How to revert to old backup of photos library without losing newer photos?

How to revert to your old library from the backup will depend on your use of iCloud. You mention problems with iCloud, so we need to know, how you have been using iCloud Photos previously.

• Have you been using iCloud Photos at all?
• If yes, have you been using "Optimize Mac Storage" with iCloud Photos?
• If yes, has the Photos Library in your backup been syncing with iCloud Photos? And has "Optimize Storage" been enabled, when you made the backup? I am asking, because the backup may be incomplete, if the library has been syncing with iCloud Photos, when you made the backup and may need to sync with iCloud again to recover the originals. And this will change the metadata as well.
• Is your current library syncing with iCloud Photos?

On Ventura you can import photos and videos directly from one library into another library, unless the library is very large or it is syncing with iCloud. See: Import photos from another library in Photos on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

If your current library is not syncing with iCloud Photos, I would duplicate your current library with the Finder to create a copy.

Then open this copy in Photos and delete all older photos from the copy, that have been taken before before you made the last good backup.

You can identify these photos with a smart album as recommended by OT.

• File > New Smart album. Set the rule to "Date added is after ..."

Delete them in small batches and empty Recently Deleted instantly, so Recently Deleted does not get too full.

After you restore the backup, import the photos directly from the pruned copy of your current Photos Library. Importing from the library will keep the original image files and edited versions stacked as one photo, so you can revert the edits. And it will preserve all metadata, but not the keywords. But you will still have the copy of the library with the new photos, so you can look up keywords, named faces, and the albums.

Hi there puddinfromolivette,

The best way to accomplish what you're asking would be to export the photos you want to bring back to Photos after restoring your backup to an external hard drive, then import them to Photos again after restoring from your backup. You can export them using the steps in this link: Export photos, videos, slideshows, and memories in Photos on Mac - Apple Support

Alternatively, you can move your entire photos library to an external drive, then access it when the drive is connected after you restore from your backup. Learn more about how that works here: Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

If you need further assistance with this process, you'll want to work with Apple Support. They're best-equipped to provide some additional guidance should you need it. This link will help you get started: Apple Support

Take care.

You can create a smart albums with all photos since date: xx/xx/xxxx. Then export the originals to a folder on the Desktop along with their XML files which will contain al of their metadata that has been added.

Restore the older backup from your Time Mahine backups and import the folder of originals and their XML files into the restored library. When you're satisfied that the restored library has ALL of your photos you can delete the current library.