My Photo library will not copy from external hard drive to my iMac. I drag it to the Photo app in the Dock but when I disconnect the hard drive there are no photos on my iMac.
iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15
You need to put your photos into a folder on the new computer. In your Home folder is a sub-folder named Pictures. Drag the photos on your external hard drive into the Pictures folder. To get them into Photos you need Import them in the Photos app.
Now, if you have a Photos.Library file on your external drive, then drag the library file into the Pictures folder on the new computer.
You need to put your photos into a folder on the new computer. In your Home folder is a sub-folder named Pictures. Drag the photos on your external hard drive into the Pictures folder. To get them into Photos you need Import them in the Photos app.
Now, if you have a Photos.Library file on your external drive, then drag the library file into the Pictures folder on the new computer.
Correct. Unless you set Photos App to manage your photo library on your computer (assuming it has the space keeping at least 15% free after copying all the photos over), it will only be accessing photos directly from the hard drive in question. You can copy photos to your computer with the Finder and then add them without managing them on Photos, to avoid duplication, but's the only way to have them on your computer without management.
Also the Photos App in the Dock is not the actual application. The actual application is in Hard drive -> Applications
The Dock is merely a shortcut.
My Photo library will not copy from an external hard drive to my new iMac. Hard drive has to be connected to iMac for me to see the photos. If I disconnect the hard drive I can't see any photos despite dragging the library to photos app.
