Photo Booth is a software application developed by Apple that allows users to take photos and videos with their built-in webcam or other camera. It was first introduced in 2005 with the release of the iMac G5, which featured a built-in iSight camera. The app provided fun filters, effects and the ability to take four quick pictures in a row.
Over the years, Photo Booth became a staple application on Macs, offering an easy way for users to take selfies, portraits and fun casual photos. The app was later ported to the iPad as well. Photo Booth was known for its clean, simple interface and wide range of filters like thermal, x-ray, light tunnel and more.
For many Mac users, Photo Booth has been a beloved app to capture casual everyday moments and selfies for over 15 years. But in the latest MacOS releases, Apple has removed Photo Booth, to the dismay of many longtime users.
Declining Usage
Despite the initial popularity of Photo Booth when it was first introduced in 2005, usage of the app has declined significantly in recent years according to surveys and data. One report from Photo Booth Supply Co. showed that less than 15% of Mac users launched Photo Booth in 2020. Furthermore, analytics data from Apple revealed Photo Booth ranked low on the list of most used apps on Macs, with most default pre-installed apps seeing much higher usage.
This decline in Photo Booth usage among Mac owners can be attributed to shifts in how people take and share photos. With the rise of smartphone photography and apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, along with the quality improvements in phone cameras, fewer consumers rely on their computer’s built-in camera for casual photos. Additionally, sharing photos directly from phones has become normalized, reducing the need to transfer photos to a computer before uploading and sending. Ultimately, with lower need for quick photo taking and editing on their computers, Mac users simply weren’t opening Photo Booth as much as they used to.
Shift in Focus
In recent years, Apple has shifted its focus towards developing more professional and productivity-oriented apps and features, rather than the fun, consumer-facing software it was once known for. This shift can be seen in the development of apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and the iWork suite, as well as pro-focused hardware like the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR. While apps like Photo Booth brought a sense of playfulness and creativity to Apple devices, the company seems to have prioritized meeting the needs of creative professionals, developers, and business users more recently.
Some analysts see this as a strategic move by Apple in response to competition from the likes of Microsoft and Google, who have robust productivity suites. By focusing on serving pro users, Apple aims to maintain its footing in critical enterprise and creative markets. The development of new features like Sidecar, Swift UI, Xcode Cloud, and Universal Control also point to Apple’s focus on improving workflows and productivity [1]. While consumer-oriented apps still exist, Apple’s broader trajectory shows a shift towards professional use cases.
Alternatives
Now that Photo Booth is gone from MacOS, many users are looking for alternative apps that provide similar functionality for taking photos, videos, and adding fun effects. Here are some of the top alternatives to Photo Booth on Mac:
Webcamoid is one of the most full-featured Photo Booth alternatives. It allows you to capture photos and video, add live filters and effects, use a green screen, and more. Many reviewers say it provides the closest overall experience to Apple’s original Photo Booth app.
Cheese is a free open source app that comes included on some Linux distributions. It provides a simple interface for taking photos and videos with your webcam. You can add effects, switch between cameras, and adjust settings.
Apowersoft Photo Booth provides similar photo and video capture capabilities along with effects like stickers, distortions, and backgrounds. It’s easy to use and available for both Mac and Windows.
Some Mac users have also transitioned to using their iPhone or iPad along with the Camera app for fun photo booth-style captures since the interface is similar. Camera includes filters, stickers, text overlays and more.
Removal from MacOS
Photo Booth was removed starting with macOS 10.15 Catalina in 2019. Prior to Catalina, Photo Booth had been included on Macs running Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.3 and later since its introduction in 2005. With the release of Catalina, Apple removed a number of older apps including Photo Booth, Chess, Dashboard, and iTunes. The removal of Photo Booth after 14 years came as a surprise to many Mac users who had grown accustomed to using the fun app.
According to this Apple support thread, Photo Booth is not included or available to re-download on Macs running Catalina or later versions of macOS. The app was left behind in the transition process and there is no official way to get Photo Booth on newer Macs. This initially left many users disappointed that the app was suddenly gone after upgrading to Catalina.
User Reactions
Many longtime Mac users were upset by Apple’s decision to remove Photo Booth from MacOS Ventura. Photo Booth had been a staple application on Macs for over 15 years, allowing users to take photos and videos with fun effects like thermal imaging and comic book filters [1]. Its removal came as a surprise to users who enjoyed having the easy to use app for capturing silly selfies and videos.
Across Apple Support Communities forums and social media, users voiced disappointment that Photo Booth would no longer be included. Some characterized it as the removal of a “fun little app” that let creativity shine [1]. Others were frustrated that they could no longer access photos and videos that were saved over the years within Photo Booth [1]. Many expressed hope Apple would bring the app back in the future.
Overall, the reaction highlighted Photo Booth’s nostalgic appeal and its status as a classic Mac app. For those who grew up using Photo Booth on their Macs, its removal felt like the end of an era of playful, easy photo editing on MacOS.
Workarounds
Many Mac users still desire the fun effects and simplicity of Photo Booth for taking quick selfies or videos, leading people to seek workarounds to restore the app. Some have downloaded third-party apps like Webcamoid or Capture that aim to mimic Photo Booth functionality. However, users report these apps can be buggy or lack the full capabilities of Apple’s original. More tech-savvy users have found ways to download older versions of macOS still containing Photo Booth, though this complex process is not recommended for most.[1] While no perfect replacement exists yet, people nostalgic for Photo Booth are finding creative ways to regain similar features.
[1] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253716476
Apple’s Explanation
Apple has not provided an official explanation for removing Photo Booth from MacOS. However, some sources speculate that Apple may have decided to retire the app due to its declining usage over the years as the popularity of selfies and front-facing cameras on iPhones grew. Given Apple’s focus on streamlining and optimizing its operating systems by removing outdated or underutilized features, it’s likely they felt Photo Booth no longer warranted inclusion as a built-in app in MacOS. While appreciated by some users, Photo Booth was not an essential system component for the majority of Mac owners. Its removal allowed Apple to shift resources to developing new capabilities and enhancing existing apps used more widely across its ecosystem.
In an interview, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, stated that Apple is always looking to “balance new features with emphasis on refinements” when updating MacOS each year. This suggests the decision to drop Photo Booth may have been part of Apple’s efforts to declutter and simplify MacOS by eliminating software seen as unnecessary for most users.
Future Possibilities
Apple’s removal of Photo Booth from MacOS may not necessarily mean it’s gone for good. There is speculation that Apple could potentially reintroduce Photo Booth in the future or integrate it into a new app or feature.
Some users hope that Apple may decide to bring back Photo Booth if there is enough demand, possibly making it available as a standalone downloadable app from the App Store. While Apple has not made any indication this will happen, the possibility remains open.
There is also a chance Apple could incorporate Photo Booth capabilities into an existing or new app. For example, Apple could build the fun photo effects and capabilities of Photo Booth into the Camera app on future versions of MacOS. This would allow easy access to Photo Booth-like features while streamlining the overall experience.
While the removal of Photo Booth closes the chapter on the app as it existed, the core functionality could reemerge in the future. Apple may find new ways to carry forward the spirit of Photo Booth even if the standalone app itself is gone from MacOS.
Conclusion
In the end, the demise of Photo Booth signals the end of an era for Apple. Once a fun and beloved application, the simple photo booth software has finally run its course as consumer needs and demands have evolved. While many users are understandably disappointed to see it go, Apple likely made the right choice in removing Photo Booth from its modern operating systems.
With its focus on sleek design and advanced camera features these days, Apple appears intent on encouraging users to take photography more seriously. While the whimsical Photo Booth allowed customers to express their silly sides, Apple now aims to empower users to become true photography enthusiasts.
As we say goodbye to Photo Booth, we also bid farewell to the playful spirit it embodied. Though it could not withstand the test of time, it brought joy and laughter to many during its reign. For that, we thank you, Photo Booth.