You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Backed up iPhoto Library not openable

I backed up my photo library using iPhoto a couple of years ago. Now I'm trying to view it and "photos" is the photo app on my computer now, not iPhoto. Photos won't let me open the old library. I downloaded iPhoto v9.6.1 per the forum's suggestion, but the operating system I use won't open it. I'm worried my photos are lost forever!

Posted on Dec 15, 2019 6:56 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 15, 2019 7:18 AM

Are you running macOS 10.15 Catalina? You cannot run iPhoto any longer on Catalina.


Try to open the iPhoto Library in Photos for Mac.

  • Launch Photos while holding down the options key ⌥, until you are seeing the library chooser dialog.
  • Select your iPhoto Library.


This will only work, if your iPhoto Library is on volume, that is compatible with Photos. It must not be on a volume, that has been used for Time Machine backups or is accessed over the network. The file system format should be MacOS Extended (Journaled) or APFS.

If your iPhoto Library is still on a backup drive, copy it to your system volume, provided you have enough free storage. Or move it to a different volume, see:  Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 15, 2019 7:18 AM in response to susannah209

Are you running macOS 10.15 Catalina? You cannot run iPhoto any longer on Catalina.


Try to open the iPhoto Library in Photos for Mac.

  • Launch Photos while holding down the options key ⌥, until you are seeing the library chooser dialog.
  • Select your iPhoto Library.


This will only work, if your iPhoto Library is on volume, that is compatible with Photos. It must not be on a volume, that has been used for Time Machine backups or is accessed over the network. The file system format should be MacOS Extended (Journaled) or APFS.

If your iPhoto Library is still on a backup drive, copy it to your system volume, provided you have enough free storage. Or move it to a different volume, see:  Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

Backed up iPhoto Library not openable

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.