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Moving iPhoto library to external drive

Is it possible to move an entire iPhoto library intact to an external drive. i.e. including all events and naturally all photo edits, descriptions, titles, and other META data?


If so, how is it best accomplished please?


(Using iPhoto 9.4.3)

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), 8 GB RAM

Posted on Nov 17, 2013 1:59 PM

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Posted on Nov 17, 2013 2:25 PM

Here's how:


  1. first make sure the drive is formatted OS X Extended (journaled).
  2. drag the iPhoto Library to the external HD.
  3. launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select the library on the EHD.
  4. once you've confirmed that the EHD library is complete and working properly you can delete the library from your Pictures folder.



OT

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Nov 17, 2013 2:25 PM in response to ontravel

Here's how:


  1. first make sure the drive is formatted OS X Extended (journaled).
  2. drag the iPhoto Library to the external HD.
  3. launch iPhoto with the Option key held down and select the library on the EHD.
  4. once you've confirmed that the EHD library is complete and working properly you can delete the library from your Pictures folder.



OT

Nov 18, 2013 12:06 AM in response to Old Toad

Many thanks, that sounds easy.


I forgot to mention that I use iPhoto in combination with iPhoto Library Manager version 3.8.6 and also Aperture.


I guess that the interfunctionality of iPhoto and Aperture will continue, as they use a shared Library?


However, from within iPhoto Library Manager, would I need to create the "NEW" library on the external drive before dragging the old one to it's prefered external location? And then delete its old location, also from within iPhoto Library Manager?

Mar 22, 2014 5:57 PM in response to ontravel

Great tips here.


An Additional question:


If I have the library in an external drive, unplug the drive, then create a new event ( for example I took the notebook for vacations, backup my photos on iPhoto). Does the system get confuse or later connecting the external drive with iPhoto library, iPhoto will add that event to the library?


Is this question is the only thing stopping me for migrating to external drive....


Thanks a lot!

Jul 17, 2015 12:31 PM in response to ontravel

I think another thing to pass along, for expediency, if you already have an iPhoto library (as I do on my external), and are adding a new one or one from a different mac, the external will just name it iPhoto Library2. You can merge them later using the iPhoto Manager later (if you have that). I did that recently when I started to use the new mac Photo and wanted to move the existing iPhoto library.

Moving iPhoto library to external drive

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