HT204476: Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries

Learn about Photos saves disk space by sharing images with your iPhoto or Aperture libraries
Andrew Robulack

Q: Can I delete my iPhoto Library after migrating to Photos?

My iPhoto Library is about 450 GB in size. This morning I migrated it to Photos. After a reboot my Mac started complaining that I have no disk space left (I have a 1 TB drive in my MacBook Pro). It appears that the Photos migration process duplicated my iPhoto Library and I now have two photo libraries, each measuring 450 GB, based on looking at the Finder's Info windows for each library. But I understand there's some fancy, convoluted new file storage methodology being used with the new Photos library, so I'm not clear on precisely where my actual, precious photo files are.

 

My compulsion is to just delete the old iPhoto Library, since I've migrated to Photos and I won't be using iPhoto anymore. But there's this niggly feeling that Apple had made it more complicated than that, that I now must have an iPhoto Library and a Photos library taking up space on my hard drive and totally confusing my file management practices. I was hoping this transition would be easy, clear, and safe but Apple has made it complicated and worrisome for some reason.

 

Bottom line: can I delete my old iPhoto Library? Or would this be a catastrophic action?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), 1 TB, 16 GB, 2.8 GHz i7, Iris Pro

Posted on Apr 9, 2015 6:32 AM

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Q: Can I delete my iPhoto Library after migrating to Photos?

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  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Mar 27, 2016 11:47 AM in response to cytodoc
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Mar 27, 2016 11:47 AM in response to cytodoc

    It is slightly confusing/unnerving that the same library shows up on the Pictures folder of both the flash drive disk and the hard disk, even though it resides on one.

     

    No, if it shows up in both Pictures Folders then it is in both.

  • by ibrismiss,

    ibrismiss ibrismiss Jul 27, 2016 7:45 AM in response to Andrew Robulack
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 27, 2016 7:45 AM in response to Andrew Robulack

    I just deleted my Iphoto library after almost 2 years of Photos usage and of course a migration between the two before that. The problem is after doing that, I found out that I lost videos and I am ****** off. I'm trying to recover them with Yodot Recovery but it's not a free product. Don't delete your Iphoto Library without a backup !!

     

    Thank you Apple.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jul 27, 2016 3:32 PM in response to ibrismiss
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Jul 27, 2016 3:32 PM in response to ibrismiss

    I see. You deleted the Library and it's Apple's fault. Okay.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jul 27, 2016 4:33 PM in response to ibrismiss
    Level 10 (84,190 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 27, 2016 4:33 PM in response to ibrismiss

    Right - never do anything without having a good, current backup - that is why TimeMachine comes free on every Mac - Apple can lead you to water but they can not make you drink - using the supplied software is upt to you

     

    LN

  • by ibrismiss,

    ibrismiss ibrismiss Jul 28, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 28, 2016 5:29 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    You obviously didn't read completely my post or maybe I wasn't clear enough. 2 years ago when Photos came out, I migrated my pictures and videos from Iphoto. They were all in Photos and I didn't use iPhotos anymore.

    To save some space 2 years later, I went in iPhotos and delete all the pictures and videos. It didn't affect most of my pictures and videos in Photos except for a few videos (2 years) I lost. I called the support and they told me it wasn't supposed to happen and it was maybe a bug and they are looking into it. So no I'm not blaming Apple just like that.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jul 28, 2016 7:41 AM in response to ibrismiss
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Jul 28, 2016 7:41 AM in response to ibrismiss

    But you didn't check before you deleted? And you didn't back up? So it's Apple's fault. I see.

  • by ibrismiss,

    ibrismiss ibrismiss Jul 28, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 28, 2016 8:27 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    Check what ? Do you even read my posts ? I'm saying there's a bug and Apple admitted it. For the backup that's what I was saying In the first post, I should have done one.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jul 28, 2016 10:34 AM in response to ibrismiss
    Level 10 (139,475 points)
    iLife
    Jul 28, 2016 10:34 AM in response to ibrismiss

    Check that the videos had come over to the Photos Library? No?

  • by ibrismiss,

    ibrismiss ibrismiss Jul 28, 2016 11:13 AM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 28, 2016 11:13 AM in response to Terence Devlin

    They were in the Photos Library before I deleted the Iphoto content, I was actually watching a specific video the night before with the kids so I'm sure. Anyway, I will let you guys know what the support says.

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