Getting at Photo's on TimeMachine backup

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Level 1

21 points

Getting at Photo's on TimeMachine backup

Hi all,

I want to be able to access an iPhoto library on a TimeMachine back up (from and old iMac), but I don't want to overwrite the one on my laptop. I How can I open an iPhoto Library in Time Machine and then revert back to my original iPhoto library once I've found the photo's I need?

As an added bit of information I did this the other day by browsing to the iPhoto Library on the TimeMachine disk and simply opening it, but now it's saying I can't open from TimeMachine;

"The library could not be opened.

The library 'Photos Library" is in a Time Machine backup. Open the original library"

Any help would be much appreciated.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Jun 28, 2021 9:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Old Toad

Level 10

207,787 points

Jun 28, 2021 9:43 AM in response to Blitz Spirit

Go into Time Machine, locate the library you want to restore and Control (right) - click on it and select "Restore 'xxxxxx' to xxxxxx" from the contextual menu.

That will let you restore it to another location. Or if you want to restore it to the same location there will be this option:

Select Keep Both and continue.

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Answer 2

Blitz Spirit Author

Level 1

21 points

Jun 28, 2021 10:59 AM in response to Blitz Spirit

Hi Old Toad, I managed to add the Pictures folder to my Finder window! But, when I go into Time Machine by clicking on the icon at the top of the screen it just shows me the photo library on the laptop, not the one on the Time Machine disk. Any ideas?

I basically want to browse the photos on the Time Machine disc and then save the ones I want to the laptop.

Thanks again for your help.

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