Your File System and Mylio Photos

What Files and Folders does Mylio Photos create?

Mylio Photos creates files and folders on each device where the Mylio Photos application is installed. On computers, external drives, and cloud services, these files are visible in the file system. On smartphones and tablets, these files and folders are hidden.

Mylio System Folder

Mylio Photos creates a Mylio System Folder on every device. On a computer, this folder is accessible in the file system under Users/~username/Mylio, but it can be moved to another drive if desired. This folder also exists on mobile devices but is inaccessible to users.

The Mylio System Folder contains the Generated Images folder (Windows) or Generated Images.bundle (macOS), Mylio Pictures folder, Mylio InBox folder, and folders that mirror all top-level folders you’ve added to your Mylio Photos Library. These folders contain XMP metadata files for all media and may include original-quality files.

*NOTE: If your device is configured as a Mylio Photos+ Vault, a complete copy of every original-quality image in your Mylio Photos Library will be stored on that device. These images may be in the Mylio Pictures folder or other folders within the Mylio System Folder.

*NOTE: Folders linked from this device (e.g., the Pictures folder on your computer) will not be mirrored in the Mylio System Folder.

!WARNING: Tampering with the files inside the Mylio System Folder and Generated Images Folder can cause your catalog to become corrupt and may cause data loss.

Generated Images

Mylio Photos has three photo-quality sizes that can be stored on your devices:

• Thumbnails – A thumbnail file is a miniature version of your photo (less than 1% the size of the Original) that is used for referencing your entire library.
• Optimized Images – An optimized image is a medium-quality version of your photo (approximately 5% of the original’s size) that accurately represents your photo while taking up a fraction of the storage space necessary for the Original.
• Originals – An original is a full-quality image file. File sizes can vary widely, depending on the resolution and pixel dimensions of the photo.

The Generated Images folder (Windows) or Generated Images.bundle (macOS) contains thumbnails for every image in your Mylio Photos Library. Depending on your sync settings, it may also have optimized Images. This folder or file is accessible in the file system at Users/~username/Mylio/Generated Images (Windows) or Users/~username/Mylio/Generated Images.bundle (macOS).

Mylio Pictures Folder

The Mylio Pictures folder, located inside the Mylio System Folder, is the default import location into your Mylio Photos Library. This folder is accessible in the file system at Users/~username/Mylio/Mylio Pictures.

Mylio InBox Folder

The Mylio InBox folder, located inside the Mylio System Folder, allows users to drag and drop new media into their Mylio Photos Library. By default, this folder is added as a shortcut in the left sidebar of Windows Explorer and macOS Finder for quick and easy access. This folder is accessible in the file system at Users/~username/Mylio/Mylio Inbox.

*TIP: To turn off and hide the Mylio Inbox shortcut in Windows Explorer or macOS Finder, open Settings > Advanced > Enable Mylio InBox Integration and toggle the switch OFF.

Mylio Photos’ Files on an External Drive or NAS

Adding an external drive or NAS as a Mylio Photos+ device will create a Mylio_XXXXXX folder in the top level of the drive where the XXXXXX is a series of random numbers and letters (e.g., Mylio_6A1d09). This folder will contain the following files:

• Generated Images folder (Windows) or Generated Images.bundle (macOS) – This file contains thumbnails for every image in your Mylio Photos Library. It may also have optimized Images depending on your sync preferences.
• Folders that mirror all top-level folders you’ve added to your Mylio Photos Library – These folders contain XMP metadata files for all media and may contain original-quality files.
  

Mylio Photos’ Files on a Cloud Service

Adding a Mylio Photos+ Cloud service, such as Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive, will create a Mylio folder in the top level of the Cloud drive. This folder will not have a folder structure and is only intended for use with the Mylio Photos application.

If you add Mylio Photos to a Cloud Service using the encrypted option, all data will be readable by Mylio Photos only. Adding an unencrypted Cloud service means that the service can read images, and those files will be visible to the user when browsing those drives. However, these image files should not be moved or modified and are only intended for viewing through the Mylio Photos application.

!WARNING: Tampering with the files inside the Mylio folder on a Cloud service can cause your catalog to become corrupt and may cause data loss.