Help removing ALL photos to external HD

[mrsr71]

I’ve searched Google and have seen many ways of removing ALL photos to an external HD.

I’m looking for the PROPER way to do it that’s recommended by Apple. Can someone point me to the PROPER directions?

Thank you so much...Dan

 

[James_C]

Are all your photos stored in the Apple photo's Library - If so then this is how you do it.

1. Make sure your Mac is backed up
2. Close the Photos App
3. Copy your Photos Library file from your Pictures folder - It should be called Photos Library.photoslibrary to your external drive. Do not delete your original Photo Library yet.
4. Open the Photos App at the same time as pressing the ALT (options) Key. This will enable you to say which Library you want to open. Click the 'Other Library' button and browse to where you copied the Library. Select the Library and click Open.
5. Check that all your photos are ok. Then delete the original Library in your local pictures folder.

 

[mrsr71]

Thank you for your reply to my query. Will removing the photos from my MackBook Pro also remove them from my iPad & iPhone? I’m currently connected to the “cloud”.

 

[Blowback]

Thank you for your reply to my query. Will removing the photos from my MackBook Pro also remove them from my iPad & iPhone? I’m currently connected to the “cloud”.

Not an expert but I'm pretty sure that if the devices are 'synched' then removal from one will (eventually) lead to removal from all. I say 'eventually' because sometimes synching isn't instantaneous ....hence be careful if you 'test' but don't see the test photo immediately removed from your phone or iPad.

 

[HDFan]

Be sure to implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy before you start removing any photos.

 

[James_C]

Thank you for your reply to my query. Will removing the photos from my MackBook Pro also remove them from my iPad & iPhone? I’m currently connected to the “cloud”.

First make sure that all your photos from your phone are synced to your Mac.

Ok first once you have reconnected your Mac to your photo Library - you need to make sure it is designated as your system photo library.

Follow these steps to designate a System Photo Library:
Quit Photos.
Hold down the Option key and open Photos. One of the photo libraries has already been designated as YourLibraryName (System Photo Library).
Choose the library you want to designate as the System Photo Library.
After Photos has opened the library, choose Photos > Preferences from the menu bar.
Click the General tab.
Click the Use as System Photo Library button.

Then click the iCloud tab and enable iCloud Photos. You can choose to download original files and optimise Mac storage.

iCloud will then Sync everything back to your phone, so don't panic if your photos disappear for a moment, they will come back.

This does work as I did the same thing myself a couple of months ago. I moved by entire 500GB photo library to an external SSD.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Important question:
What photo APPS are you using?

If it's Photos, you can just copy the "Photos library" icon (it's more than a single file, it's MANY files inside that icon) to the external drive.

Then, HOLD DOWN THE OPTION KEY and launch Photos.

Photos will present a dialog asking which library you wish to use.

Choose the one you just copied to the external drive.

I believe "that's all there is to it" (at least at the Mac level)
I don't use iCloud at all (zero), so have no idea how to sync the new library to the cloud -- looks like others above have answered th

 

[Rob9874]

This does work as I did the same thing myself a couple of months ago. I moved by entire 500GB photo library to an external SSD.

So now when you take photos on your phone, does it sync with the Photos app on your Mac? Do you have the external connected 24/7? Trying to figure out how it manages photos if the external drive isn't always connected.

 

[James_C]

So now when you take photos on your phone, does it sync with the Photos app on your Mac? Do you have the external connected 24/7? Trying to figure out how it manages photos if the external drive isn't always connected.

I have my SSD permanently connected to my iMac. However it is not always turned on, any photos I took with my iPhone or iPad will sync back the next time I turn the iMac on and open the photo's app.

If your SSD is not connected the Library will sync with iCloud Photos when it is next connected.