Transfer Photos Library to Monterey

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Level 1

26 points

Transfer Photos Library to Monterey

I'm having trouble transferring my Photos library from an old MacBook Pro running Sierra 10.12.6 to a new 2021 Mac Book Pro M1 running Monterey 12.0.1

I have tried to follow the instructions on this help page but it's not working

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT209528

I have copied the old library to a USB drive and mounted the drive on the new MacBook. When I open Photos from the system photo library, go to File > Import and select the old library, I get a Cannot Import Item message. (See attached). If I follow the instructions to repair then the old library eventually opens in Photos but I have no way of importing it to the system library.

Can I simply move / rename the existing photoslibrary file in Pictures and copy the older photoslibrary into it ?

Any help or advice on how to complete this process would be much appreciated ! Thank you.

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Nov 10, 2021 3:19 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Keith Barkley

Level 7

21,626 points

Nov 10, 2021 6:15 AM in response to Mark Webber

Have you tried to just launch Photos (it is a Photos library, right?) with the option key held down and selecting the library? There is no need to import it. This would be the way to upgrade it to V7.

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Answer 2

Nov 10, 2021 4:34 AM in response to Mark Webber

First make sure that Photos has Full Disk Access in System Preferences->Security & Privacy->Privacy

Then I would try this: start Photos holding down the Option key, and when asked select the old library. Does that work? If it does, then it will also update the library. You may then if so inclined copy it to your internal drive.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Nov 10, 2021 4:48 AM in response to Mark Webber

What is the file system format of your external USB drive? It should be prepared as described here:

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

Even on a correctly formatted volume Photos may mot be able to import from the library, if the library contains some media files a legacy format, that Photos can no longer process on macOS 12 Monterey. Some codecs have been deprecated. This list for iMovie may give you an idea which files need converting on your High Sierra Mac, before you transfer the Photos Library to the Monterey Mac: About incompatible media in iMovie for macOS – Apple Support (UK)

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Answer 4

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 11, 2021 1:11 PM in response to Keith Barkley

After wasting two days trying to sort this out with the help of you kind folks, I spent $30 on Power Photos and was able to import everything from the old library very easily using this 3rd party app.

I'd highly recommend this app to anyone else, and thanks Keith Barkley for the recommendation.

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

215,370 points

Nov 10, 2021 1:30 PM in response to Mark Webber

How is the EHD formatted. It must be one of these:

depending on what type of drive it is.

Next, did you open the old library with the Photos app on the new iMac and convert it to the new version of Photos?

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Answer 6

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 10, 2021 1:24 PM in response to Keith Barkley

Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,138 points

Nov 10, 2021 4:05 AM in response to Mark Webber

If the High Sierra Mac still runs, export all of the photos out to the external drive. Then, import those into the new Library.

I think there may be options to create folders from the albums, but I’m not sure. You may have to export each album to a folder so you can import into an album to keep your structure.

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Answer 8

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,912 points

Nov 10, 2021 4:09 AM in response to Mark Webber

I have copied the old library to a USB drive and mounted the drive on the new MacBook. When I open Photos from the system photo library, go to File > Import and select the old library, I get a Cannot Import Item message.

You need to first migrate that old Library to v7. Then you will be able to import it.

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Answer 9

Nov 10, 2021 1:23 PM in response to Mark Webber

How is the USB drive formatted?

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Answer 10

Nov 10, 2021 1:32 PM in response to Mark Webber

That's OK.

You shouldn't need to do this, but you can also tried the (paid) Power Photos from Fat Cat software:

https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/

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Answer 11

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 10, 2021 4:18 AM in response to Barney-15E

Should I do this by selecting all the images in the Photos folder (or All Photos?) then going to File > Export > Export Unmodified Original and select the Export IPTC as XMP checkbox (also using SubFolder format) ?

Thanks !

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Answer 12

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,138 points

Nov 10, 2021 6:09 AM in response to Mark Webber

Mark Webber wrote:

Should I do this by selecting all the images in the Photos folder (or All Photos?) then going to File > Export > Export Unmodified Original and select the Export IPTC as XMP checkbox (also using SubFolder format) ?

Thanks !

I don't think you need the XMP file. I have no idea what it is except another version of EXIF pushed by Adobe.

There than that, yes.

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Answer 13

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 10, 2021 6:25 AM in response to Keith Barkley

Yes Keith - It's a Photos library from Photos 2.0 (3161.4.140) on Sierra 19.12.6.

From the new MacBook with Monterey I can open and browse the old library on the USB drive (after repairing) but then there is no option to import or copy the photos onto the system photo library.

Thank you.

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Answer 14

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 10, 2021 1:13 PM in response to Yer_Man

Thanks Yer_Man, but please have another look at my original post. If I follow the steps that you describe I get a "Cannot Import Item" error.

If I follow Keith Barkley's suggestion and select the old library on the USB then it goes through the Updating Library process and opens. In preferences it shows that the library location is still on the USB drive. There is no way for me to import the photos at this stage into the system library on the new MacBook. If I then switch back to the system library and import from the "updated" library on the USB I get the "Cannot Import Item" error again.

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Answer 15

Mark Webber Author

Level 1

26 points

Nov 10, 2021 1:35 PM in response to Old Toad

The USB drive is Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with Ignore ownship checked.

I can open the old library with Photos on the new MacBook whilst that library is still on the USB drive. I'm sorry I don't know what you mean by "convert it to the new version of Photos" ...

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Transfer Photos Library to Monterey

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