You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

how do you merge iPhotos from an old MacBook Pro library into the photo library in the current icloud

how do you merge iPhotos from an old MacBook Pro library into the photo library in the current icloud



Posted on Jun 25, 2021 2:44 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 26, 2021 12:30 AM

If Photos will not open the old library and is giving an error message, that the old library has already been migrated, you may be having already a migrated Photos version of the old library. Look for it. If you no longer have the previously migrated Photos version or it is no longer up to date, you can open the old iPhoto Library or Aperture library again, by changing the filename extension of the library back to the original extension. remove the prefix "migrated" from the filename extension.

  • For an iPhoto Library called "iPhoto Library.migratedphotolibrary" change the name back to "iPhoto Library.photolibrary"
  • For an Aperture Library called "Aperture Library.migratedaplibrary" change the name back to "Aperture Library.aplibrary"

Is it urgent to merge the libraries now? The next system version macOS 12 Monterey promises that we will be able to import photos directly from one Photos Library into another library. It may be more convenient to merge your libraries after the upgrade to the next system und use the time until then to get the libraries shipshape.

See: https://www.apple.com/macos/monterey-preview/features/


Import photos from another Photos library


Now you can import original photos, including edits, from a second Photos library.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 26, 2021 12:30 AM in response to IQDOC

If Photos will not open the old library and is giving an error message, that the old library has already been migrated, you may be having already a migrated Photos version of the old library. Look for it. If you no longer have the previously migrated Photos version or it is no longer up to date, you can open the old iPhoto Library or Aperture library again, by changing the filename extension of the library back to the original extension. remove the prefix "migrated" from the filename extension.

  • For an iPhoto Library called "iPhoto Library.migratedphotolibrary" change the name back to "iPhoto Library.photolibrary"
  • For an Aperture Library called "Aperture Library.migratedaplibrary" change the name back to "Aperture Library.aplibrary"

Is it urgent to merge the libraries now? The next system version macOS 12 Monterey promises that we will be able to import photos directly from one Photos Library into another library. It may be more convenient to merge your libraries after the upgrade to the next system und use the time until then to get the libraries shipshape.

See: https://www.apple.com/macos/monterey-preview/features/


Import photos from another Photos library


Now you can import original photos, including edits, from a second Photos library.

Jun 25, 2021 11:33 PM in response to IQDOC

Hi.


Have you already converted the library for Photos by opening it in Photos?


If so, you can set that library to be the system library (photos preferences) and it will be merged with iCloud. Note - that merging will mean everything within iCloud will also be downloaded to that library.


You can then either decide to keep that library is your main library, or switch back to the original library as the system library, and let that sync with the new iCloud. You would then have two libraries with everything. You could delete the iPhoto one, or move it to external storage as an additional backup.

how do you merge iPhotos from an old MacBook Pro library into the photo library in the current icloud

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.