I can't find my iPhoto photos. When I press Option and open the Photo app, there is no other library to select. I have Monterey 12.7.5 on my iMac and Sonoma 14.4.1 on my MacBook Air. I thought the iPhoto file would be saved in iCloud but cannot find it there, either. Is there any way I can restore those photos?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iMac 27″, macOS 12.7
Marie_3078 wrote: ... The only thing I wonder is if I can somehow incorporate iPhoto into Photos to make one library of all my pictures?
You're right-- you have to get them together! iPhoto is no longer supported, so, while those pictures will not get lost, they will get harder and harder to view and organize.
Your other problem is that you can't use the same Photos Library on Monterey and on Sonoma. The databases are not compatible-- if you load a Monterey Photos Library on Sonoma, it will "update" the Library to work with the new features, and then it will no longer open in Monterey. So don't try it! The only way to view pictures in a Photos Library on two different systems is to synchronize them with iCloud. It looks like you're doing that, so stick with it.
I think that in Monterey, the iPhoto Library opens in Photos with the structure intact-- is that right? But I think I remember that Monterey does not merge Libraries, at all. As I mentioned earlier, I would use the 3rd party app, PowerPhotos ($30), on your iMac to merge the iPhoto Library with the Photos Library to preserve its structure, or use PowerPhotos to merge the new (iPhoto) Photos Library with the other Photos Library. Either should work, and you could try both. The PowerPhotos people are very kind and very experienced if you need help.
As you mess around with these two Libraries, you should disconnect from iCloud in Photos Settings>iCloud. Get the Library set up as you want, and then re-connect. And before you do any damage 😵💫, be sure you have backups!
In the past I could find my iPhotos library by holding the Options key and opening Photos, then selecting iPhoto Library. It no longer shows up there, only Photos is there. I want to know if I can still find my iPhotos photos somehow. I was indicating what OS I have on each of my computers.
Whew-- there's a lot, here. First, the only pictures that synchronize with iCloud Photos are those in a Photos Library which is designated as the System Library in Photos General>Settings. You can have other Libraries on a Mac, but only the System Library syncs.
Second: Do we understand that you have a Photos Library and also an iPhoto Library? iPhoto is an app that was discontinued in 2018, and it's no longer supported. For a while people could show iPhoto Libraries with Photos, but that's ended. But in Sonoma, you can import the pictures that are in an iPhoto Library through the File>Import command. My understanding is that you get the pictures, but the structure you had disappears.
You can use a 3rd party app, PowerPhotos ($30) , to merge an iPhoto Library with a Photos Library and preserve much of the structure.
The iPhoto library should be in the Pictures folder, and it should have an obvious name. You may have to look around on you iMac for this.
Let us know what you find-- there are folks here who are better at this iPhoto thing than me...
Thanks for your input, Richard. I'll reply to your email with information for all.
I just did a search for iPhoto Library and found them in my back-up hard drive under Pictures! Hadn't thought of that before. Can you tell me how to import it back to Pictures on my Desktop? I have Monterey 12.7.5 on my iMac (too old to support Sonoma), and Sonoma 14.4.1 on MacBook Air.
After I import it back to Pictures, is there a way to incorporate them into Photos, so all my photos are in one library? Is that the File>Import method you mentioned? Or do I just need to select the iPhoto Library from the window after selecting Options + Photos? Will the iPhoto photos show up on my iPhone & Pad?
Update: I clicked and dragged iPhoto Library from my backup disk into Pictures. Then I double-clicked to open it, which took several minutes to load the library. I was then able to see my pictures from iPhoto, and it also showed up as an optional library when I held Option and the Photo icon. So my problem is solved!
The only thing I wonder is if I can somehow incorporate iPhoto into Photos to make one library of all my pictures?
Thanks to all for their help.
Me too.
iPhoto has no connection with iCloud and doesn't run on Sonoam, so can you clarify? Also, a full description of the issue, what preceded it and steps you've taken to resolve it.
What's in the Photos Library?
Where can I locate my iPhoto and Photo library on my MacBook Air?
