Q: Photos did not automatically open my iPhoto library

You don't import your iPhoto Library, you open it in Photos.

Hold down the alt/options key and double click the Photos icon, while holding both keys firmly down. This will bring up the Library Chooser panel. Select your iPhoto Library from the panel. Photos will create an upgraded copy of your iPhoto Library, that will link to the originals in the iPhoto library, so that the photos need not to be duplicated.  (Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support)

Afterwards you will have two libraries, the old iPhoto Library, renamed with "Migrated" in the name, and the new photos library.

Hi Léonie,

I have a similar problem to Jenny's and I am getting ever so slightly frustrated with Apple.

• - I bought a new Mac (Yosemite) and I have an old Mac (Lion), and want to sell the old one.
• - I successfully migrated everything including my user profile, but the photos
• - I can't import or open my iPhotos Library from the old Mac in Photos on the new Mac

Why?

• I have no rights to access the library
• As an admin I give permission for the library to be accessed by everyone, but the Library is still grey when I try to access it from the new Mac
• "Ignore ownership for this volume" (an oft-suggested solution) does not work, there is simply no such tick box available

I tried the following:

• I copied the Library to an external Hard Drive - viewed from the new Mac, the library is greyed out
• I copied the Library to a MyCloud Drive - viewed from the new Mac, the library is greyed out
• I connected the two Macs via Ethernet - viewed from the new Mac, the library is greyed out

I am wondering if there is a solution to this

Many thanks,

Endre

PS I feel like just exporting and importing all photos and lose all the metadata, because, frankly, I want to spend my time with my family or go to work, rather than work myself up because of Apple's seemingly helpful, but totally unhelpful ideas.

did you read the answer - it explains in detail

You don't import your iPhoto Library, you open it in Photos.

 

Hold down the alt/options key and double click the Photos icon, while holding both keys firmly down. This will bring up the Library Chooser panel. Select your iPhoto Library from the panel. Photos will create an upgraded copy of your iPhoto Library, that will link to the originals in the iPhoto library, so that the photos need not to be duplicated.  (Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries - Apple Support)

 

Afterwards you will have two libraries, the old iPhoto Library, renamed with "Migrated" in the name, and the new photos library.

LN

Hi LarryHN,

Thanks, but the method with the alt/option+open is not relevant to me (please, read my issue)

I have no privileges to open my own iPhoto library from my old iMac, despite

I try to explain my issue again.

1. Have iPhoto library on old iMac

2. Want to have my photos AND metadata on my new iMac

3. When I try to "open" my iPhoto library in Photos on the new Mac (having connected to the old Mac or having connected to an external hard drive with the copy of the library), the library is _greyed out_

4. I go into my user account/pictures/iphoto library/Get Info on my old Mac and give privileges for everyone to read/write

5. I then copy the iPhoto library to an external hard drive - BUT the library is greyed out when trying to open from my new Mac

6. I try to tick the "Ignore ownership of this volume" on the external drive, but there is no such tickbox

7. I then connect the old and new iMac via ethernet cable and try to open the iPhoto library with Photos on the new Mac - I get the same greyed out folder problem

8. If I try to copy the iPhoto Library from my old Mac into the Pictures folder on my new Mac, I also get an error message about not being able to access the library

To put it simple: WHAT IS THE FOOLPROOF METHOD OF MAKING AN IPHOTO LIBRARY ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL USERS ON AN OS X SYSTEM SO THAT THE LIBRARY COULD BE COPIED ANYWHERE AND THEN OPENED WITH PHOTOS?

Many Thanks!!

Endre

the only way is to use iCloud Photo Library or have the library on an external drive with ownership ignored - same as with iPhoto - iPhoto: Sharing libraries among multiple users - Apple Support

LN

• "Ignore ownership for this volume" (an oft-suggested solution) does not work, there is simply no such tick box available

Then your iPhoto Library is probably on an unsupported disk.  The ignore Ownership flag is not available on a NAS or on a disk that is used by Time Machine. Try to move your iPhoto Library to a directly connected disk, formatted MacOS Extended (Journaled) and migrate it to Photos on this drive.