Good questions.
Shorter answers.
The recurring “wait, what does this actually do?” questions, collected in one place.
Does Photo Time Machine delete photos automatically?
No. Cleanup is review-driven. Archiving, duplicate review, screenshot cleanup, and Apple Photos cleanup require deliberate choices. Archive-dependent Apple Photos removal includes a verification step before deletion is requested.
What is My Library?
My Library contains the media Photo Time Machine has cataloged. Connecting Apple Photos or Dropbox does not automatically mean every item from that source is already represented in the catalog.
What does Archive to Dropbox do?
It creates an external Dropbox archive copy of selected media and verifies that copy before Photo Time Machine treats the item as protected. Archiving does not automatically remove the Apple Photos original.
What does Organize in Apple Photos do?
It adds selected media to an Apple Photos album. That organizes the Apple Photos library but does not create a Dropbox archive copy.
Where do I review safely archived photos that still exist in Apple Photos?
Use Archived & Verified. It is the protected pile and the place to decide whether a remaining Apple Photos copy should stay or be removed.
How does duplicate review work?
Photo Time Machine analyzes cataloged photos and surfaces candidate pairs under its comparison rules. A candidate is not an automatic deletion decision. You compare the copies and choose what should happen.
What is Visual Search?
Visual Search creates a searchable analysis index so you can look for subjects and visual themes. Newly cataloged media may need to be analyzed before it appears in those searches.
Can I stop halfway through a cleanup project?
Yes. Photo Time Machine is designed around manageable batches. You do not need to organize your entire photo history in one heroic sitting.
Does Photo Time Machine require an account?
The current Photo Time Machine workflow does not require a separate Photo Time Machine account.