Where Does Shotwell Store Its Library?
Where Shotwell keeps its photo.db database and thumbnails on Linux, separate from your pictures.
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Shotwell separates library from files. Your pictures stay in ~/Pictures (or wherever you import from). Tags, events, and edit history live in a SQLite database at ~/.local/share/shotwell/data/photo.db, with thumbnails alongside.
Back up the data folder, not just the pictures. Reinstalling Shotwell without photo.db gives an empty library staring at full folders. The -d flag can relocate the private data dir for multi-library setups.
Where Shotwell stores this, by platform
~/.local/share/shotwell/data/photo.db
SQLite library database plus thumbnails beside it. Photos themselves stay in ~/Pictures. Back up with Shotwell closed; use -d for alternate library locations.
Frequently asked questions
How do I migrate the Shotwell library?
Copy ~/.local/share/shotwell (photo.db plus thumbnails) to the same path on the new machine, with Shotwell closed. Restore photos to identical paths too, or the database points at missing files. Thumbnails regenerate if lost.
Are edits stored in the photos or the database?
Yes. Shotwell records tags, ratings, and edits in photo.db first and only writes into files when metadata writing is enabled in Preferences. Keep the database even with that option on; it stays the source of truth.
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