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Q: How can I merge photos libraries?

I have big photos libraries (several GB) can Photos handle it in just one ? How can I merge the libraries?

Posted on Apr 9, 2015 5:03 PM

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Q: How can I merge photos libraries?

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  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Apr 20, 2015 8:03 AM in response to NikeCircleGrump
    Level 10 (84,210 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Apr 20, 2015 8:03 AM in response to NikeCircleGrump

    Again what specific issue are you having with multiple libraries

     

    Basically Photos is no different from iPhoto  [or Aperture] in this respect - you can not manage multiple libraries with it  --  you open each library and use it exactly the same as with iPhoto


    and as a side note generally mutual libraries are not a good idea as they defeat the search capability of iPhoto, Aperture and of Photos - one large library is generally the best solution


    LN

  • by Michael Hill7,

    Michael Hill7 Michael Hill7 Apr 30, 2015 10:11 AM in response to macYeluru
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iWork
    Apr 30, 2015 10:11 AM in response to macYeluru

    Am I not correct in thinking that doing it this way will lose all the original metadata ?

  • by mfranx,

    mfranx mfranx Oct 11, 2015 9:02 AM in response to macYeluru
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 11, 2015 9:02 AM in response to macYeluru

    When I do this it shows. Media>Pictures then many other choices "Moments" "Collections" etc. Is this window looking at my current library (the one that I'm trying to import TO) or  another library (One that I want to import FROM)?

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Oct 11, 2015 9:19 AM in response to ypni
    Level 10 (140,913 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Oct 11, 2015 9:19 AM in response to ypni

    When the next version of PowerPhotos is released and we'll be able to merger Photos libraries like we could with iPhoto Library Manager and iPhoto libraries.  Shouldn't be too long.

     

    You can keep abreast of the development progress at the developer's blog: Fat Cat Software Blog.

    OTsig.png

  • by balazsm,

    balazsm balazsm Dec 20, 2015 6:29 AM in response to macYeluru
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 20, 2015 6:29 AM in response to macYeluru

    Oh dear, this helped a lot. Thanks.

    Happy holidays. Cheers.

    B

  • by lntghll,

    lntghll lntghll Jun 2, 2016 8:13 AM in response to macYeluru
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 2, 2016 8:13 AM in response to macYeluru

    For the record, and apologies if it has already been mentioned but I used this method for merging my libraries and all metadata and editing was retained, including full resolutions etc. Just incase, like me, any has worries about losing this data.

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jun 2, 2016 1:03 PM in response to lntghll
    Level 10 (139,480 points)
    iLife
    Jun 2, 2016 1:03 PM in response to lntghll

    If you are referring to the suggestion my macYeluru on April 20th 2015 then it is quite impossible to have done what you did and not lose data - specifically you will have lost the masters of any edited file. Other material will also be lost, including Faces, Places, Albums and so on. Just a warning to other folks who might consider it as an option.

  • by jfaughnan,

    jfaughnan jfaughnan Jun 4, 2016 8:54 PM in response to ypni
    Level 3 (803 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 4, 2016 8:54 PM in response to ypni

    There may be a way do a merge using iCloud Photo Library -- but it may be quite expensive...

     

    "If you want to get all of your photos and videos in iCloud, however, you can designate another library as your System Photo Library and then enable iCloud Photo Library. The Photos app will then upload the new library's photos to iCloud Photo Library, merging them with the photos that are already there from your first System Photo Library."

     

    http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-multiple-photo-libraries-with-photos-for-m ac/

    and

    Designate a System Photo Library in Photos - Apple Support

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jun 4, 2016 10:19 PM in response to jfaughnan
    Level 10 (139,480 points)
    iLife
    Jun 4, 2016 10:19 PM in response to jfaughnan

    Much cheaper to use PowerPhotos.

     

    https://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powerphotos/

     

    This thread is more than a year old, and things have changed since then.

  • by jfaughnan,

    jfaughnan jfaughnan Jun 5, 2016 8:45 PM in response to Terence Devlin
    Level 3 (803 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 5, 2016 8:45 PM in response to Terence Devlin
  • by BenIbarra,

    BenIbarra BenIbarra Jun 9, 2016 9:25 AM in response to ypni
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jun 9, 2016 9:25 AM in response to ypni

    For merging Photos libraries check Power Photos from Fat Cat Software!!! That is a great solution that is worth every penny that you spend on it. The software shows you how the library is gong to look before merging. It also detects duplicates. It is just AWSOME!! I just merged several libraries with no issues.

  • by LarryHN,

    LarryHN LarryHN Jun 9, 2016 11:34 AM in response to pimentel
    Level 10 (84,210 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jun 9, 2016 11:34 AM in response to pimentel

    Then you can not really merge them totally

     

    You can upload all of them to iCloud Photo library and merge most things (no face albums or projects) or you can use PowerPhotos and merge them locally keeping either the original or edited versions and all metadata but again no face albums or projects

     

    LN

  • by BenIbarra,

    BenIbarra BenIbarra Jun 9, 2016 4:15 PM in response to LarryHN
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jun 9, 2016 4:15 PM in response to LarryHN

    Can you please explain how you merge libraries in iCloud photo?

    Thanks!

  • by Guy Hollister,

    Guy Hollister Guy Hollister Jul 23, 2016 2:44 PM in response to ypni
    Level 1 (33 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 23, 2016 2:44 PM in response to ypni

    The answer above is 100% WRONG.

     

    You CAN very easily merge as many libraries as you want to and this is how you do it.

     

    My favorite method to merge two different Photos libraries is as follows:

    1. Pick the "main" library you want to drop the content into. You'll lose information such as your albums and other data besides the photos from the other library. I'll refer to the other library as "second library" from here on.
    2. Right click (or control click) the Second Photos Library (located in your Pictures folder on the other computer). Choose "Show Package Contents"
    3. Browse inside that folder for "Masters". You will want to copy the Masters folder to the other computer in some way, whether it's over on a USB flash drive or hard drive, or using AirDrop, or through filesharing.
    4. Open Photos on the "main" library and drag the Masters folder onto the window that's open. It will take some time but will copy the information into your "main" library.  If it detects duplicate photos, check the box "apply to all duplicates" and choose "don't import".
    5. Give it time to finish -- you'll see a progress circle in the upper left of the photos. Once it's done you'll have a "main" library that has all the content of both libraries.
  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Jul 23, 2016 3:50 PM in response to Guy Hollister
    Level 10 (139,480 points)
    iLife
    Jul 23, 2016 3:50 PM in response to Guy Hollister

    You CAN very easily merge as many libraries as you want to and this is how you do it.

     

    A library is not just the Masters. It's the Photographs plus all the work you've done with them and on them - edits, added metadata, organisation.

     

    This is not merging libraries. This is just adding the Masters of one library to another one.

     

    So warning to anyone reading this: the suggestion above involves massive dataloss.

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