Zero import required
Point SAND at any folder, external SSD, or NAS. Photos load instantly without copying or duplicating files.
SAND: Photo Browser
Browse any folder like Photos. Without importing a single file.
Point SAND at any folder, external SSD, or connected phone. Browse instantly in a familiar timeline. Your files stay exactly where they are.
YearsMonthsDaysAllAll Photos
Search by date, location, or file name…
July 2026
June 2026
Direct Folder BrowsingPhone & Camera PreviewLocal Search
Why SAND
A familiar Photos experience for your local files
Connected devices
Plug in an iPhone, Android phone, or camera SD card. Browse photos directly on the device, and import only if you want to.
100% local & private
Fast local search with zero cloud sync or tracking. Your photos stay strictly on your hard drives.
Core features
Built for browsing large photo collections
Open any folder
Add local folders, external SSDs, or network drives. Your file structure stays completely untouched.
Direct device browsing
Connect iPhones, Android devices, or camera SD cards and browse their contents right away.
Timeline & fast search
Jump smoothly through Years, Months, and Days. Search by date, folder name, or location offline.
Completely private
No cloud accounts, background uploads, or telemetry. Everything runs on your Mac.
Private Vault
Lock specific folders or media behind Touch ID or a password with SAND Pro.
Custom UI themes
Choose between Standard, Retro, and Neubrutalist themes to fit your Mac workspace.
Simple setup
Browse your photos in seconds
- 01
Add your folders
Select any local folder, external SSD, USB drive, or NAS.
- 02
Browse instantly
Scroll through a clean Photos-style timeline by Year, Month, or Day.
- 03
Plug in devices
Connect an iPhone, Android phone, or SD card to browse media without importing first.
- 04
Import when you want
Transfer select photos to your preferred drive only when needed, or just keep browsing.
Deep Dive
Built for your existing folder structure.
Connected Devices
Browse phones and SD cards without importing.
Connect an iPhone, Android device, or camera card and view photos immediately. You get a full library view directly from the hardware, and you can selectively copy items whenever you choose.
Direct support for iPhone, Android (MTP), camera SD cards, and external drives.
iPhone 15 Pro
ImageCapture · 248 items
Pixel 8
MTP · 1,024 items
Canon SD Card
/Volumes/EOS_DIGITAL
Privacy & Vault
Keep private photos protected.
Hide sensitive folders behind Touch ID or a password lock. When sharing photos, you can optionally strip location data and EXIF metadata on export.
Touch ID · Password lock · Optional location stripping on export
Hidden Vault Locked
Touch ID or password required
Private media
Strip GPS
UI Themes
Designed for Mac desktop workflows.
Clean, fast native UI. Choose between Standard, Retro, and Neubrutalist visual themes to customize your browsing experience.
Standard · Retro · Neubrutalist. Your library, your look.
Standard
YearsMonthsDaysAll
July 2026
June 2026
Security & privacy
Your files stay on your drives
SAND works entirely offline. No background uploads, tracking, or cloud accounts.
Zero file movement
SAND browses your photos where they already sit. It never copies or moves files automatically.
Fast local index
Timeline views and search operate using a local database stored directly on your Mac.
No telemetry or cloud
No analytics, accounts, or mandatory cloud connections. Your collection stays offline.
Vault when you need it
Touch ID / password lock. Strip GPS on export with Pro.
Zero file movement
SAND browses your photos where they already sit. It never copies or moves files automatically.
Fast local index
Timeline views and search operate using a local database stored directly on your Mac.
No telemetry or cloud
No analytics, accounts, or mandatory cloud connections. Your collection stays offline.
Vault when you need it
Touch ID / password lock. Strip GPS on export with Pro.
Built for
Made for local photo collections
Designed for people who keep photos on external drives, SSDs, and folders.
Photographers
Browse external SSDs instantly
View photos on external SSDs and SD cards without importing them into a giant library file.
- External SSD workflows
- Originals untouched
- Fast folder scan
Archivists & families
Organize years of photo backups
Point SAND at years of organized folders or hard drive dumps and search them in one timeline.
- Years → Months → Days
- Offline SQLite
- Multi-volume libraries
Multi-device owners
Browse phones without syncing
Plug in iPhones or Android devices and browse photos right off the device without cloud sync.
- ImageCapture
- Android MTP
- Camera SD cards
Privacy conscious
Local-first file control
Keep your entire archive on-device with zero cloud lock-in and local vault options.
- On-device only
- No analytics
- Pro vault lock
100%
Offline & local
0
Cloud uploads
USB
iPhone + Android
Free
To start browsing
Simple, transparent pricing
Simple pricing. No subscription.
Start browsing your folders for free. Upgrade to Pro with a single in-app purchase for power tools.
SAND Free
$0forever
Perfect for browsing all your local folders and external drives.
- Unlimited folder & drive browsing
- Photos-style timeline view
- Fast local search
- 50 imports per day
SAND Pro
In-apppurchase
For power users who want advanced device transfers, security, and customization.
- Everything in Free
- Unlimited imports
- Touch ID / password Private Vault
- Location & EXIF metadata stripper
- Retro & Neubrutalist UI themes
Processed securely via Apple App Store. All photos remain on your hardware.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about browsing photos with SAND.
No. SAND reads your photos directly from where they are stored, whether that is a local folder, external SSD, or connected phone. It never copies or moves files unless you explicitly transfer them.
Still have questions? Visit support
Get started
Start browsing your photos today
Download SAND for Mac. Free to browse all your folders, drives, and devices. No cloud or library lock-in.
- macOS 14+
- 100% Local & Offline