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Photos - Cannot open migrated library

I am running macOS Catalina10.15.6 on my MacBook Pro

Since I upgraded to Catalina (from High Sierra) I have not been able to view at any of my old photos.

When I click on Photos I get the message in the screen shot

It could be a consequence of iPhotos or they could be stored somewhere else on the Mac but I had circa 1000 photos. Any help welcome or is there a tool I could use. I regularly use time machine so depending on how far it goes back I could look - any help welcome

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 20, 2020 2:00 PM

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Posted on Jul 21, 2020 12:36 AM

The message you are seeing will be shown, if Photos is only seeing an iPhoto Library in your Pictures folder, and this library has already been migrated previously to a Photos Library. Photos will have changed the filename extension of the iPhoto Library to ".migratedphotolibrary". if you want to open this particular iPhoto Library again in Photos, change the filename extension of the iPhoto Library back to ".photolibrary". You may need to change the filename as well, to prevent a duplicate filename.Then you can double click it to open it in Photos once more and check, if you are seeing the missing photos.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 21, 2020 12:36 AM in response to dBurnet1T

The message you are seeing will be shown, if Photos is only seeing an iPhoto Library in your Pictures folder, and this library has already been migrated previously to a Photos Library. Photos will have changed the filename extension of the iPhoto Library to ".migratedphotolibrary". if you want to open this particular iPhoto Library again in Photos, change the filename extension of the iPhoto Library back to ".photolibrary". You may need to change the filename as well, to prevent a duplicate filename.Then you can double click it to open it in Photos once more and check, if you are seeing the missing photos.

Jul 20, 2020 11:39 PM in response to dBurnet1T

I should start by using Spotlight to search your Mac for any Photos Library file, by default called 'Photos Library.photoslibrary' and stored in the Pictures folder. The iPhoto Library shown in your screenshot is in a different folder.


If you find a Photos Library, move it to the Pictures folder, then double-click it to open it.


Stephen

Photos - Cannot open migrated library

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