iOS Photo Album Lookup is a powerful tool for investigators and litigation support professionals working with iOS device extractions containing photos/videos from the device’s gallery. This utility analyzes photo and video records on an iOS device and identifies which album each media file belongs to, using data from the device’s Photos.sqlite database.
Whether you’re scanning raw DCIM files or working from a structured media_files.csv, the tool provides deep metadata visibility, maps each asset to its associated album, and optionally renames the files for easier organization.
With this tool, you can:
- Identify the album each iOS photo or video belongs to
- Cross-reference Photos.sqlite with the device’s media file structure
- Rename media files to include album titles (optional)
- Export structured results to a CSV file for reporting or ingestion
- Operate directly on extracted file systems or use existing media file inventories
Key Features
- Flexible Input Options – Supports scanning the DCIM folder or reading from media_files.csv.
- Album-Level Mapping – Uses Photos.sqlite to match media files with their corresponding albums.
- Optional File Renaming – Renames media files with album titles for easier browsing and sorting.
- Comprehensive Output – Generates a detailed CSV containing original file location, asset PKs, album PKs, and album titles.
- Dynamic SQLite Parsing – Identifies dynamic asset/album link tables used in various iOS versions.
- Smart Folder Detection – Auto-detects and navigates into Custodian subfolders when present.
- Standalone Utility – No installation required; just run the executable and go.
Requirements & Usage
Operating System: Windows 10 and higher
Application Type: Console
Usage: iOS-Photo-Album-Lookup.exe [folder_path] [–read-csv] [–rename] [–help]
Arguments:
folder_path: Path to the raw files export folder containing Photos.sqlite (will auto-navigate into Custodian* folder)
–read-csv: (Optional) Use media_files.csv for file mapping instead of scanning the DCIM folder (created when exporting media items from ModeOne)
–rename: (Optional) Rename media files using their album title as a prefix
–help: View usage instructions
The switches –read-csv and –rename cannot be used together.
Note
This free utility is distributed as-is, with a focus on streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity for industry practitioners.