberately.
-
Write only approved locations.
Once a day or photo looks correct, write the approved metadata into Apple Photos and move on.
Privacy and trust
Privacy stays next to the workflow.
Imported Timeline data and match decisions stay local by default. Apple map tiles may load when you inspect the map, and richer place labels use Apple geocoding only if you enable that option.
- No Placeframe account required
- No upload of Timeline files or match results
- Review-before-write workflow in Apple Photos
Read the privacy policy and terms of service.
FAQ
Questions photographers ask first.
Does Placeframe upload my Google Maps Timeline export?
No. Timeline parsing and matching run locally on your Mac by default.
Does it work with Apple Photos?
Yes. Placeframe is built around Apple Photos libraries and writes approved metadata back into Apple Photos locally.
Why mention Apple geocoding and map tiles?
Because privacy language should sit next to the real behavior. Rich place labels are optional, and map inspection can load Apple map tiles for the visible region.
Is the Mac App Store version available yet?
Not yet. The marketing site is live now, and the Mac App Store listing is being prepared.