Hello,
I am not a tech by any means so I apologise in advance if my confusion and worry is not warranted. I haven't needed to access my photos since getting a new device, previously when upgrading I only needed to open iPhoto when I set up the new device and they would all be there but on this one there is no iPhoto and the "Photo" app is empty. Please don't tell me that I have lost years of photos? Please help, in the simplest way possible. TIA
So I assume you have not been using iCloud to sync your photos then (or they would still be in your online account)
However they should still be safe on your old mac, but haven't yet been transferred to your new one.
Since you still have your old mac.
1 - Start it up
2 - open photos on your old mac (are your old photos still all there?) and go to preferences. That will tell you where your photos library is located as show here (circled):
3 - now can you find that library using finder. Check the size, so you know how much space you need to copy it.
4 - copy it to an external hard drive using finder (the external drive should have enough free space, and be formatted APFS or MacOS extended (journaled)
4 - Plug the external drive into your new mac
5 - Copy the library file into your new mac pictures folder. If the library you already have there has the same name as the one on your old mac, rename it first.
6 - Open the library you have just copied to your new mac (Hold down the option key while starting photos and select it from the list - see sedond screenshot). You should now have all your old photos on the new mac.
If that has worked - NOW - SET UP AN AUTOMATIC BACKUP TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE THIS WORRY AGAIN. See:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201250
So I assume you have not been using iCloud to sync your photos then (or they would still be in your online account)
However they should still be safe on your old mac, but haven't yet been transferred to your new one.
Since you still have your old mac.
1 - Start it up
2 - open photos on your old mac (are your old photos still all there?) and go to preferences. That will tell you where your photos library is located as show here (circled):
3 - now can you find that library using finder. Check the size, so you know how much space you need to copy it.
4 - copy it to an external hard drive using finder (the external drive should have enough free space, and be formatted APFS or MacOS extended (journaled)
4 - Plug the external drive into your new mac
5 - Copy the library file into your new mac pictures folder. If the library you already have there has the same name as the one on your old mac, rename it first.
6 - Open the library you have just copied to your new mac (Hold down the option key while starting photos and select it from the list - see sedond screenshot). You should now have all your old photos on the new mac.
If that has worked - NOW - SET UP AN AUTOMATIC BACKUP TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE THIS WORRY AGAIN. See:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201250
What does the sync status say at the bottom of the all photos view, in the photos app?
Have a look in www.icloud.com - you'll need to log in to your apple ID you used with the old Mac. If you go to the photos section of that web page, can you see your photos?
Are you connected to the same apple ID on your new mac? If not, you'll need to change it to the apple ID you used on the old Mac.
Do you still have your old device?
Do you have a backup from your old device?
In any case - it is most likely that you don't have your library synced with iCloud yet. Open photos, go to the menu Photo Preferences
First check that the library is set as the system library - the circled button should be greyed out. (Photos preferences) If it isn’t, click it.
Then check icloud settings are as shown.
Also make sure you have enough iCloud space for your whole library, and lots of free space on your mac and phone.
Hello,
Thank you for the speedy response, I have checked the things you mention and they were already as you said but there is nothing to import.
Anything else I can try?
I've logged into iCloud and nothing there either and yes same ID, I have never changed that. Would it help to bring my old device into the Genies bar? Or does that have nothing to do with it?
Are all my old photos gone?
