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Photos Photoslibrary date, timestamp, and size not changing causing Time Machine to not to backup updated copy

I have an iMac 27-inch 2013 with macOS Catalina (Version 10.15.7). I have Photos 5.0. I completed a full Time Machine backup when I purchased a new iMac (M1, 2021), MacOS Monterey version 12.3.1, Photos version 7.0. However, I've found that the photoslibrary date, timestamp, and size has not changed since November 2022 even though I have used Photos almost every day since then adding photos and updating locations, People, etc.

The photoslibrary file opens fine on the older iMac 2013 on Catalina and all data is there. However, when I restore (Using Time Machine or Migration Assistant or manually with the same results) that file on the new iMac, only the photos, location, "People" metadata from pre-November 2021 is restored. This leads me to believe that the updates I've entered since November 2021 are cached somewhere and are not being pushed to the photoslibrary file despite doing a rebuild of the database.

Does anyone know how to update the photoslibrary to push the cached data to the database so it can backed up and properly restored?

iMac, OS X 10.11

Posted on Apr 19, 2022 10:50 AM

Top-ranking reply

Lindsay_B.

Community Specialist

Posted on Apr 20, 2022 10:21 AM

Hi, Cobyflier,

Thanks for visiting the Apple Support Communities to get help with backing up your Photos library to Time Machine.

If you're using iCloud Photos, it is possible that is the reason your Photos library has not backed up. We can suggest disabling the iCloud Photos feature and seeing if Time Machine will back up your library. Follow the steps below from Get help with iCloud Photos - Apple Support to do that:

How do I turn off iCloud Photos on only one device?

You can turn off iCloud Photos on a single device when you follow these steps:

• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then turn off iCloud Photos.

• On your Mac, open the Photos app, then choose Photos > Preferences, then click iCloud, then deselect iCloud Photos.

• On your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud. Under Photos, press Select to turn off iCloud Photos.

If you have Optimize Storage turned on, you might not have all of your original photos and videos on your device. To download the original photos and videos on your iOS device, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and select Download and Keep Originals. On your Mac, open Photos, choose Photos > Preferences, then click iCloud, then select Download Originals to this Mac. Keep your device plugged in to power and connected to the internet. After your originals download, you can turn off iCloud Photos. You can also select the photos and videos that you want to download from iCloud.com.

Before you turn off iCloud Photos, you might want to make a copy of your photos and videos.

If you don't have iCloud Photos enabled, don't hesitate to respond back.

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