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Consolidating Iphoto Libraries

Libraries

PowerPhotos provides an actual interface for merging too—choose Library Merge Libraries to start. In the window that appears, you have four tasks: Choose source libraries. You aren’t limited to merging just two libraries; you can pick multiple sources. Choose the destination library. This is the library you want to receive all the photos. As of OS X Yosemite, Apple is encouraging everyone to use its new Photos program for managing pictures in OS X. While Photos has a number of pros and cons, it does share a limitation of its “iPhoto” predecessor, in that while it uses a library system for managing photos and offers an option to create multiple libraries, it can only have one open at a time. Even with that main library setup, it’s still a very manual process to keep the libraries updated. IOS 12 did add a “smart sharing” feature, but that is really focused on events and trips. Aperture 2: consolidating two iPhoto Libraries I have several iPhoto Libraries. In theory they can be consolidated with iPhoto Library Manager (which I've registered) or one of several potentially risky techniques, but my tests a few years ago did not go well. Click the Command + Option button and open the iPhoto option. Press the keys before the Picture Library Rebuild dialog box appears. For the database repair tool, click Repair iPhoto Library Database click Repair. The iPhoto launches successfully once the rebuild is complete, and you can see all your images once again.

Having numerous libraries on an iPhoto application is quite normal. Creating libraries might organize your photos but, having more than suggested libraries can be confusing. Additionally, it can also be annoying to manually select an iPhoto library every time you open a Photos app on your Mac. This is why many users are searching for ways to merge the iPhoto libraries.

Another scenario where a user wants to export the photos from the old Aperture library to the latest Photos application. Regardless of the requirement or the scenario, the process of merging the iPhoto library is going to stay the same. Please refer to the content below to know the Apple suggested methods to merge iPhoto libraries.

Disclaimer: While merging the iPhoto libraries there is a possibility of losing photos. So, be very cautious while merging.

Note - In case if your iPhoto library is crashing while following the procedure mentioned below, learn how to repair iPhoto crashing

How to Combine iPhoto Libraries?

There are a couple of methods to combine the iPhoto libraries. Dpfmate for mac.

  • Merge iPhoto libraries by importing and exporting the photos
  • Merging the iPhoto libraries using Open Package Content

How to Merge iPhoto Libraries Using Export and Import Method?

How to program bmw key fob e90 plane. If you have referred to Apple’s support page for the Exporting and Importing the photos, it is a little intimidating and confusing. So, here is a detailed explanation of every single step to merge two different iPhoto libraries.

Before starting the iPhoto merging process, be a little cautious, because there are numerous steps, you might get confused and accidentally delete one or two photos. If you have deleted you can recover the deleted photos on Mac.

Choose iPhoto Library

The first step of combining the iPhoto library is to select the library you want to merge. To keep things simple, let’s consider the libraries you want to merge to be Old Library and New Library. We want to merge Old Library to New Library.

Firstly you have to select the Old Library. To open the Old Library, hold the options key while opening the Photos application. Which will open the Choose Library dialogue box. Now select the Old Library (the library you want to merge with) and click on choose library option.

How

Once the library is selected, open the Photos application. The next stage is to export photos, which are mentioned below.

Export the Photos from Old Library

The next step in merging iPhoto libraries is to export the photos from the Old library to a separate folder. To do so, open the photos application with Old library selected.

Note: You cannot directly export photos from the old library to the new library. First, you have to export photos from the old library to a separate folder. Later import the photos from the folder to the new library.

Select the desired photos from Old Library to merge with New Library and go to the File menu, a select Export option where you will see two more options

  • Export Photo: If you have edited the photos or made any changes to the photos you can select this option
  • Export Unmodified Original for Photos: Selecting this option will discard any changes you have made such as special title or edits you have done to a photo. Also selecting this option will give you a special dialogue box with numerous options that let you change the format of the exported photos. All these options are self-explanatory.

Click on Export. Since Apple did not provide feasibility to directly export photos from one library to another, first you have to export the photos to a folder. Later you can import photos from that folder to a New Library.

So, after clicking on the export option create a folder on the desired location with the recognizable folder name, and for one last time click on the Export option.

How To Consolidate Multiple Iphoto Libraries

IphotoConsolidating Iphoto Libraries

Note: It is suggested to create a folder on the desktop so that it is easy to find. If you lost any photos while exporting photos, you can use Remo Photo recovery software.

Importing the Photos to New Library

The final step is to import the photos to New library. To do that you have to select the New Library. Similarly, hold the options button while opening the Photos application and choose the New Library.

Once the New Library is selected, go to File in the menu bar and select the Import option. Which will open the import dialogue box, from the import dialogue box go to Desktop or the location where you have created a folder with exported photos. Select the folder with exported photos and click on Import to successfully merge Old iPhoto Library with New Library.

Note: Suppose you want to share photos from your iPhone to the non-apple devices, then read this article to learn to Share iCloud photos with non-apple devices easily.

Merge iPhoto Library using Open Package Content Method

Before going through this method, there is a small concept you have to clear. iPhoto library is a package of various different folders. A typical iPhoto library package consists of the following folders

  • DataBase
  • External
  • Originals
  • Private
  • Resource

This is how Apple organizes photos in the iPhoto library. To merge different iPhoto Libraries, you don’t need detailed information about those folders so we shall just skip that part. A peacetime boom rar download. Now moving on to merging two iPhoto libraries here is how to combine iPhoto libraries

  • Open Finder and from left sidebar select Pictures tab
  • Generally, the pictures tab will contain all the libraries available on your Mac
  • As discussed earlier, consider the same New and Old iPhoto Library concept
  • Right-click on the old Library and from the displayed options select “Open Package Content”
  • This will reveal above aforementioned folders.
  • Now go back to the pictures tab and Open the New iPhoto Library. Just double click on the New Library to open it
  • All you have to do to merge the Old and New Library is to just drag and drop the Originals folder from the Old Photos library into the currently opened New Library.
  • This will import the photos from Old library to New iPhoto Library.

Can I merge two photo libraries on Mac using iCloud?

Yes, you can merge two Photo Libraries using iCloud yet, it is not suggested. Because firstly it is not merging, it is just uploading photos from two different iPhoto libraries onto the iCloud. Secondly, considering the cost of iCloud space, it is not practical to subscribe to iCloud just to merge iPhoto libraries.

Obviously, it has its own perks. For example, there is no fear of data loss, even though you might delete a photo you can recover that deleted photo from iCloud.

There’s plenty of good reasons to have multiple photo libraries. Whether you take photos for work and want to keep them separate from your personal pictures. Or you like to split your libraries based on the date of your images. But having multiple photo libraries can get messy fast, especially if you’re switching back and forth while also importing new pictures to each.

If you’re reading this article because you want to end the hassle of dealing with different libraries, then you can sigh in relief. This article will cover three ways to consolidate iPhoto libraries and what you should look out for as you’re doing it.

Merge iphoto libraries app

Before you merge photo libraries

The first thing you should do is backup everything. You’ll be combining photos and deleting others. Mistakes are bound to happen. And the last you’d want to do is accidentally delete a picture of your child’s birth or your lunch from last Tuesday. You know, pivotal moments in your life you won’t be able to recreate.

Consolidate Iphoto Libraries

How to merge photos in iCloud

For iCloud members, merging your photos in the cloud can be a pretty easy way to do it. The downside is it takes up a lot of storage space. But if you’re already using more than the free 5 GB you get with your iCloud account, you might be okay.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re syncing your photo with iCloud on your Mac. Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud and check the box next to Photos if it isn’t already.

Now that that’s syncing, follow these steps:

  1. Find the Photos library you want to start with and double-click to open it.
  2. In Photos > Preferences > General, click Use as System Photo Library. (If it’s grayed out, then that library is already the System Photo Library.)
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the Photos to see the progress of your pictures uploading.

Note: If you need to pause the upload for any reason, click the pause link. Then, you’ll be able to resume it at a later time.

If you have more than two libraries, start back at Step 1 with the next library when your pictures have finished uploading.

When you’re finished with all of your libraries, the last Photos library you uploaded is the one you’ll want to keep. Now, you can delete the others.

After you combine photo libraries

You’re likely to have duplicate or similar-looking pictures after you combine your photo libraries. The good news is you can use the app Gemini 2 to scan your images and quickly get rid of things like duplicate, blurry, or similar photos. But the best part is you can download Gemini 2 and try it for free!

How to merge photos by exporting and importing

Consolidate Photo Libraries Mac

If you don’t want to use iCloud to combine your library, you also export and re-import your pictures. Although this method comes with a few disadvantages, it is probably the most straightforward way to do this. First, follow these steps to export your pictures.

  • Hold down Option on your keyboard and open the Photos app.
  • Pick the library you want to export and click Choose Library.
  • In the sidebar, click Photos.
  • Select the first photo, hold Shift, and scroll to the bottom to click the last picture.
  • Then, click File > Export.
  • Choose Export [number] to export edited photos or Export Unmodified Originals.

    • Note: Exporting edited photos retains all your changes, but you lose the original file. Exporting the originals means you lose all the edits.

  • Set your export settings and then click Export.
  • Choose where you want to export your pictures, then click Export or Export Originals.

Once you have all of your photo libraries exported, this is how you import them back into Photos:

  1. Hold Option and open the Photos app.
  2. Select the library you want to use and click Choos Library.
  3. In Finder, find the pictures you exported.
  4. Drag and drop them into the Photos app.

How to merge old photo backup with current library

It’s really important if you’re using Time Machine to backup, do not restore your iPhoto or Photos library in your Pictures folder. If you do that, it will delete your newer pictures with your older ones. Here’s how you should merge your old photo backup:

  1. Make sure you’re connected to your Time Machine drive and launch Time Machine.
  2. Go to your Pictures folder. If you don’t see it in the sidebar, click Go > Home > Pictures.
  3. Use the arrows to go back in time to the last state of your Library that you want to restore.
  4. Hold Control and click the library file. Then, choose Restore Photos Library.
  5. This is important: select a destination other than where the current Library lives.

    6. Note: Again, choosing your Pictures folder will delete your current photos.

  6. Click Restore.

Now that you have your old library restored, you can follow the instructions above to merge iPhoto libraries and Photos libraries.

Consolidating your iPhoto and Photos libraries is the easy part. Staying on top of your one library to keep it clean and organized is a bit harder. Don’t worry. We’re not going to leave you without a little bit of help. Check out this article for the best ways to organize in the Photos app.