Move photos library to an external portable hard drive

Yes.

Make sure the external is formatted Mac OS X Extended, Journaled or apfs. Then drag the Library from the Pictures Folder to the external. Once the copy is completed double click on the moved library. From now on that will be the location of your Library.

I’m getting a bit lost here. I can’t use my MacBook because I can’t update software and it was compromised and is now non-operative. I can only use my IPadPro. Is it possible to transfer all photos and media from my iPhone 14 Pro to an external drive? I bought a 500 GB Maxone external drive and a 64 GB SanDisk stick.

Thank you for your kind comments. I am an elder with a 2011 MacBook which has been compromised and had to shut down now inoperative. Apple says I cannot update software or upgrade to latest OS. I still have all my photos on my iPhone 14 Pro (23,000 & all videos) I am an elder from crossover generation and worked for the last 53 years but try to keep abreast of all things tech. I just can’t afford to buy anything else. Apple says I’m running out of ICloud space and I can no longer pay for 1 terabyte storage at $10 extra and only have 200GB. I just want to save everything on my laptop, 2021 IPad Pro, or 2021 IPhone Pro and get on with my caregiver help for my 93 year old mother. I have purchased and own all my devices and pay exhorbitant monthly bill for what?

I even bought a doggle to attach to my iPhone with Scandisk USB,

but I’m so frustrated. I even tried YouTube senior help, but no joy. I appreciate anything experts like yourself can do to help me.

Just to clarify: you're not moving the Pictures Folder you're moving the Photos Library, and item usually stored within the Pictures Folder.

You will continue to have precisely the same relationship between the library and iCloud that you have now. A weird way to put it but I say that because the iCloud Photo Library is not a back up. It's a sharing service and items on iCloud can be deleted easily and accidentally, and you require a proper back up to protect your data.

You have a lot going on there, and frankly, none of it is relevant to the thread you've posed in. Make a new thread and add as much detail to your description as possible.