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Photo library backup

So my MacBook pro is now running out of hard drive space (only 4 GB left).


The majority of my storage space is filled up with my photos going back to 2005, which I have saved in Photos Library.


I've backed up my Library to an external Hard drive, but what I want to do, is delete my older photos from the Macbook (say pre 2010) to clear up some space, and let me update the software.


Can anyone advise me how I can go about doing this, but also still ensuring that I: -

  1. can still access the old photos and that opening the library on the external hard drive, without having any photos deleted that were taken since the backup was done
  2. can update the photos library on the external hard drive in years to come without it wiping some of the older photos

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 21, 2022 8:21 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 21, 2022 10:42 AM

You can designate the Photos Library that resides on the external hard disk drive as your System Photo Library.


Designate a System Photo Library in Photos - Apple Support

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3 replies

Sep 21, 2022 10:52 AM in response to Mojo29

If that external drive is not available, Photos will default to the internal Photos Library. If you press and hold an Option key while launching the Photos app, it will ask you to choose an available Library.


That is not entirely convenient, but moving the Photos Library to the external hard disk will at least enable you to free up enough space to accomplish a macOS upgrade.


If upgrading macOS is your primary objective, I have additional suggestions toward a workaround.

Photo library backup

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