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User profile for user: Curiousasacat
Curiousasacat Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

How do you separate connected photo libraries

I asked a similar question about a week to 10 days ago. I don’t remember the exact wording. I updated my MacBook Air to Big Sur and formatted an external drive. The first time I imported pictures to the Photos library when I backed up my old iPhone. Then when I was backing up again, the computer wanted to link the Photos library on my MacBook with the Photos library on my separate drive. How do I get all the imported photos to only go to the other drive instead of showing them from both libraries?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.3

Posted on May 16, 2021 6:10 PM

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User profile for user: Russ New Boy
Russ New Boy
User level: Level 4
1,150 points

Posted on May 17, 2021 2:21 AM

I'm not sure I fully understand your question.


However, when you plug your phone in, do you already have your Photos app open? If not, what is probably happening is that when you plug the phone in, it causes Photos library to open the last library you had open.


If you want to import to a specific library, hold down the alt key before you double click the Photos app. You will then be able to select the library you want to open. Once Photos is open, then plug your phone in and import your photos.

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User profile for user: Russ New Boy
Russ New Boy
User level: Level 4
1,150 points

May 17, 2021 2:21 AM in response to Curiousasacat

I'm not sure I fully understand your question.


However, when you plug your phone in, do you already have your Photos app open? If not, what is probably happening is that when you plug the phone in, it causes Photos library to open the last library you had open.


If you want to import to a specific library, hold down the alt key before you double click the Photos app. You will then be able to select the library you want to open. Once Photos is open, then plug your phone in and import your photos.

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How do you separate connected photo libraries

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