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HP Digital Photography  >  Organize and archive photos

Easy ways to organize your digital photos

Sharing digital photos and creating photo projects is simple when you're organized.
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Content starts here
» Thin your photo library
» Give your photos descriptive names
» Rename photos in batches with Windows
» Tag your photos with keywords
» Create descriptive folders
» Get started with a project that inspires you
» Explore all that HP offers


Thin your photo library



Right click to delete (top) or open and delete (below).
This is an easy one. Eliminate the pictures you know don't need (like those shots with your thumb over the lens). There are two easy ways to delete digital photos from your Windows computer:

  • Right-click the photo and choose Delete from the menu options.
  • Double-click the photo to open in Windows Photo Gallery, and select the red "X" in the lower right.

Almost any photo-organizing software you use (for example HP Photosmart Essential) will allow you to delete from a library of photos. Better yet, get in the practice of deleting photos from your camera before you download to save yourself some trouble.

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Give your photos descriptive names




Giving your photos descriptive file names will help you find the images you're looking for quickly and easily.

  • Name as you download

    Who remembers that "HPIM0007.JPG" was that wonderful sunset shot from your honeymoon? Add descriptive names to your photos as a part of your download routine. Let's face it-if you wait, they won't get named.

    If you only have a few photos to rename, you just have to click each file name once to highlight and edit.

    If you have dozens to rename, try batching them (covered in the next section).

  • Be consistent

    Name files consistently and add descriptive details in the title for easy retrieval later on. For example: "Eiffel_tower_2008.jpg" rather than Vacation_2008.jpg."

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Rename photos in batches with Windows




It's easy to automatically rename many files at once (called "batching") with both Windows XP and Windows Vista®.

  1. Open a folder of images you want to rename.
  2. Highlight all the images in the folder by selecting Edit and Select All from the menu bar (or Ctrl A).
  3. Right click the first photo in the folder and select Rename.
  4. Enter a name that describes every image in the folder. For example: "Becky's_birthday_2008.jpg."
  5. Windows XP or Vista will then automatically rename all the files in the folder and number them in order.

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Tag your photos with keywords


More than giving your photos descriptive names, tagging them makes them even easier to find later on. Tagging attaches a keyword (or many keywords) to a photo file. For example, if you can't remember that the exact title is "Becky's_birthday_2008.jpg" you can still find the file by searching the tags "Birthdays," "Becky," or even "2008."

There are two ways we recommend tagging your digital photos:



  1. HP Photosmart Essential software
    This free photo editing and organization software (free to download here) allows you to choose from a list of popular tags (vacation, birthday, etc.) but also lets you create any custom tag you want in the Tag tab.

  2. Windows Vista®

    • To tag a photo with Windows Vista, simply double-click the image to open it in Windows Photo Gallery.
    • Next, select the Info tab.
    • On the right-hand side, click the Add Tags button, and include any keywords you want.

Some HP digital cameras allow you to tag your photos before they ever leave your camera. Watch a demo to see how.

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Create descriptive folders


If you just don't have time to add keywords or tags, you can still help yourself by labeling your photo folders. You may want to use the month and year to label each folder and subfolder. Remember, consistency is key.

You can also arrange photos into folders with HP Photosmart Essential. Learn more.

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Get started with a project that inspires you


So maybe even with these easy tips, you're still not thrilled about organizing your photos. Try using a creative project as your starting point to better organization.

Instead of diving headlong into hundreds of photos, search for a theme—a particular type of photo—and ignore the rest for now. Here are a few examples to get you started.

  • Family baby photos

    Create a special album dedicated to all the members of your family when they were young. Or, use the birth of a new member as inspiration to start organizing.

  • Everyday special events

    What about those special days that "just happen?" Search for photos of trips to the zoo with the kids, for example.

  • Places you've lived

    Comb your photo library for pictures of the places close to your heart.

Or, just start organizing the most recent photos you've taken or the photos on your camera's memory card right now.

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Explore all that HP offers


As you start to rediscover all those photos, you're going to find a ton you want to show off to family and friends. HP makes it easy to spread the photographic love around.

  • HP Photo Printer Buying Guide

    To find the best photo printer to meet your needs, check out the HP photo printer buying guide, where you can compare features and prices for all the latest products.

  • Snapfish

    While it's always a good idea to store your digital photos on your computer or other storage device, creating online albums through Snapfish is a really easy way to share. Snapfish also offers dozens of custom photo gifts for you or anyone special. Learn more about using Snapfish.

  • HP photo kiosks

    If you're more hands-on, visit an HP photo kiosk at a store near you. Get help creating personalized photo projects-many of them done while you shop! Find out where there's an HP photo kiosk near you.

  • HP Activity Center

    The HP Activity Center offers hundreds of free printable projects you can create online and print right at home. From cards to calendars, party kits to scrapbooks, you'll be amazed how easy it is to make something beautiful.

  • HP Expression Center

    Want more inspiration? Visit the HP community. Join the conversation. Post advice or simply share your story with others. You can watch instructional videos, or even post one of your own. It's easy to join. Let us know what you have to say.

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Learn more about organizing and archiving


Explore the following articles for tips on storing your photos, restoring and scanning old photos, and more!

» Quick tips for scanning photos
» Quick tips for storing digital photos

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» See all articles and glossaries



Learn more


Take a free online class in digital photography! Explore the many features of your digital camera, find tips for cropping and editing your images, and discover new ideas for sharing your photos in creative ways.

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»  FREE creative photo projects
»  Digital Photography buying guides

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