iPhoto Export Click to see a larger image

Several months ago, I wrote this tip about printing photos at your local drugstore. At the time, there was not a very good way to upload photos from your Mac to online websites for in-store printing, so that tip deals with prepping your iPhoto photos to take to the store in person.

Recently I did some more testing and found that things have changed somewhat. Printing your photos directly through iPhoto remains the easiest way to get prints, but since they are sent to you in the mail, it is not the fastest option. Apple's pricing is OK, but it isn't the lowest.

Walgreens and Walmart both use the same system for uploading prints. Their system is not perfect, but it is pretty close. The prep work that you do to send your prints can also be used with any other online photo center that lets you upload, but you will generally have to upload the image files one at a time.

Printing photos at Walgreens or Walmart is a two step process: Prepping your photos from iPhoto then Uploading them to their websites.

Prepping your photos:

1. Do any editing you want to do to your photos. For best results, crop your photos to the size you are planning to print. (See how to pre-crop)
2. From the Thumbnail view, select all the photos you want to print. (Remember that you can use Command-click to select multiple photos.)
3. Choose File / Export... from the menu bar.
4. Leave the settings as they are and click Export.
5. Create a new folder on the Desktop called "To Print". (If you don't see a New Folder button, check out this tip.)
6. Click OK and your selected photos will be copied from iPhoto into your "To Print" folder on the Desktop

Upload Photos Click to see a larger image

1. Go to the website and click on the Photo link.
2. If it is your first time at the site, create an account. Otherwise sign in.
3. Follow the links to upload photos. Note: If it is your first time (recently) to upload, you will be prompted to download the QuickUpload plugin. Follow the install instructions and prompts. You will need your administrator's password to complete the install. Safari will quit after the install, so open it up again and re-log in to the photo center website. (It sounds difficult, but it is really pretty straightforward and you only have to do it once.)
4. IMPORTANT: It is the "Upload Photos" window where you need to be careful. There is an option for either iPhoto or the Pictures folder. DON'T use them. Choose Desktop and then open your "To Print" folder you created way back in the prepping stage. Click the Select All button since you know that you want to upload all the photos you prepped.
5. Once your photos are uploaded, follow the website directions to print at your desired size and to pick up at your desired location.

Note: I have no connection to either Walgreens or Walmart. I am only recommending their online photo centers because I have found them to be the easiest for iPhoto users. If you know of other online photo centers that use the same system or even something better, drop me a line.

Update: I used QuickUpload the other day to send some pictures to Walgreens to print. Normally I take my Memory Stick into the store to make prints, but I was feeling lazy. It was very easy to send the photos to my local store down the street and they promised the prints in one hour. About 30 minutes later I got an e-mail saying that the prints were ready. Granted, this was a small order and it was about 8pm on a weeknight when the photolab wasn't busy, but I was quite satisfied with both the service and the quality of the prints.

Update: I've had several requests from the UK and other countries about using QuickUpload in those countries. I only have experience using it in the US. If you know of photo labs outside of the US that use Quick Upload, please post to this Mac Answers topic.

Related Items: iPhoto | Walgreens | GTD