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Get rid of migrated iPhoto Library

Since I switched to Photos in 2015, I am still keeping iPhoto Library.migratedlibrary - just in case.

Today, in Monterey, I tried whether Photos could live without it, so I moved it to another place.

But then Photos didn't start. So I moved it back, and Photos came alive again.


Does anyone how to get Photos to work without the old migrated library?

All my images are already in the Photos Library, and I didn't use iPhoto for years.


Thanks for any clue!

Posted on Dec 5, 2021 9:01 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 5, 2021 9:04 AM

I just deleted mine.


To be abundantly safe I would do this:

Option-click on photos and make sure that your good/new library is selected (your new one)

Open photos > preferences > general and check that the new library is your system library

Quit photos

Delete the migrated library (I'd make sure you have a backup (just in case)

Open photos

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 5, 2021 9:04 AM in response to Jaydude

I just deleted mine.


To be abundantly safe I would do this:

Option-click on photos and make sure that your good/new library is selected (your new one)

Open photos > preferences > general and check that the new library is your system library

Quit photos

Delete the migrated library (I'd make sure you have a backup (just in case)

Open photos

Dec 7, 2021 2:49 AM in response to Jaydude

Where is your new Photos Library stored? Is it in your Pictures folder or on an external volume?


There are very rare cases, where Photos is needing the iPhoto Library - if some photos in the new Photos Library are referencing the originals in the iPhoto Library. You can test this by opening the new Photos Library in Photos and then creating a new smart album "File > New Smart Album". Set the rule for this album to "Photo > is > Referenced". If this album is not empty, select each referenced photo in this album in turn look at the location of the referenced file. You can see the location with "File > Show referenced file in Finder". Are any references pointing directly into the migrated iPhoto Library? If not, it is safe to remove the library.




Get rid of migrated iPhoto Library

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