Where Does Darkroom Store Edits?
Darkroom edits Apple Photos in place with no catalog, keeping adjustment stacks in a lightweight local database per device.
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Darkroom has no library file to lose. It reads your Apple Photos library directly, so every album and favorite is already there on first launch. Originals stay managed by Apple and iCloud. There is nothing to import and no sidecar files scattered beside images.
Edits live in a small on device database as reversible stacks. That keeps originals intact and exports fast. The catch is per device storage. An iPhone edit does not appear in Darkroom on iPad until you use Save then Modify Original, which pushes the rendered result through Photos.
Where Darkroom stores this, by platform
Apple Photos library (edits in local Darkroom database)
Grant full or selected Photos access on launch. RAW and ProRAW supported including batch edits. Export with Save, Save Copy, or share sheets for other apps.
Apple Photos library (edits in local Darkroom database)
Same Photos backed model on Mac and Vision Pro. One purchase covers all Apple devices on the buying Apple ID. External disk imports may need Full Disk Access in System Settings.
Frequently asked questions
Do Darkroom edits sync between iPhone and Mac?
Photos sync through iCloud Photos, but Darkroom adjustment stacks stay local per device. Use Save and Modify Original to bake the look into Photos so the finished version travels everywhere.
Where are my originals if Darkroom never imports?
Exactly where Apple Photos keeps them, locally or in iCloud with Optimize Storage. If full originals are cloud only, Darkroom triggers a download before full resolution editing.
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