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User profile for user: pcjerryz
pcjerryz Author
User level: Level 1
12 points

Can a Photo library created with Monterey be opened with Big Sur?

This question has been asked and partially answered in an earlier thread (possibly yes), but my problem is that my Big Sur Mac will not allow me to enable Photos for iCloud.


My photos in iCloud were uploaded/updated via an Apple silicon M1 Macbook Pro using Monterey. When I select Photos in iCloud using my Intel Big Sur Macbook Pro, it requests my iCloud password but does not enable Photos. Therefore, my photos will not download as suggested in the earlier thread (Can Photo library created with Monterey b… - Apple Community.)


Any suggestions on a process to download photos from iCloud to my Big Sur MBP?


Thanks!


MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on May 20, 2022 5:07 PM

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User profile for user: TonyCollinet
TonyCollinet
User level: Level 7
23,954 points

Posted on May 21, 2022 9:34 AM

What do you mean by selecting photos in iCloud.


If you want to sync your Big Sur mac with the icloud photos, (and all the photos you need are in iCloud) the best way is to sync to a new empty library.


1 - Create a new EMPTY library in your pictures folder. (Hold down the option key while starting photos, and click "create new". Name it something that is easy to recognise). If you don't have enough space on your mac to download the full iCloud library with plenty of headroom, then you'll need to put the new library on an external drive (formatted APFS or MacOS extended)**

2 - Open the new empty library in photos. (it should open after you click "create new" but if not, use the option key start again, and select the new library from the list.)

3 - In photos preferences set it to the system library (click the circled button)

4 - In photos preferences iCloud - turn iCloud on with download originals.


5 - Wait - for photos to download all your images from iCloud into your freshly minted library. It may take some time - possibly days. Leave the mac on with photos open and sleep disabled while it is doing it.


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User profile for user: TonyCollinet
TonyCollinet
User level: Level 7
23,954 points

May 21, 2022 9:34 AM in response to pcjerryz

What do you mean by selecting photos in iCloud.


If you want to sync your Big Sur mac with the icloud photos, (and all the photos you need are in iCloud) the best way is to sync to a new empty library.


1 - Create a new EMPTY library in your pictures folder. (Hold down the option key while starting photos, and click "create new". Name it something that is easy to recognise). If you don't have enough space on your mac to download the full iCloud library with plenty of headroom, then you'll need to put the new library on an external drive (formatted APFS or MacOS extended)**

2 - Open the new empty library in photos. (it should open after you click "create new" but if not, use the option key start again, and select the new library from the list.)

3 - In photos preferences set it to the system library (click the circled button)

4 - In photos preferences iCloud - turn iCloud on with download originals.


5 - Wait - for photos to download all your images from iCloud into your freshly minted library. It may take some time - possibly days. Leave the mac on with photos open and sleep disabled while it is doing it.


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Can a Photo library created with Monterey be opened with Big Sur?

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