How can I link my Pictures folder to an external drive?

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Level 1

34 points

How can I link my Pictures folder to an external drive?

I want to link several 'Home' folders (Pictures, Movies & Music) to appropriately names folders on an external hard drive. Virtually all other files and folders - including the 'Home' Documents folder are on my internal SSD.

This is the way my folders were structured before that external hard drive failed. I restored the content of that external drive (all my photographic files - including 'Photos') from Time Machine to a replacement drive, however, I haven't been able to 'point' the 'Pictures' folder (Macintosh HD > Users > Username > Pictures) to that external drive. In my 'pre-crash' configuration, that Pictures folder behaved like an 'Alias' pointing to the appropriate folder on the external drive. I've been unable to recreate that configuration.

Any suggestions?

I run macOS Ventura 13.5.2 on an M2 Studio with internal internal 2 TB SSD.

Also note: I am NOT talking about my Photos Library. I'm talking about the thousands of RAW and other images I've uploaded from my camera, among other things.

Mac Studio, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 21, 2023 12:20 PM

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Answer 1

leroydouglas

Level 10

200,142 points

Sep 21, 2023 1:31 PM in response to BPBear544

BPBear544 wrote:

I want to link several 'Home' folders (Pictures, Movies & Music) to appropriately names folders on an external hard drive. Virtually all other files and folders - including the 'Home' Documents folder are on my internal SSD.

ref

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,756 points

Sep 21, 2023 1:36 PM in response to BPBear544

Along with Photos, you can move the music and movie libraries from within the App settings. You don’t need aliases.

If you are not using Music, Photos, and TV to manage the content, there is no need to alias the folders, either. Just put the files wherever you want.

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Answer 3

BPBear544 Author

Level 1

34 points

Sep 21, 2023 1:57 PM in response to leroydouglas

To repeat what I said in my post, I am NOT referring to the Photos Library. I am referring to the location to which the OS default Pictures folder (Macintosh HD > Users > Username > Pictures) points. This has nothing to do with the location of the Photos Library.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,756 points

Sep 21, 2023 2:00 PM in response to BPBear544

BPBear544 wrote:

To repeat what I said in my post, I am NOT referring to the Photos Library. I am referring to the location to which the OS default Pictures folder (Macintosh HD > Users > Username > Pictures) points. This has nothing to do with the location of the Photos Library.

Then there is no point in creating a link. Just save files wherever you want.

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Answer 5

BPBear544 Author

Level 1

34 points

Sep 21, 2023 2:27 PM in response to Barney-15E

Ok. Forget what I said about establishing a 'link.' I have put the Files where I want them - as I said, they are on that replacement external drive. But many apps have default locations to which they look for files. And I am unable to change those defaults.

I will use the example of the default folders Movies and Music. All of my Music and Movie files are on that newly rebuilt external drive. But nothing I can figure out to do will enable either the Music (or TV) app to 'look' at the location of all my music (or video) files on that external drive. In the Music App, for instance, I have used Settings to indicate to Music that my Music Media folder location is in the appropriately named 'Music' folder on that external drive. But the Music App will only show (or look in) the OS default 'Music' folder at Macintosh HD > Users > Username > Music. So, the files can be where I want, but I am unable to make the Apps look there.

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,756 points

Sep 21, 2023 3:10 PM in response to BPBear544

When you create an external library, the Music Library metadata is stored on the internal drive in the Music Folder--at least that's what I see on mine. The actual files will be stored in that Media folder as designated in settings.

If you tried to symlink the external Music folder, you would destroy the actual database that maintains the metadata and links to the actual media files.

But the Music App will only show (or look in) the OS default 'Music' folder at Macintosh HD > Users > Username > Music. So, the files can be where I want, but I am unable to make the Apps look there.

Do you mean the files in your Library (a database linking the info to the music file) do not reference the external media folder? When you set it up to use the external media folder, did you tell it to "Keep Music media folder organized" and "Copy files to Music media folder when adding to library?"

The former is not necessary, but if you did not do the latter, it will reference the music wherever it is located regardless of the choice of the Music Media folder. I don't know if it will move the current library when you do that, though. You may have to import the music into the Library. I don't think I had to do that, though.

I don't think there is anything you can do with other apps. Unless updated by the developer, they will do what they do regardless of where you keep the files.

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Answer 7

BPBear544 Author

Level 1

34 points

Sep 23, 2023 10:52 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you all for the helpful suggestions here. I have now set up my Music, Video (TV) and Photos libraries to reference the appropriate locations on my external drive. The Home Folders for Music, Movies and Pictures do not reference the corresponding folders on the external drive, but the Apps do look to that external drive. And for now that's all I need for the Apps.

I'm still annoyed by the inability to 'force' the Home Pictures folder to 'point to' the external drive, but will learn to live with it.

P.S. My annoyance stems from the fact that I was able to have the three Home Folders (Movies, Music & Pictures) all reference (point to) the external drive within weeks of setting up my first iMac some 8 years ago. And when I migrated that aging iMac to my new M2 Studio a few months back, the migrated Home Folders all pointed to their counterparts on the same external drive. But when that drive crashed and after I 'restored' it from Time Machine, the Home Folders no longer pointed to the 'restored' folders on the replacement external drive. But, as I said, I'll live with it and other Mac mysteries.

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