Combining Photos Library with iCloud Photos

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Doons1972 Author

Level 1

9 points

Combining Photos Library with iCloud Photos

Hi,

I have a Mac photos library file stored on a portable drive of around 195GB. I also have my Mac Mini, iPhone and iPad all set to iCloud for photos so all the content between these three devices is sycned and works fine.

However when I try to import the older 195GB file into either the Photos app on my Mac Mini or via the iCoud website, it will not work.

All I'm trying to do is get all my photos in the one library that all syncs to iCloud.

Jason.

Mac mini, macOS 14.6

Posted on Dec 29, 2024 3:00 PM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

90,368 points

Dec 31, 2024 1:44 AM in response to Doons1972

Is this a separate library? You would need to move the individual photos to your current library. Or, you could try making the old library the system library.

backup your Mac and especially your current photo library and old library (your probably have a different external Time Machine drive to which you back up the Mac and your other external drive with your photos.. if not, you should)

Disable iCloud Photos on the Mac, photos, setting, icloud

move your old library to the Mac. If the external drive is APFS formatted or Mac OS Extended (journaled) you can use the files from your as is on the external drive.

open the old library.

make it the system library (photos, settings, general) and then enable iCloud Photos (photos, settings, iCloud)

that should combine what is in iCloud with what is in the old library.

see Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

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Combining Photos Library with iCloud Photos

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