HT204655: Updating from iPhoto to Photos for OS X

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simon2010

Q: Upgrade iPhoto 6 Library to use with Photos app

I currently have a white iMac running 10.5.8 with an iPhoto 6 Library.

I want to be able to use the Library with a MacBook Air 2012 running 10.8.

Will iPhoto 09 (iLife 11) open the iPhoto 6 Library?

Ultimately I want to take the MacBook Air to 10.10 so as to be able to use Photos

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Sep 24, 2015 8:51 AM

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Q: Upgrade iPhoto 6 Library to use with Photos app

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  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Sep 24, 2015 10:19 AM in response to simon2010
    Level 10 (311,951 points)
    Sep 24, 2015 10:19 AM in response to simon2010

    Click here and run the updater.

     

    (133906)

  • by léonie,Helpful

    léonie léonie Sep 24, 2015 10:19 AM in response to simon2010
    Level 10 (105,791 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 24, 2015 10:19 AM in response to simon2010

    No, iPhoto '11 cannot open the older library; it needs to be upgraded by the upgrader that Niel linked to: iPhoto Library Upgrader 1.1

    See this Support document how to run it:  iPhoto '11 or later: About the Library Upgrader - Apple Support

     

    The iPhoto Library Upgrader is a tool that prepares libraries from iPhoto '08 (v7.x) or earlier so that you can upgrade them with the current version of iPhoto. If your library is from iPhoto '09 (v8.x) or later, you don't need to use this tool.

    Using the iPhoto Library Upgrader tool

    1. Download and install the tool. When you see a green checkmark above "The installation was successful," click Close.
    2. In the Finder, click the Go menu and choose Utilities.
    3. In the Utilities folder, open the iPhoto Library Upgrader.
    4. If the library shown in the window is not the one you want to upgrade, click Choose Library and select the correct iPhoto Library.
    5. Click Continue to upgrade your library.
  • by simon2010,

    simon2010 simon2010 Sep 24, 2015 10:24 AM in response to léonie
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 24, 2015 10:24 AM in response to léonie

    Thank you for your quick response.

    I want to combine the two photo libraries before upgrading to 10.10 and Photos app.

    So ideally I'm looking for a way to open the iPhoto 6 Library on the MacBook Air. (10.8) first.

    I'm assuming from Léonie's reply that I would need iPhoto 7 or 8 to open the iPhoto 6 Library?

  • by Terence Devlin,

    Terence Devlin Terence Devlin Sep 24, 2015 10:35 AM in response to simon2010
    Level 10 (139,485 points)
    iLife
    Sep 24, 2015 10:35 AM in response to simon2010

    I want to combine the two photo libraries before upgrading to 10.10 and Photos app.

     

    If you have Aperture 3.3 or later and iPhoto 9.3 or later you can merge libraries with Aperture.

     

    Otherwise the only way to merge Libraries is with the paid ($20) version of iPhoto Library Manager


    I'm assuming from Léonie's reply that I would need iPhoto 7 or 8 to open the iPhoto 6 Library?

     

    No you won't.

  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 24, 2015 10:39 AM in response to simon2010
    Level 10 (105,791 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 24, 2015 10:39 AM in response to simon2010

    The iPhoto Library upgrader will prepare your iPhoto 6 Library, so you can open it in iPhoto '11.  iPhoto '11 cannot directly read it, but after you have run this tool, iPhoto '11 can open it. After that it will be an iPhoto '11 library.  You can work with it in iPhoto '11-


    Then you can open this library in Photos, when you are ready.