iPhoto library on old MacBook

[Big Stevie]

What's the best way of saving 500GB of iPhoto images stored on an old 2012 MacBook Pro that I no longer use? I have a 1TB external HD to put them on, what are my options please?

They are currently categorised in 'Events' with titles such as 'Holiday 2015, Family 2013, Garden 2017' etc....

Should they just be transferred over as a mass of individual images that will loose any organisation they currently have?
Can I transfer each 'Event' separately?

Once done, I'd like to be able to connect the ext HD to my new MacBook and easily find any particular photo, is this possible?

 

[glenthompson]

Do you intend to use Apple Photos to manage your pictures? If so, then take a look at Power Photos to help you with the migration task. If not it may still help with moving them as collections.

 

[Big Stevie]

Do you intend to use Apple Photos to manage your pictures? If so, then take a look at Power Photos to help you with the migration task. If not it may still help with moving them as collections.

Thanks, I'll have a good read of that link.

Basically I just want to get the 500GB of images off the old MacBook as its on its last legs and may one day fail, which is why I don't use it anymore and have replaced it with an M1 MacBook but this only has 256GB HD

I guess I just really want to have them on an external HD and get them out of iPhoto as that is no longer supported by Apple. I don't just want to copy the iPhotos library to an ext HD, probably best to get them away from iPhoto. They could just be kept as simple files in folders perhaps? But managing them within Photos perhaps makes sense as im using Photos on my new MacBook.

Could I have two separate Photos libraries? One on an external HD containing the old iPhoto images, plus the one i'm currently using on my M1 MacBook? Could they work independently from each other without any syncing?

 

[chown33]

Could I have two separate Photos libraries? One on an external HD containing the old iPhoto images, plus the one i'm currently using on my M1 MacBook? Could they work independently from each other without any syncing?

One possible way to set that up is to create a new user account on the M1. That account will then have its own Photos library, independent of anything you do on the original account.

Just don't use the same Apple ID for both accounts, otherwise things might sync when you don't want them to.

 

[guzhogi]

Could I have two separate Photos libraries? One on an external HD containing the old iPhoto images, plus the one i'm currently using on my M1 MacBook? Could they work independently from each other without any syncing?

You can have 2 separate Photos libraries. The thing is, you'd be able to view only one at a time. To do this, quit Photos if it's open, and then hold down the "Option" key on your laptop's keyboard while opening Photos. You'd then be able to add the second library as a choice. I've attached a screenshot of the window you'll see when you hold down Option. I have only one library. If you have multiple, it'll show each one.

One other thing: make sure you have a fairly large external drive, as Photos will need to convert your library from iPhoto > Photos.

 

[Big Stevie]

You can have 2 separate Photos libraries. The thing is, you'd be able to view only one at a time. To do this, quit Photos if it's open, and then hold down the "Option" key on your laptop's keyboard while opening Photos. You'd then be able to add the second library as a choice. I've attached a screenshot of the window you'll see when you hold down Option. I have only one library. If you have multiple, it'll show each one.

One other thing: make sure you have a fairly large external drive, as Photos will need to convert your library from iPhoto > Photos.

Thanks, does it give you the option of naming the different accounts, so I could call one of them 'Historic Photos' or similar?

Also, how do I create a new Photo library? Do I connect the ext HD to my MacBook and download the app from App Store?

 

[guzhogi]

Thanks, does it give you the option of naming the different accounts, so I could call one of them 'Historic Photos' or similar?

Also, how do I create a new Photo library? Do I connect the ext HD to my MacBook and download the app from App Store?

When you press Option when opening Photos, it's give a "Create New" but which creates a new Photo Library. You can name it whatever you want.

As for your old library, it should automatically create a Photo library & bring all your photos, albums, events, etc. over so no need to create a new library manually.

 

[Big Stevie]

When you press Option when opening Photos, it's give a "Create New" but which creates a new Photo Library. You can name it whatever you want.

As for your old library, it should automatically create a Photo library & bring all your photos, albums, events, etc. over so no need to create a new library manually.

Thanks, my confusion is between the old library being in iPhoto on my old MacBook, and me wanting to convert it to a Photo library that lives on an external HD.

Would I need to copy the iPhoto library over to my ext HD, then install a Photos library onto the same HD, and then convert the iPhoto library into the Photo library?

 

[glenthompson]

Thanks, my confusion is between the old library being in iPhoto on my old MacBook, and me wanting to convert it to a Photo library that lives on an external HD.

Would I need to copy the iPhoto library over to my ext HD, then install a Photos library onto the same HD, and then convert the iPhoto library into the Photo library?

Here are some notes on converting an iPhoto library into Photos. I would;d recommend copying the library off the old Mac onto an external drive ASAP so you have a good copy. (actually multiple copies on different devices would be good) Then work on performing the conversion.

 

[guzhogi]

Thanks, my confusion is between the old library being in iPhoto on my old MacBook, and me wanting to convert it to a Photo library that lives on an external HD.

Would I need to copy the iPhoto library over to my ext HD, then install a Photos library onto the same HD, and then convert the iPhoto library into the Photo library?

Transfer the iPhotos Library to an external hard drive. Plug the drive into your new computer. Hold down the "Option" key on your keyboard while opening Photos. Press "Other Library…" on the window that pops up, and select the iPhotos Library on the drive. That's all you have to do.

 

[Big Stevie]

Transfer the iPhotos Library to an external hard drive. Plug the drive into your new computer. Hold down the "Option" key on your keyboard while opening Photos. Press "Other Library…" on the window that pops up, and select the iPhotos Library on the drive. That's all you have to do.

Thanks for the explanation, I'll give that a try.

I suppose as I wont be doing anything with/to the old iPhoto library other than viewing the images and maybe occasionally dragging them to my MacBook, then I could just leave it as an iPhotos library. Would there be any advantage to changing the iPhoto library to a Photos library?

 

[glenthompson]

Thanks for the explanation, I'll give that a try.

I suppose as I wont be doing anything with/to the old iPhoto library other than viewing the images and maybe occasionally dragging them to my MacBook, then I could just leave it as an iPhotos library. Would there be any advantage to changing the iPhoto library to a Photos library?

You should upgrade it to a Photos library because at some point MacOS will likely be unable to read the old library. Better to keep it in a current application format.