How to Combine or Merge Photos Side by Side or Grid on Mac

Here's quickly combine images on mac using Shortcut without using Preview app. In Horizontally, Side By Side, Vertically or in Grid.

When editing photos, tasks such as combining and merging the images are generally done through photoshop or some software. But, if you want to go the same on Mac, using whatever you have on your system by default has been a tedious task. While we can use the Preview app but a too lengthy process to set Pictures side by side Horizontally or Vertically.

Generally, people would have to go through the whole process manually with Preview app by selecting the photos and opening the same in the Preview app. Manually resizing the images to fit the grid and then adjusting them to fit the screen. It is not easy to combine photos side by side on Mac, but this has been the way to do it for quite some time now.

Although there is an alternative way to do the same, you can combine or merge photos on Mac via a shortcut with the Preview app.

Now, we have the application and the particular shortcut that we need to be installed on your system. We can use this shortcut to combine photos vertically on Mac. We can also combine photos in Grid on Mac using this particular shortcut. So, let us go through the process.

How to Combine photos on Mac using Preview

  1. Launch the Finder on your Mac > Select the Download Folder > Navigate to the folder that contains the images you want to combine.
Open Finder App Select Download Folder Choose Folder on Mac
  1. Select the Images > Click on Open With Preview.
Select the images Right click Select Open with Preview on Mac
  1. Choose Select All to select the entire image Or Press the Command + A keyboard shortcut.
Command+A to Select All images on Mac
  1. Select Tools From the Mac Menubar > Click Adjust Size From the Prompted Menu.
Select Tools Click Adjust Size on Mac
  1. Enter the Width of the Images > Click OK.
Enter Width Select OK on Mac
  1. Press the Command+A to Select the First image. Then, Press the Command+X to Cut the image.
Press the Command+A  and Command+X of first image on Mac
  1. Select Tools at the Mac Menubar > Click Adjust Size From the Prompted menu.
Select Tools Click Adjust Size on Mac
  1. Press the Lock icon to Unlock > Enter the sum of the width of all the images you want to combine in the Width field > Hit OK.
Press lock to unlock Enter Width Click ok on Mac
  1. Press the Command + V shortcut to paste the first Image.
Paste the First image on Mac
  1. Press the Command+A to Select the Second Image. Next, Press the Command+X to Cut the Image.
Command+A and Command+X to the Second image on Mac
  1. Preview will prompt you that this action will convert the image to a PNG file (if it isn’t already). Hit Convert to proceed.
Select Convert on Mac
  1. Go back to the first image in Preview and hit Command + V to paste the Second image on it. Once done, Press the Command + S keyboard shortcut to save the file.
Paste the Second image on Mac

Settings necessary to combine photos side by side on Mac

  1. Click the Link to Download and Install the Combine image Shortcut and Select Add Shortcut.
Click on Add Shortcut on Mac
  1. Launch the Shortcuts App on your Mac.
Open Shortcut App on Mac
  1. Select All Shortcuts From the Left Pane > Click the Combine images shortcut.
Select All Shortcuts Click on Combine Image Shortcut on Mac
  1. Click on the Information icon on the Right side Menu and open advanced settings > Allow the shortcut to get the photos from the finder directly. Click the checkboxes for Use as quick action, Finder and Show in Share Sheet for a more straightforward process.
Click on the side menu open advanced settings Click the checkboxes for Use as quick action and finder on Mac

Now, close the shortcuts app, and you can start editing the images directly. From a saved location in Finder Mac. 

How to Combine Pictures Side by Side Horizontally or Vertically

  1. Launch the Finder on your Mac > Select the Download Folder > Choose the Folder of Images Where you can Select the images you want to incorporate from the finder.
Open Finder App Select Download Folder Choose Folder on Mac
  1. Select the Images.
Select the Photos on Mac
  1. Right-click on the selected images > Click on the Quick actions > Select Combine Images.
Right Click to images Select Quick Action Click on Combine Images on Mac
  1. A dialogue box opens on the screen for you where you need to select whether to combine the chosen images in chronological order or reverse chronological order. Choose Chronological Order > Select Done.
Select Chronological Click Done on Mac
  1. Once you select either of the options, the shortcut will ask for spacing sizes. Enter the Image Spacing Size > Then, Click Done.
Enter the Image Spacing Click Done on Mac
  1. There are three options in the menu. For instance, if you have Selected two images, then you can Choose to Combine Images Horizontally on Mac. This will automatically merge and adjust your images to fit side by side with each other > Next, Click Done to apply the changes.
Select Combine Images Horizontally Click Done on Mac
  1. As a result, you will have your combined image on the screen. If need to Edit then Click on Open With Preview.
Click on Open With Preview on Mac

How to Make Collage Photo on Mac

Without any third-party app or software, use Apple’s shortcut app and convert multiple photos into a grid using this shortcut app. Follow the below steps,

  1. Launch the Finder on your Mac > Select the Download Folder > Choose the Folder Where you can Select the images.
Open Finder Select Downloads Folder Choose the Folder of Images on Mac
  1. Now, Select the 3 to 4 Photos from the finder.
Select the Images on Mac
  1. Right-Click on the selected images > Click on Quick Actions > Select the Combine images.
Right Click to Images Select Quick Actions Click on Combine Images on Mac
  1. Choose Chronological Order > Select Done.
Select Chronological Click Done on Mac
  1. Next, Enter the Image Spacing Size > Select Done.
Enter the Image Spacing Click Done on Mac
  1. Choose the Combine Images in a Grid option to Convert those photos into Grid > Click Done to apply the changes.
Select Combine Images in a Grid Click Done on Mac
  1. As a result, you will have your combined image on the screen. That’s it. if need to Edit then Click on Open With Preview.
Click on Open With Preview on Mac

Video Tutorial:-

Moreover, after combining the images, you can select the open with Preview option and start editing the same right away if you wish to edit the photo further. This simple shortcut helps save time while editing images on Mac. Like, such as adding Objects, Typing a Text, and more. Hopefully, this helps!

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Karly Wood

Karly Wood, a Wellington-based journalist, excels in covering Apple and tech trends. With a diverse background in public safety, government, and education reporting, her insights bridge multiple disciplines, offering readers a well-rounded perspective on today's technological advancements. Contact Her Team:- [email protected] [OR] [email protected]

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