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What does updating library mean on photos?

im trying to open a hard drive with lots of photos on it but when I click on it it pulls up a screen that says updating library. No issues with the progress bar it’s loading slowly but what does it mean when it does this? Is it downloading the photos to my Mac? I just want to access and see the photos not download them

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Oct 6, 2021 11:11 AM

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Posted on Oct 6, 2021 12:10 PM

It probably means the library was created with an earlier version of photos, and it is being updated for compatibility with your current version on your new mac.

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What does updating library mean on photos?

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