User profile for user: andyhutch1947
andyhutch1947 Author
User level: Level 1
24 points

Combining Personal & Sharing Libraries

How to “Combine a Personal Library with Shared Library”?


I am using Photos 3.0 on my iMac 27, running High Sierra.


There is no way to view these libraries on my older iMac but my iPhone 12 Pro Max and iCloud Acct can. Somehow I created a Shared Account in my iPhone 12 Pro Max and I need to transfer everything back to my Personal Acct.


HOW CAN I DO THIS?


I have in excess of 193,000 Items in my entire PHOTOS ACCOUNT.


Thanks to the brave soul who can help me!


iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Oct 17, 2023 6:45 PM

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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
203,335 points

Posted on Oct 17, 2023 10:34 PM

The shared library is only available on macOS 13 or later. If your High Sierra Mac cannot be updated you would have to move the shared photos back to your personal library on your iPhone. Then share only duplicates of your photos and videos, so your older devices with older system versions can still see them in your personal library:

See this help page, particularly the paragraph "Move shared content back to your Personal Library

": Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone – Apple Support (UK)



You can move photos and videos that you contributed to the Shared Library back to your Personal Library.

  1. View the Shared Library ( appears at the top of the screen).
  2. Tap Select, then tap the photo and video thumbnails you want to move.
  3. Tap , then tap Move to Personal Library.




Have you tested, if you can see the shared library on your iCloud webpage at www.icloud.com on your High Sierra Mac? I cannot test this, as I do no longer have a Mac with High Sierra.



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User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
203,335 points

Oct 17, 2023 10:34 PM in response to andyhutch1947

The shared library is only available on macOS 13 or later. If your High Sierra Mac cannot be updated you would have to move the shared photos back to your personal library on your iPhone. Then share only duplicates of your photos and videos, so your older devices with older system versions can still see them in your personal library:

See this help page, particularly the paragraph "Move shared content back to your Personal Library

": Use iCloud Shared Photo Library on iPhone – Apple Support (UK)



You can move photos and videos that you contributed to the Shared Library back to your Personal Library.

  1. View the Shared Library ( appears at the top of the screen).
  2. Tap Select, then tap the photo and video thumbnails you want to move.
  3. Tap , then tap Move to Personal Library.




Have you tested, if you can see the shared library on your iCloud webpage at www.icloud.com on your High Sierra Mac? I cannot test this, as I do no longer have a Mac with High Sierra.



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Combining Personal & Sharing Libraries

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