Look, I get it. You're staring at your Mac's Photos app with 237 vacation pictures from Hawaii and thinking: "There's gotta be a faster way than clicking each one individually." Spoiler alert – there absolutely is. Over years of organizing thousands of photos (including that time I accidentally selected 800 cat pics), I've discovered every trick Macs offer for batch selecting images.

Core Selection Methods That Actually Work

Let's cut straight to what you opened this article for: how do I select multiple photos on a Mac without losing my mind? These aren't hypothetical methods – they're the ones I use weekly while editing photography portfolios.

The Drag Selection Method

This is what I call the "lasso technique":

• Click any blank area between photos
• Drag your cursor to create a selection rectangle
• Release when all target photos are covered

Works best in grid view. Pro tip: If you mess up, just click anywhere outside the selection and restart. I wish Apple would make the selection rectangle more visible though – sometimes it disappears against light backgrounds.

Shift-Click for Sequential Selection

The classic method I use when photos are in perfect order:

• Click first photo
• Hold Shift
• Click last photo

Boom – everything between gets selected. Simple? Yes. But here's where it gets messy: if your photos aren't sorted chronologically (say, grouped by faces), this method becomes useless. Learned that the hard way during a client project.

Command-Click for Precision Picking

This is my go-to for choosing non-adjacent photos:

• Hold ⌘ (Command key)
• Individually click every desired photo
• Release ⌘ when finished

Perfect for cherry-picking shots from different events. Warning: Accidentally releasing Command midway forces you to restart. Happened to me twice yesterday while compiling wedding photos.

Where Selection Methods Change Based on App

Here's something most guides miss: how to select multiple photos on a Mac varies significantly depending on what app you're using. What works in Photos might fail in Finder.

In Apple Photos App

Beyond basic selection:

• Album Trick: Create temporary album → Select "Select All" (⌘A) → Delete album after export
• Smart Albums: Auto-select photos by criteria (date range, keywords)

Frankly, I find Smart Albums overcomplicated for quick tasks. Great for recurring projects though.

In Finder

Finder adds two critical options:

• List View Selection: Click first file → Shift-click last file (works vertically)
• Cover Flow Hack: Command-click thumbnails in Cover Flow view

Finder's thumbnail grid feels clunkier than Photos app. But when moving RAW files between drives? Essential.

Email Attachments (Mail App)

Surprise limitation: You can't drag-select photos in Mail attachments. Must Command-click each. Painful when attaching 20 product shots.

When Things Go Wrong: Troubleshooting

After helping 47 clients with photo selection issues, here are the most common problems:

Selections Randomly Deselecting

This usually happens when:

• Accidentally tapping trackpad with second finger
• Background app stealing focus (disable notifications temporarily)
• Overloaded system memory (check Activity Monitor)

Last month I lost a 300-photo selection three times. Solution? Restarted Mac and worked flawlessly. Sometimes it's that simple.

Can't Select Across Multiple Folders

Crucial limitation: You can't select photos from different folders simultaneously in Finder or Photos. Workaround? Create a temporary album containing all target photos first.

Touchpad vs. Mouse Issues

Magic Mouse users report more accidental deselections. If selecting multiple photos on your Mac keeps failing:

• Lower tracking speed in System Settings > Mouse
• Enable "Drag Lock" in Accessibility > Pointer Control

Pro Workflows For Power Users

Once you master how to select multiple photos on a Mac, try these advanced moves:

Bulk Editing in Preview

Most don't know Preview can batch-edit:

1. Select photos in Finder
2. Right-click → Open With → Preview
3. Edit first photo → Changes apply to all selected

Game-changer for resizing web images. Quality isn't as good as Photoshop but faster for quick jobs.

Terminator Mode: Keyboard-Only Selection

For keyboard warriors:

• Tab through photos with arrow keys
• Select individual items with Space + ⌘
• Select blocks with Shift + arrows

Admittedly slower than mouse, but useful when trackpad dies. Saved me during coffee spills.

Third-Party Solutions Worth Considering

When Apple's tools fall short:

• Photo Mechanic ($150): Insanely fast culling for professionals
• XnViewMP (free): Better batch renaming
• HoudahSpot ($35): Advanced metadata searches

I only recommend these for photographers handling 10,000+ images. For normal users? Stick with native tools.

Critical Settings That Affect Selection

These hidden settings caused 80% of my early frustrations:

View Options Matters

In Finder:

• Icon Size: Too small? Hard to drag-select accurately
• Grid Spacing: Tight spacing causes overlapping selections

Adjust in View > Show View Options. Personally use 64px icons with medium spacing.

Sort Order Changes Everything

Your sort method (date, name, size) determines whether Shift-click works efficiently. Before bulk deleting, always sort by "Date Added" to avoid keeping duplicates.

Metadata Loading Delays

When scrolling through 5,000+ RAW files, thumbnails load slowly. If selections seem unresponsive, pause scrolling until all icons populate.

Beyond Selection: What Actually Matters

Honestly? Learning how to select multiple photos on a Mac is step one. What you do next matters more:

The 7 Second Rule

After selecting photos, immediately:

1. Tag them with keywords (⌘K)
2. Add to album (⌘+N)
3. Backup externally

Delaying these steps causes organizational chaos. Speaking from painful experience with 12,000 unlabeled travel photos.

Keyboard Shortcuts That Save Hours

Memorize these:

• ⌘C / ⌘V: Copy/paste edits across photos
• ⌘R: Batch rename selected photos
• ⌥⌘E: Export with custom settings

These shortcuts reduced my editing time by 60%. No exaggeration.

The Cloud Consideration

Selecting photos in iCloud differs:

• Selections sync slowly across devices
• Offline photos can't be bulk-selected
• Optimize Storage mode hides originals

My rule: Always select locally before syncing. Cloud management remains macOS's weakest link.

Look, selecting photos should be simple. But between Apple's hidden behaviors and our own habits, it often isn't. After fixing these issues for clients for years, I promise: once you internalize these methods, photo management becomes transformative. Now go tame that photo library – you've got this.