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.

User profile for user: jillpleasehelp
jillpleasehelp Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Tried to move photo APP onto external hard drive and now missing from comp.

I'm looking to free up space on my computer by moving my photos elsewhere. As of now, they are all saved on icloud. Will they be saved there still if I delete from my compuer? Whats the best way to save them off my computers start up disk? I also have an external hard drive but it is failing to do a new back up. ("time machine could not find a local snapshot to back up from"). I dont want to wipe the external hard drive because there are some photos on it that are not saved anywhere else. Tips on getting them off and saved with my other photos (somewhere off the start off disc)? Thank you!

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jan 15, 2021 1:37 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
210,615 points

Posted on Jan 15, 2021 2:06 PM

Are you using iCloud Photo or did you try to move your library to the iCloud Drive?


Know that either is a syncing process and NOT off computer storage. So any change to the local library, additions, edits and deletions, will be reflected in the iCloud Library.


Do you have "Optimize Mac Storage" enabled in your Photo library?


IF NOT you can do the following to assemble all of your photos into one library on the external HD:


1 - create a new library and import all of the loose photos on the EHD.

2 - verify that the import was successful and complete and then delete those photos from the EHD.

3 - designate the EHD library as the System Photo Library in Photos' General preference pane.

4 - enable the iCloud Library in the EHD library and do not enable optimize storage.

5 - now the iCloud library will sync with the EHD library getting all of your photos into one library on the EHD. It will take a while depending on the size of the library. Some have reported up to 2 weeks or more. Just leave Photos open and in the background at night with the MacBook Pro connected via its charger and by Ethernet cable if at all possible to speedup the syncing.

6 - when done verify that the EHD library has all of the photos in it before deleting the old library or disabling the iCloud library.


View in context

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
210,615 points

Jan 15, 2021 2:06 PM in response to jillpleasehelp

Are you using iCloud Photo or did you try to move your library to the iCloud Drive?


Know that either is a syncing process and NOT off computer storage. So any change to the local library, additions, edits and deletions, will be reflected in the iCloud Library.


Do you have "Optimize Mac Storage" enabled in your Photo library?


IF NOT you can do the following to assemble all of your photos into one library on the external HD:


1 - create a new library and import all of the loose photos on the EHD.

2 - verify that the import was successful and complete and then delete those photos from the EHD.

3 - designate the EHD library as the System Photo Library in Photos' General preference pane.

4 - enable the iCloud Library in the EHD library and do not enable optimize storage.

5 - now the iCloud library will sync with the EHD library getting all of your photos into one library on the EHD. It will take a while depending on the size of the library. Some have reported up to 2 weeks or more. Just leave Photos open and in the background at night with the MacBook Pro connected via its charger and by Ethernet cable if at all possible to speedup the syncing.

6 - when done verify that the EHD library has all of the photos in it before deleting the old library or disabling the iCloud library.


Reply

Tried to move photo APP onto external hard drive and now missing from comp.

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