Why does my photo library not change after taking additional photos?

Question

Level 2

187 points

Why does my photo library not change after taking additional photos?

I copied my photo library to an external disk

Then I opened my photos to the cloud and now I can see them on all my devices

I have taken many additional photos

I want to back my photo library up but the modified date and the size are identical to what I had when I backed it up before opening my photos to the cloud

In my time machine the photos library has not changed either

Where are the photos I took recently stored

More important how can I back my all my photos up?

I am running Catalina

thank you

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 24, 2021 3:53 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

23,861 points

Apr 25, 2021 12:24 AM in response to tommmy

Hi - It is normal (depending on your MacOS version - certainly in Catalina) for the date on the library to not change. It is not a single file but a so called "package" (like a folder with subfolders and files, but the contents are normally hidden). If you can see your new pictures in the app, then they are stored in the library, but adding files to the library doesn't cause the date on the top level package/folder to change.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

195,151 points

Apr 25, 2021 4:54 AM in response to tommmy

Have you made the library on the external volume your System Photos Library? When you open Photos on your Mac and look at "Photos > Preferences > General > Library Location". Click "Show in Finder" to see the library used by Photos.

Has Photos really opened the library on your external volume?

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Answer 3

tommmy Author

Level 2

187 points

Apr 25, 2021 10:36 AM in response to léonie

No, my library is on my internal drive and a manual copy is on an external drive.

"Show in Finder" shows my internal drive.

If the top level file does not change date and size as @TonyColbert says, I have no problem. My hard drive gets backed up to Time Machine and to Backbaze

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

195,151 points

Apr 25, 2021 10:39 AM in response to tommmy

Tony is right. On macOS 10.15 Catalina you can really not trust the size of the library shown in the Finder, also not the "Date Modified". It is really updated. if you drag the library to an external volume, you might be seeing the true size.

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Answer 5

tommmy Author

Level 2

187 points

Apr 25, 2021 10:51 AM in response to léonie

You have both been very helpful. Thank you.

You have taken a load off my mind

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Why does my photo library not change after taking additional photos?

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