Organize Video Versions, Cover Art and Subtitles on Mac

Keep versions instead of losing context

To organize multiple versions of a video on Mac, keep the copies under one collected work and distinguish the role of each file. A high-quality original and a smaller viewing copy may both be worth keeping. Cover art and subtitles belong with that work, but they are not additional videos to browse as unrelated entries.

LumenPod represents this as one item with related files. You can keep alternate video copies, add cover art and subtitles, and choose which copy plays. Grouping copies is an organizational decision; it does not transcode, combine or deduplicate their contents.

Organize one video with its related files

Start with a backed-up sample whose files you recognize. These instructions describe the direct-download edition; exact labels can vary by app version.

1. Add the folder containing your video files through Import Media. Confirm that each intended copy opens before grouping anything.
2. Open the item's editor and review its Resources section. Add the alternate copy to the same item, or use the merge action to bring an already catalogued item into it. Check which item you are keeping before confirming.
3. Add artwork to the cover slot and subtitle files to the subtitle slot. Review the file names so that a poster is not mistaken for another playable copy.
4. Choose each alternate copy in turn and confirm which one plays. Check that the intended subtitles match that copy's language and timing.
5. Add tags and a rating to help find the work again. Browse the library to confirm that the grouped work appears as the entry you expect.

A simple file plan for video collectors

Use descriptive names to preserve meaning outside the app. The names below are an example for your own organization, not a required naming syntax or an automatic matching rule.

A different cut can require different subtitles even when it has the same title. Check playback rather than assuming one subtitle file fits every copy. LumenPod's organization does not automatically retime subtitles or turn one format into another.

If you grouped the wrong files, review the split action to separate a file back into its own item. Read the action and confirmation carefully: separating an item is different from deleting a file. Avoid using deletion as a way to experiment with your only originals.

Add a title before you have the file

A collection sometimes starts with a name. LumenPod supports a manual entry with a name and media type, even when you do not yet have a file. Attach the file to that entry later rather than creating an unrelated second item.

Use this for works you intend to add to your collection. A manual entry is a record, not a downloadable copy, and it cannot play until you attach an accessible supported file.

Video collection questions

Are alternate copies just duplicates to delete?

Not necessarily. Resolution, format or the cut itself can differ. Decide what each version contributes before removing anything. Grouping them in one item lets you retain that context without treating every file as a separate collected work.

Does this automatically download posters or subtitles?

This workflow describes attaching files you already have. It does not promise automatic artwork lookup, subtitle downloads or online movie metadata matching.

Does grouping videos save storage space?

No. The files remain separate resources. Grouping makes the library easier to browse; it does not compress, deduplicate or merge the video data.

Can the video files stay on an external drive?

The direct-download edition catalogs existing media on external drives. Keep the relevant drive connected to open its files. See cataloguing media across external hard drives for offline lookup, or organizing media without moving files for folder behavior.