Apple's photo management software for the Mac, Photos, has grown to be a fairly competent all-purpose storage locker. But as your photo and video library grows — and especially if you've taken advantage of iCloud Photo Library — you may find that your Photos library strains to fit on your Mac's hard drive.
- Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Computer
- Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Youtube
- Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Computer
While there are options to keep your Mac from running out of space, like optimizing your photo storage if you use iCloud Photo Library, it comes at a cost: Without a fully-stored Photos library, you won't be able to create secondary backups of your images and video. (And as good as iCloud has become, your photos and video are precious enough that they're worth keeping backed up in multiple places.)
Sep 18, 2019 How to change the desktop and screen saver on your Mac. Changing your desktop background or screen saver is a nice, easy way to give your Mac a more personal touch. Some people even like to move beyond Apple's built-in crop of backgrounds and use their own collections. How to set up your Photo Library as a screen saver; How to set up Hot.
There is an alternative: Moving your Photos library to an external drive (or creating an entirely separate library and syncing it with iCloud). Here's how to do it, and some reasons why you should — and shouldn't! — consider it for your needs.
Why you should (and shouldn't) use an external drive with Photos for Mac
There are a number of reasons why an external drive might make sense when you're working with Photos for Mac:
- You have a giant Photos library (and, if you use iCloud Photo Library, you want to ensure you have a secondary backup of everything in that library)
- You frequently swap computers and want to work on your images from any Mac
- Your library isn't huge, but you'd prefer to save space on your Mac for other files
- You share a computer with other users and you have limited drive space
- If you're working with space constraints on your primary computer, it's one of the easiest ways to back up your full iCloud Photo Library
That said, there are some downsides, too. Here are some reasons you might not want to use an external drive:
- You don't have a big enough library to warrant moving it off your Mac
- You don't want to have to worry about always having your external drive connected to view and edit your images
- You use a laptop frequently and can't afford an SSD, and you don't want to risk breaking your disc-based hard drive by constantly moving it
- You don't want to accidentally create duplicate libraries that can't be connected to iCloud Photo Library (because your offsite library is connected)
- Unless you purchase a speedy drive, working externally is almost always slower than working on your default hard drive
- You don't want to spend the money on an external drive
- If you use an automated backup service for your computer, you'll have to set up a second set of rules for backing up your hard drive
Best external drives for storing photos
Okay, so you've decided to move your Photos library over to an external drive. What next? If you already have an external drive, you can always use it for storing your Photos library (and save on cash). But if you're considering getting a new drive for this endeavor, here's what I suggest:
- Get a drive that's at least 1-2TB in space, preferably 4TB. With the iPhone able to save 4K video, our space needs aren't shrinking anytime soon: The bigger hard drive you can afford, the better.
- If you're buying a stationary hard drive, buying a disc-based hard drive is great, but buy good brands — don't try and save $50 on an off-brand hard drive. It's rarely worth the HDD failure.
- If you're buying a portable hard drive, consider SSD: It's very pricey in comparison to a disc-based drive, but if you know you'll be frequently moving around — especially if you plan to move around with the drive connected — you want a drive that can take a little rumble and tumble without skipping or failing.
- Hard drive speeds are important, too: The faster a drive's write speed, the quicker your images will copy; the faster a drive's read speed, the easier it will be for you to view images or video and edit them, too.
Want some recommendations for specific external hard drives? We've got those, too.
How to move your current Photos library to an external drive and use it as your primary library
As with creating a new library, moving your library to your external drive is a multi-step process. Here's how to go about it.
Step 1: Copy over your Photos library
- Connect an external drive to your Mac via USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt.
- Open a new Finder window.
- Open your external drive in that window.
Open a new Finder window. Don't close your previous window (open to your external drive), as you'll need it shortly.
- Click the Go menu and navigate to your Home folder.
- Select the Pictures folder.
- Select your old library.
Drag it to your external drive in the other Finder window.
Your library will begin to copy over to your external drive. Depending on the size of your library and speed of your drive, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, so be patient. Don't unplug your drive or turn off your computer during this process.
Step 2 (if you use iCloud): Turn off iCloud sync on your old library
Before you open your copied Photos library on the external drive, you have to disassociate the library on your Mac from iCloud. (If you don't use iCloud Photo Library, you can skip these steps.)
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
- Click on the iCloud tab.
Uncheck iCloud Photo Library.
- Press Remove from Mac to remove any undownloaded low-resolution items from this library.
Quit Photos.
Step 3: Make your new library your system default
Now, it's time to make your newly-copied Photos library your system default.
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
Click Use as System Photo Library.
Step 4 (if you use iCloud): Connect your new library to iCloud
Your external library is now set up to be your system default, but it's not currently connected to iCloud. If you use iCloud Photo Library and want to keep that connection active so that you can continually download items you've stored, read on. (Otherwise, you can skip this step.)
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
Click on the iCloud tab.
- Check iCloud Photo Library.
- Click Download Originals to this Mac.
- Wait for your Mac to download your images from iCloud. (Depending on the size of your iCloud library and your internet connection, this may take up to 24 hours; don't disconnect your external drive or turn off your Mac during this time.)
Once your library has fully synced and downloaded images, you can disconnect your drive; whenever you want to use your Photos library, you now need to connect your drive to your Mac.
Step 5: Get rid of your old library
A personal plea: Please, please, please make sure your library is fully copied and working on your external drive before you follow the steps below — once you've thrown away your original library, it's gone!
- Open a new Finder window.
- Click the Go menu and navigate to your Home folder.
- Select the Pictures folder.
Select your old library.
- Drag it to the Trash (or press Command-Delete on your keyboard).
- Empty the Trash.
- Open a new Finder window. Don't close your previous window (open to the Pictures folder), as you'll need it later.
- Select your external drive.
- Right-click (or control-click) on your copied Photos library on your external drive.
- Select Make Alias.
- Drag the alias to the Pictures folder.
Rename the alias to remove the 'alias' part of its name.
Now you have a direct link to your copied Photos library from the Pictures folder: This prevents your computer from accidentally creating multiple Photos libraries in case you forget to launch Photos with your external drive connected.
Note: If you're worried about accidentally creating libraries, you can always launch Photos by option-clicking on its icon in the Dock or Applications folder; this will give you the option of picking which library you'd like to launch.
How to create a new Photos library on your external drive and use it as your primary library
Creating a new library on your external drive is a multi-step process. Here's how to go about it.
Step 1 (if you use iCloud): Turn off iCloud sync on your old library
Before you create a new Photos library, you have to disassociate your current library as your system default. (If you don't use iCloud Photo Library, you can skip these steps.)
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
Click on the iCloud tab.
- Uncheck iCloud Photo Library.
- Press Remove from Mac to remove all low-resolution items from this library.
- Press Remove from Mac once more to confirm.
Quit Photos.
Step 2: Create your new Photos library
Once you've done this, it's time to create a new library.
- Connect an external drive to your Mac via USB, USB-C, or Thunderbolt.
- Option-click (and continue holding down option) when launching the Photos app on your Mac.
- When it asks you to choose a library, click on Create New….
Name your library.
- Press the Down arrow to expand the File picker and choose your external drive as the new location.
- Press OK to save it to your external drive.
Step 3: Make your new library your system default
You'll now have an empty library on your external drive. Next up: Making it your system library.
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
Click Use as System Photo Library.
Step 4 (if you use iCloud): Connect your new library to iCloud
Your external library has now been set up from scratch. If you use iCloud Photo Library and want to download all the items you've stored there to have an external backup, read on. (Otherwise, you can skip this step.)
- Open Photos on your Mac.
- Go to the Photos menu.
- Select Preferences.
Click on the iCloud tab.
- Check iCloud Photo Library.
- Click Download Originals to this Mac.
- Wait for your Mac to download your images from iCloud. (Depending on the size of your library and your internet connection, this may take up to 24 hours; don't disconnect your external drive or turn off your Mac during this time.)
Once your library has fully synced and downloaded images, you can disconnect your drive; whenever you want to use your Photos library, you now need to connect your drive to your Mac.
Step 5: Get rid of your old library
A personal plea: Please, please, please make sure your new library is live and working on your external drive before you follow the steps below — once you've thrown away your original library, it's gone!
- Open a new Finder window.
- Click the Go menu and navigate to your Home folder.
- Select the Pictures folder.
Select your old library.
- Drag it to the Trash (or press Command-Delete on your keyboard).
- Empty the Trash.
- Open a new Finder window. Don't close your previous window (open to the Pictures folder), as you'll need it later.
- Select your external drive.
- Right-click (or control-click) on your new Photos library.
Select Make Alias.
- Drag the alias to the Pictures folder.
- Rename the alias to remove the 'alias' part of its name.
Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Computer
Now you have a direct link to your Photos library from the Pictures folder: This prevents your computer from accidentally creating multiple Photos libraries in case you forget to launch Photos with your external drive connected.
Note: If you're worried about accidentally creating libraries, you can always launch Photos by option-clicking on its icon in the Dock or Applications folder; this will give you the option of picking which library you'd like to launch.
Questions?
Let us know in the comments.
Updated March 2019: Updated for macOS Mojave.
Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Youtube
Serenity Caldwell contributed to an earlier version of this post.
iCloud Photo Library: The Ultimate Guide
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Backing up: The ultimate guide
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🍎 ❤️Apple reminds us all that 'creativity goes on' in new YouTube video
Apple's latest YouTube video knows just how to tug at the heartstrings.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, the Photos app is organized into Photos, For You, Albums, and Search. The all-new Photos tab makes it easy to find, relive, and share your photos and videos by Years, Months, and Days.
When you turn on iCloud Photos, your collection is kept up to date across your devices, so navigating your library always feels familiar. And thanks to the advanced search features in Photos, you can find pictures based on a person, place, object, or event.
First things first
- Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest version of iOS, and your Mac to the latest version of macOS.
- Set up iCloud on all of your devices and make sure that you're signed in with the same Apple ID.
Photos
Enjoy a curated view of your best moments in the Photos tab and browse by Years, Months, Days, or All Photos for your complete library. See Live Photos and videos come to life as you scroll and browse.
- Years: View your entire library of all the photos and videos that you've taken each year. Swipe to scan some of the highlights.
- Months: See groups of photos and videos taken during each month by memories and locations. Tap to share or play a movie created from your favorite moments.
- Days: Browse your best photos of the day and watch some of your videos automatically play as you scroll. Tap a photo and swipe up to see its location on a map, and the people in it.
- All Photos: See your complete photo library including screenshots and duplicate photos in the order they were taken.
Live Photos and videos won't autoplay in Photos when Low Power Mode is enabled.
For You
In the For You section of Photos for iOS, you can see Shared Album activity, get ideas for adding effects to select photos, and find Sharing Suggestions — collections of photos perfect for sharing with friends.
For You also helps you relive your favorite moments with Memories. Photos searches your photos and videos to find events, trips, people, and more, then presents them in beautiful collections. That way you can rediscover a weekend hike or big events like a first birthday.
On your Mac, you can find Memories in the Photos sidebar.
Albums
In Albums, you find the photo albums that you've created, Shared Albums that you've created or joined, and automatic collections of different types of photos and videos, like Panoramas, Selfies, Slo-mo, and Time Lapse. You can even look at your photos arranged on a world map in the Places album, or browse your photos based on who's in them in the People album.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, the All Photos album shows your entire collection in the order you added them to your library. To get a similar view on your Mac, click Photos in the sidebar, then select the Photos tab at the top of the window.
Photos makes it easy to keep your collection organized just the way you want. And when you use iCloud Photos, the changes you make to your albums on one device appear on your other devices too.
Create a new album
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Albums and tap the Add button . Enter an album name, then choose the photos and videos that you want to organize in the new album.
On your Mac: Choose File > New Album. Enter an album name, then click Photos in the sidebar. Drag photos and videos from the Photos view into the new album in the sidebar. Alternatively, you can select the photos that you'd like to add to an album, control-click, then choose Add to > New Album.
Photos on your Mac also lets you create Smart Albums that automatically update based on criteria that you choose. For example, you can create a Smart Album filled with photos taken in the last 30 days. Choose File > New Smart Album, enter an album name, and then choose the conditions that you want to use.
Add to an existing album
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Tap Select and then tap the photos and videos that you want to add. Tap Add To and choose the album.
On your Mac: Drag photos and videos from the Photos view into the new album in the sidebar. Or select the photos you'd like to add to an album, control-click, then choose Add to > [Album Name].
Manage your albums
If you want to change the name of an album that you've created, go to Albums, then tap See All. Tap Edit, tap the name of the album, and then change the album name. On your Mac, select the album, then type a new name.
To rearrange albums on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Albums, then tap See All next to My Albums. Tap Edit. Then tap and hold an album and drag it where you want it to go. Tap Done when you're finished.
To rearrange albums on your Mac, click My Albums, then drag an album where you want it to go. You can also Control-click My Albums, then choose Sort and choose to sort your albums alphabetically or by date.
Shared Albums
Looking for a place to gather and share everyone's photos from the family reunion? Shared Albums let you do just that.
When you have a photo, video, or album that you want to share, tap or click the Share button and choose Shared Albums. You can invite up to 100 of your friends and family to see your Shared Albums. Then they can like, comment, and even add their own photos.
In the Albums view, you can see all of the Shared Albums that you've created and others' Shared Albums that you've joined. On your Mac, Shared Albums appear in the Photos sidebar. You can also go to the For You tab (or the sidebar on your Mac) to view recent Shared Album activity. You'll see likes and comments on your shared photos, and new photos from other people's Shared Albums.
Search your photos
The Photos app makes it easy to find photos of a person or thing. You can also search for places and events.
Tap the Search tab, then enter a term in the search bar. On your Mac, the search bar is in the upper-right corner of Photos.
- People: Find photos in your library of a specific person or a group of people. Just keep names and faces organized in your People album.
- Places: See all of your photos and videos on a map in Places. Or type a location name in the Search bar to see all of the photos and videos from that place.
- Things: Photos recognizes scenes and objects. Search for a term like 'lake' and then select a category result to see all of your photos that match.
- Events: Search for an event — for example, a concert you attended a few months ago — and Photos for iOS can use the time and location of your photos along with online event listings to find matching photos.
The Search tab in Photos for iOS also suggests moments, people, places, categories, and groups for you to search. Tap a suggested search, such as One Year Ago or Cats, to explore and rediscover your photos.
When you search your photos, all of the face recognition and scene and object detection are done completely on your device. Learn more about photos and your privacy.
Projects on your Mac
With Projects on your Mac, you can turn your photos into keepsakes using easy-to-use, powerful Project Extensions.
To create impressive websites, collages, photo albums, wall decor, and more, download extensions from the Mac App Store. Then go to File > Create and choose the extension that you'd like to use.
If you want to finish a project that you've already started or reorder something, go to the My Projects tab in the sidebar to see your full list.
Learn more
Putting Photos Library Back On Your Mac Computer
- Learn how to take and edit photos on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Or how to edit photos on your Mac.
- Manage and store your photos in iCloud Photos.
- Make the most of the Photos app on your Mac.
