I purchased a new iMac with Catalina and used Migration Assistant to migrate everything from my old iMac. The iPhotos library transferred to the Pictures folder, but the images did not migrate into the new Photos app. All that is in Photos are shared albums. I can't find any way to migrate the old library
iMac Line (2012 and Later)
Thanks, but that did not help. I get the error "The Library could not be opened. The library 'iPhoto Library' could not be recognized." To be sure, I confirmed that the library would open on the old machine (running OSX 10.7). Then, I copied the original iPhoto library file from that machine to the new one and tried to open it. But I get the same error message.
Only one of your photo libraries can sync with iCloud. One of your Photo Libraries can be made your System Photo Library in the Photos > Preferences > General, while you are viewing this library in Photos. Click the field "Use as System Photo Library". If this field is disabled, the library is your System photo Library. Then you can enable iCloud Photos to let this library sync with iCloud or enable the shared albums to be able to access them from this library.
You can keep switching between libraries and view them in turn by double-clicking the library you want to open, or merge them by exporting the photos from one library and import them into the other library- this is Apple's recommendation (Combine libraries in Photos - Apple Support)
Alternately, you can upload both libraries to iCloud Photos and the will be merged in iCloud. Or use Power Photos, see: Notes on Merging Photos Libraries, 2019 V… - Apple Community
The above was my experience. After system migration I clicked on the Photos to open it. Said I didn't have permission to open it and I clicked on repair. 100% Repaired was indicatedNote at bottom also said in Photos preferences choose iCloud (which is where my photos are backed up) but the "preferences" word was not lit. Had to Force Quit.
I have migrated to a new mac Catalina OS. I got the 'old photos' that were transferred by clicking on the old library as nothing came up when I first opened iPhoto. However then I could not access any iCloud shared albums. I could if I clicked on another iPhoto flower in photos. So now I have two versions of iPhoto. One has iCloud the other ones saved on the mac. How do I put them together ? Help.
You can migrate very simply:
Hold down the option (or alt) key and launch Photos. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and point at your iPhoto Library. It will do the rest.
Thanks, the first suggestion worked a treat. Great!
iPhoto library did not migrate
