iPhoto Export Click to see a larger image

For information about printing photos at CVS, click here.

There are two ways that you can get photos from iPhoto to the photo lab at Walgreens and Walmart: You can burn them to a CD and take them in or you can upload the photos directly to walgreens.com or walmart.com. The CD method is explained in this tip and the CD you create can be taken to any photo lab for processing. This tip covers the process for uploading your photos.

Walgreens and Walmart both use the same system for uploading prints. The prep work that you do before sending your prints can also be used with any other online photo center that lets you upload, but you will generally have to upload the image files one at a time.

Printing photos at Walgreens or Walmart is a two step process: Prepping your photos from iPhoto then Uploading them to their websites.

Prepping your photos:

1. Do any editing you want to do to your photos. For best results, crop your photos to the size you are planning to print. (See how to pre-crop)
2. From the Thumbnail view, select all the photos you want to print. (Remember that you can use Command-click to select multiple photos.)
3. Choose File / Export... from the menu bar.
4. Leave the settings as they are and click Export.
5. In the export file dialog, select Desktop from the left pane and click the New Folder button. Name the new folder To Print and click Create.
6. Make sure the To Print folder is selected and then click OK. Your selected photos will be copied from iPhoto into your "To Print" folder on the Desktop

1. Go to the website and click on the Photo link.
2. If it is your first time at the site, create an account. Otherwise sign in.
3. Follow the link to upload photos. Choose to upload to a new album, give the new album a name and click Select Photos.
4. A standard Mac OS X dialog box will open. Choose your Desktop folder and select the To Print folder.
5. Press Command-A to select all the photos in the To Print folder and click the Select button. Your photos will upload to the website.
6. Once your photos are uploaded, follow the website directions to print at your desired size and to pick up at your desired location.

I did a recent project that required printed photos. It was very easy to select and send the photos to my local Walgreens store down the street and they promised the prints in one hour. About 30 minutes later I got an e-mail saying that the prints were ready. Granted, this was a small order and it was about 8pm on a weeknight when the photo lab wasn't busy, but I was quite satisfied with both the service and the quality of the prints.

Note: I have no connection to either Walgreens or Walmart. I am only recommending their online photo centers because I have found them to be the easiest for iPhoto users. If you know of other online photo centers that use the same system or even something better, drop me a line.

Related Items: iPhoto | Walgreens | Walmart