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I want to find a few pictures that I recently deleted on my current computer. I have those on an older back up. I have restored an old back up to an external drive. Now I want to access the photos but I am afraid it will either ALL be added to new current iPhotos or will replace my current photos.
Heres my question:
How can I be sure that I am just looking at the restored pictures in order to find the few photos I want?
You can have multiple independent photos libraries on your computer
Switch to the library on the external drive
Create additional photo libraries in Photos on Mac - Apple ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
Then you can view all photos that are in this library.
The photos from your restored backup will not be mixed or imported with the photos that are in your main library.
The two libraries are 100% independent, nothing will happen to your main library.
You can have multiple independent photos libraries on your computer
Switch to the library on the external drive
Create additional photo libraries in Photos on Mac - Apple ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
Then you can view all photos that are in this library.
The photos from your restored backup will not be mixed or imported with the photos that are in your main library.
The two libraries are 100% independent, nothing will happen to your main library.
Unfortunately you did not say what macOS version you are using, therefore I give you two options.
With older macOS version you have to export the photos from the library on your external drive and then import them in your main library
1) Switch to the library on the external drive, here you find the details:
Create additional photo libraries in Photos on Mac - Apple ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
2) Export the photos that you want to a folder on your MacBook
Export photos, videos, slideshows, and memories from Photos ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
3) Import them in your main library
Import photos from storage devices and DVDs using Photos ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
If you have macOS Monterey you can directly import from the library on your external drive.
Select only the photos that you want!!
Import photos from another library in Photos on Mac - Apple ...Official Apple Support › guide › photos › mac
Ralf
thank you. But the issue is that I do NOT want to import the photos to my current library.
it is BTW OS Catalina. But that really shouldn’t matter.
so I am hoping there is a solution by question.
how to view photos without importing into my current computer’s photos.
I suppose a long work around would be to do a fresh backup on time machine.
then restore the old back of pictures.
Then find the 3 photos I want.
Them restore back to the current photo collection.
Really inefficient…
but it would probably work.
Ok. I’ll give that a try
thanks
Restoring some photos from a time machine backup
