Accessing Photos from Timemachine

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Level 1

8 points

Accessing Photos from Timemachine

Hello - I currently back up my iMac to an external hard drive using Time Machine (I also back it up to iCloud).

I was testing my back up to the external HD but when I tried to access Photos, I got the message "The library could not be opened. The library “Photos Library” is in a Time Machine backup. Open the original library."

So it's not a problem at present but if anything were to happen to my Mac, how would I access the Photos library from my external HD?

Regards, Gordon.

iMac 21.5″ 4K, macOS 13.7

Posted on Jan 16, 2025 7:43 AM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

83,923 points

Jan 16, 2025 9:04 AM in response to Gordondow

The same way that you restore any individual file from Time Machine. Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support

por, if restoring to a new Mac Restore your Mac from a backup - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Gordondow Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 17, 2025 6:23 AM in response to Old Toad

Thank you both. So why is it that photos which I originally took with a digital camera then transferred those from the SD card to my iMac, I can open those from the external hard drive, but photos which I now take with my iPhone - and which are automatically loaded to my iMac via iCloud - that those photos can't be viewed directly in the photos library on the external hard drive but have to be restored?

Regards.

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