Reclaiming Photos library space after turning off "copy files to library".
I do a fresh install of MacOS every year or so and I always set the Photos app to not copy the photos across to the library. Well, this time I forgot to change that setting, so now I have a very large library file plus the same original photos again on my mac.
I really do not want to delete the originals. I like to have my photos browsable in the finder.
I've spent a huge amount of time importing 20 years of pictures and arranging them into albums and assigning key photos and I do not want to do that again.
So, is there a way to delete the photos library file and retain the albums inside the photos app?
Or I would even delete the library and start again if there was a way to drag my pictures into the app and have it import them all whilst retaining the folder structure of the folder im dragging in.
If anyone has any insight, it would be much appreciated. I really dont want to spend days sorting them all out again.
MacBook Pro