Nitro Photos
Local-first · self-hosted

Your library.
Your server.
Your rules.

Keep your photos in your own library, pair your devices securely, and browse, edit, search, and share — without handing your collection to a hosted photo service.

macOS 14+ · Apple Silicon & Intel · no account with us required

Under the hood

Every sync, right where you can see it.

What you get

Everything a photo library needs. Nothing it phones home for.

The Mac app is a full editor and organizer on top of a library you control end to end.

Private by default

Nitro Photos connects to a server you choose and run. No Nitro-hosted cloud account, ever.

Secure device pairing

Approve every device with a short-lived QR or code challenge. Revoke access from any paired device, any time.

A real editor

Adjustments, crop presets, AI actions, and export to JPEG, PNG, or HEIC — save to the original or as new.

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Organized your way

Titles, favorites, tags, and face labels, with trash recovery instead of instant deletion.

Location stripped on import

GPS and EXIF location metadata are removed from stored copies automatically — the original file is untouched.

Share on your terms

A local sharing server runs on your own network, so a link only works for people you actually gave it to.


Getting started

Three steps, then it's just your library.

1

Run your server

Point Nitro Photos at a local server — one you already run, or set up fresh in a few minutes.

2

Pair your devices

Scan a code from your phone, approve it on your Mac. Each device gets its own revocable session.

3

Import and sync

Drag in your library or import from your phone. Everything after that just stays in sync.

Data handling

Built to hold as little as possible.

No analytics SDK, no ad tracker, no bundled crash reporter. The publisher doesn't receive a copy of your library just because the app is installed.

Tokens live in the KeychainAccess and refresh tokens are stored in the macOS Keychain, not app preferences, and can be revoked per device.

AI tagging is opt-inNothing is sent to an AI provider unless you supply your own API key. Turn it off and nothing leaves your library.

You control retentionDelete media, empty trash, revoke a device, or delete the server's data — Nitro Photos doesn't keep a copy anywhere else.

Read the whole policyFull privacy policy →

Platforms

Mac today. Everything else on the way.

Available now

macOS

The full library, editor, server dashboard, and sharing tools. Apple Silicon and Intel.

Companion

iOS

Pair, browse, and back up your phone's camera roll straight into your library.

Companion

Android

The same pairing and backup flow, for the rest of your devices.

In development

Linux

A native GTK4 desktop client, built for the same server and library.

Planned

Windows

A native Windows client is on the roadmap — not yet in development.

Ready when you are

Bring your library home.

Free. No account with us. Requires a server you control.