10.4: Add Spotlight keywords to images with Preview

Jun 16, '05 09:38:00AM

Contributed by: q-wert

Tiger only hintSo Spotlight works with all kind of file metadata (size, DPI, etc. for images). iPhoto is a great application, but I usually leave out anything that isn't a photo (like, say, drawings). That said, I couldn't take advantage of performing a Keyword search on such files (a feature present with iPhoto). I could only add 'keywords' onto Spotlight's Comment field (in the Finder's Get Info window).

However, JPEGs can contain metadata for copyrights and stuff -- for those who want to search more into that, it's called IPTC data. Today, I've discovered that Preview will allow you to add such metadata keywords directly onto JPG files. Just use Tools -> Get Info -> Keywords, and then click Add. Save your changes, and your keywords are attached to the JPEG image. Now you can perform more powerful searches with Spotlight!

[robg adds: You should be able to add keywords for any file that Preview can open -- I added some to TIFFs, for instance.]

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