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I installed a 1TB SSD in the Macbook Air running Big Sur. I took Time Machine backup from iMac running Monterey and found that the Apple Photos app on the Macbook Air could not install or read these photos. Is there a solution?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.6
There is no way to open a Photos Library on an older system version than the version where you last opened the library. If your photos are in iCloud Photos you can recreate your Photos Library on Big Sur by creating a new, empty library and set up iCloud Photos for this empty library. The photos and albums will sync back from iCloud and you have downgraded the library from Monterey to Big Sur. If your library is not on iCloud, it would be better to upgrade your Mac to Monterey. Otherwise you can only extract the original photos from the library package and will lose the filenames and any metadata you added, also the adjustments and albums. To extract the originals select the Photos Library in the Finder, ctrl-click it, then use the command Show Package Contents. Your photos are in the folder „originals“.Or use the last backup of your Mac while you still have been using Big Sur on the Mac.
There is no way to open a Photos Library on an older system version than the version where you last opened the library. If your photos are in iCloud Photos you can recreate your Photos Library on Big Sur by creating a new, empty library and set up iCloud Photos for this empty library. The photos and albums will sync back from iCloud and you have downgraded the library from Monterey to Big Sur. If your library is not on iCloud, it would be better to upgrade your Mac to Monterey. Otherwise you can only extract the original photos from the library package and will lose the filenames and any metadata you added, also the adjustments and albums. To extract the originals select the Photos Library in the Finder, ctrl-click it, then use the command Show Package Contents. Your photos are in the folder „originals“.Or use the last backup of your Mac while you still have been using Big Sur on the Mac.
Leonie I have decided to follow your recomendation to create a new empty library and migrate photos from the iCloud. My Macbook Air is now Updating... and showing Updating in bold script but so far nothing to see. The Updating started around 9:00am and now 4:15pm and I am wondering if I have done something wrong? My wi-fi is pretty good 50Mbps. The iCloud photo library on the iMac is 10,386 photos, 36 videos. How long should it take to see these photos on the Macbook Air? Your thoughts appreciated Leonie. Many thanks.
Thank you to leonie for her clear answer. Can I upgrade my Macbook Air 2013 to Monterey)
Can I upgrade my Macbook Air 2013 Big Sur to Monterey?
Photos compatibility moving them from Monterey to Big Sur?
