How To Transfer Photo Library To New Mac

12.04.2020
22 Comments
  1. How To Transfer Photos Library To New Mac
  2. Transfer Photo Library To New Mac
  3. Transfer Photos Mac To Pc
  4. Transfer Android Photos To Mac

By default, iPhoto is a photo management program which comes standard on every Mac computer. But if you want change your Mac computer to Windows PC, then you need to transfer you all data from Mac to Windows PC. The most important thing is your photos and videos. You can transfer all your photos from iPhoto to Windows with simple steps. That's for how to move iPhoto library to a new location or a new Mac. If you unfortunately lost some important photos during the transfer, you can use Any Data Recovery for Mac. This app is a complete Mac data recovery solutions to recover all types of files from Mac's hard drive, including recovering photo on Mac, and also from other.

The Mac line comes with a program called Migration Assistant, which makes it super easy to move data across your computers or even from a Time Machine backup. You can connect two devices using Thunderbolt, FireWire, Ethernet, or even just using the same Wi-Fi network if you don't have the required cable. Migrating your old data to your new computer will make it possible for you to start working on your brand new Mac without missing a beat.

If you are new to Mac, you can also migrate your old PC data.

Before you start

  • Update your software - If your old Mac is running OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or earlier, you will need to update your software first.
  • Name your old Mac - If you haven't done so already, make sure your old Mac has a name. Open System Preferences > Sharing > and enter a name in the Computer Name field.
  • Connect your old and new computers to a power source - Both devices need to be plugged into a power source to ensure that you don't run out of juice in the middle of the migration process.
  • Get your Thunderbolt, FireWire, or Ethernet cable ready - Direct connection is the fastest way to migrate your data from your old Mac to your new. If you don't have the required cable, you can use your local Wi-Fi network instead, but the process will be slower.

How to migrate your old Mac's data to your new Mac

Start with your old Mac

  1. Connect the Thunderbolt, FireWire, or Ethernet cable from your old Mac to your new Mac.
    • If you are using local Wi-Fi, make sure both Macs are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Open your new Mac

  1. Launch a Finder window by clicking on the Finder icon in your Dock.

  2. Click on Applications in the sidebar.

    Source: iMore

  3. Double-click on the Utilities folder.

  4. Double-click on Migration Assistant.

    Source: iMore

  5. Click Continue.
  6. Enter your administrator password if prompted.

  7. Click OK.

    Source: iMore

  8. Click From a Mac.. when prompted to select how you want to transfer your information.

  9. Click Continue.

    Source: iMore

Go back to your old Mac

  1. Launch a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in your Dock.

  2. Click on Applications in the sidebar.

    Source: iMore

  3. Double-click on the Utilities folder.

  4. Double-click on Migration Assistant.

    Source: iMore

  5. Click Continue.
  6. Enter your administrator password if prompted.

  7. Click OK.

    Source: iMore

  8. Click To a new Mac.. when prompted to select how you want to transfer your information.

  9. Click Continue.

    Source: iMore

Go back to your new Mac

  1. Migration Assistant will be looking for a source. Select your old Mac (if you are using a Time Machine backup, select your Time Machine hard drive).

  2. Click Continue.

    • A security code will display on the screen.

    Source: iMore

Go back to your old Mac

  1. Confirm that the code on your old Mac is the same as the one on your new Mac.

  2. Click Continue.

    Source: iMore

Go back to your new Mac

  1. Select the files, settings, apps, and other information you want to transfer to your new Mac.

  2. Click Continue.

    Source: iMore

This will probably take a while, so grab a cup of coffee and watch your favorite movie while the process takes place.

If you want to keep the contents of your photo libraries separate, don’t turn on iCloud Photos for more than one library in Photos. You can also sync them to iOS devices and view them on Apple TV. And if you want to use your own images as your desktop picture or screen saver, the images need to be in your System Photo Library before you can select them in System Preferences.If you have only one photo library, then it's the System Photo Library. If you choose a different library in Photos without designating it as the System Photo Library, the iCloud tab in Photos preferences is disabled:If you designate a new library as the System Photo Library and then turn on iCloud Photos, the photos and videos in the new library will merge with those already in your iCloud Photos. Online backup mac photo library photos.library.photoslibrary city. Photos in your System Photo Library are available in apps like iMovie, Pages, and Keynote. You can use iCloud Photos, Shared Albums, and My Photo Stream only with the System Photo Library.

When you're done

Your new Mac should have all of the data that you selected to transfer. If you migrated everything, your new Mac will look almost exactly like your old one.

If you are planning on selling your old Mac, don't forget to clean it before transferring to its new owner.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

Updated December 2019: Current through macOS Catalina.

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Tips

By AppleInsider Staff
Wednesday, January 31, 2018, 04:40 pm PT (07:40 pm ET)

Storing an entire collection of photographs in Apple's Photos app on macOS can be a great way of keeping precious memories in order, but there are occasions when it needs to be stored on an external hard drive. AppleInsider explains how to shift the Photos Library to a new location while keeping all images safe and intact.

There are multiple reasons to move the Photos Library away from its default location, with the primary reason being to free up a Mac's storage. Images and videos can quickly consume storage, especially for prolific photographers shooting RAW files, so moving the library to an external drive can be the best option for those with internal drives that are close to their capacity limit.
Putting the library onto external storage also provides the option of sharing the library with others directly, by disconnecting the drive from the host Mac and plugging it into another. This is also useful for those who wish to use the same library across multiple desktops, like an iMac and a MacBook Pro, if they need to regularly access and change the held files.


Pre-move Backup


Before attempting any file transfers, it is highly recommended to make backups of all images, as there is always the possibility of file corruption or another mishap, and keeping a backup is always a good idea for just these occasions. An up-to-date Time Machine backup is ideal, but it is best to make sure the external or remote drive used for the backup is different to the one you wish to use for the Photo Library storage itself.
It may also be worth using cloud storage services to hold the images, such as Apple's own iCloud Drive, Dropbox, and Google Drive. It might also be an idea to try out iCloud Photo Library, a service that automatically uploads your photographs to iCloud, which can be shared to iOS devices and other Mac desktops using the same Apple ID.


Finding the Folder


Before you can make the move, you need to find where the Photo Library is actually located. In most instances, it should appear in the Pictures folder of your Home directory, labelled as 'Photos Library,' potentially alongside other similar libraries for Photo Booth and iPhoto, the predecessor to Photos.
In the event it isn't at the default location, you can find it by opening up the Photos app, clicking Photos in the Menu Bar, then selecting Preferences. At the top of the General section will be a line marked Library Location, which will show where it is located, as well as an option to Show in Finder, which will spawn a new Finder window at the right directory.


Importing from iPhone


First, connect your iPhone to your Mac with a Lightning to USB charging cable. A popup will ask if you want to trust your computer, tap 'Trust' and enter your passcode.
Now open Photos on your Mac, where your iPhone will appear under the Devices tab on the left side of the app. From here, you can browse through all of the photos or video in your iOS Camera Roll.

At the top of the page, click on Library, and you can choose to make a New Album for the import. If you wish to erase the photos off of your iPhone after importing, check the box below the Import button before clicking it.
If you chose that option, you will see your photos being deleted off of your iPhone in real-time after importing is completed. Your iPhone photos are now successfully backed up onto your Mac.

The Move


If it is still running, quit Photos by selecting Quit Photos under the Photos Menu Bar, or by pressing Cmd+Q.

How To Transfer Photos Library To New Mac


Connect the external drive that you wish to use for storing the library, and once it appears on your desktop, drag the Photos Library away from its current location within the Finder and on top of the external drive icon. If you want to place the Photos Library in a specific place within the new drive, open the external drive in a second Finder window, navigate to the correct directory, and drag Photos Library to the right place.
The amount of time it will take for the Photos Library to transfer to the new location will vary on a number of factors, including the amount of images that need to be transferred, the speed of the external drive for transfers, and the transfer method itself. Generally, transfers to an external drive over Thunderbolt 3 will offer the fastest potential speeds when compared to Thunderbolt 2 and USB-based drives.


Accessing the Library


After the file transfer has completed, you will need to inform Photos of the new location. To do this, hold the Option key and click the Photos icon in the dock to launch the app.
This will bring up a new Choose Library window, with a list of libraries available for you to access. Click Other Library and navigate to the location on the external drive that holds the now-transferred Photos Library, select the Library, and then click Open.


At this point, Photos will open and use the library located on the external drive.

Transfer Photo Library To New Mac


While this process can be used to reconnect with the Photos Library, it can also be used to switch between multiple Photo Library archives. This is handy in some cases, such as if a friend or colleague provides their Photo Library on a portable drive for you to browse and use for work.
Note that in order to access your photographs, the external drive needs to be connected to the Mac before entering Photos. The Photos app will warn you if the Library is not accessible in this case, with the solution being to quit Photos and reconnect the drive before relaunching Photos.

Designating the System Photo Library


If you want to use the moved Photos Library - or one of a collection of the Libraries - with a number of Apple services and features, such as synchronization with iCloud Photo Library, iCloud Photo Sharing, and My Photo Stream, you will need to designate it as the System Photo Library. This also applies if you wish to have the photographs used by other apps, or to set an image as the desktop background.
Generally, the initially created Photo Library will be the System Photo Library by default, but actions such as moving it or designating another Library temporarily with the label can stop a Photos Library from being used in this way.
To re-enable it, hold down the Option key and

Transfer Photos Mac To Pc

open Photos, then select the Library you want to use as the System Photo Library. Once opened, select Photos in the Menu bar then Preferences.
Within the General tab of the Preferences window, you should see the current Library's path under Library Location, and two buttons: the previously discussed Show in Finder and Use as System Photos Library. Click the second option to set it as the System Photo Library.

Transfer Android Photos To Mac




Clearing Space


One of the main aims of this project is to free up space on your Mac's internal drive, and since the Photos Library resides elsewhere, it is likely to be in your interests to delete the locally-held version. Make sure that this Library is no longer required, and that the version on the external drive is complete and functional before considering deletion of the local copy.
Use Finder to navigate to the directory where Photos Library was located, as discovered in the 'Finding the Folder' section above. Right click on the Photos Library and select Move to Trash.
To completely remove it from the Mac, open the Trash from the Dock or Finder window, and click the Empty button on the top right of the window, followed by selecting Empty Trash in the confirmation dialog.