If the iPhoto Library shows up in Documents and can't open because it is already migrated, can I delete it from Documents?...and will I save the space?

Good afternoon Richard Thomas,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!

If I understand your question, it sounds like you have updated your computer to macOS Catalina and are accessing the iPhoto library using the Photos application. Take a look at the resource below and look in the Documents folder and in the Pictures folder to see if the library is listed as a Photos library or an iPhoto library.

Before you make any changes, be sure to make a Time Machine backup of your computer. I don't believe you will find a duplicate library. But if you do, I would suggest dragging the library to an external drive to copy it first before deleting it from the Macintosh HD.

If you have multiple libraries, press and hold the Option key, then click the Photos icon on the Dock to make sure you are selecting the main (System) library on the internal drive.

Updating from iPhoto to Photos for macOS

Take care.

I would keep a backup copy of your iPhoto Library on an external volume. If need be, you can migrate it again to Photos, if you simply rename the filename extension of the iPhoto Library back from .migratedphtolibrary to .photolibrary.

You may need a backup copy to be able to recover your original image files with their original filenames. Photos 5 on Catalina is renaming the original image files, when it stores them in the library package. If a Photos 5.0 library should become damaged and cannot be repaired, it is hard to recover the originals from it.

If you're sure that the migration from iPhoto to Photos has worked correctly, and all your images have made it over, then yes.

Hi Richard,

Thanks for letting us know that your migration from iPhotos to Photos was successful.

Take care.