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What is the best method for moving an iPhoto library from one Mac to another?

What is the I best method for exporting/migrating my iPhoto library on MBP to the iPhoto library on my iMac? I would prefer to keep my metadata intact; I am assuming doing a "show package contents" of my iPhoto Library and AirDropping the "masters" I will lose it? I am running El Capitan 10.11.4 on both Macs.


I just want to explain my situation as maybe I’m missing something. I WAS going to use the iCloud Photo Library to sync across all my Apple devices, and as an off-site backup. Luckily I realized soon enough this would become a management NIGHTMARE. I have everything downloaded from iCloud to my MBP and want to get it all on my iMac so I can clean up the mess of duplicates and such.


I couldn’t realistically sync from the iCloud Photo Library to my iMac because I would have had to upload around 150+GBs of data so that I could download the 30 or so GBs that were on iCloud from my families iOS devices and the MBP. The iCloud Photo Library interface is NOT very well-designed or user-friendly—downloading straight from the cloud is cumbersome at best.


Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), iTunes Match, Apple Music

Posted on Apr 26, 2016 7:58 PM

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Posted on Apr 26, 2016 10:22 PM

Simply connect the two Macs together and drag the library across to the pictures folder of the new mac - or use an external hard drive formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) and drag it across - then launch iPhoto on the new system



Moving the masters moves the original photos and metadata exactly as they were imported with no organization


And iCloud Photo Library is not an option for iPhoto - it requires OS X 10.10.1 and photos 1 or later


LN

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Apr 26, 2016 10:22 PM in response to mkems

Simply connect the two Macs together and drag the library across to the pictures folder of the new mac - or use an external hard drive formatted Mac OS extended (journaled) and drag it across - then launch iPhoto on the new system



Moving the masters moves the original photos and metadata exactly as they were imported with no organization


And iCloud Photo Library is not an option for iPhoto - it requires OS X 10.10.1 and photos 1 or later


LN

Apr 26, 2016 10:20 PM in response to LarryHN

Thank you, Larry!

When you say "connect" can I do this via "screen sharing"?


I am liking just dropping the masters and metadata being good to go! I have two versions of library on both Macs due to upgrades- no issues with them building on each other. Can I just copy the current version?

Obviously, ignore photo booth—I could wring my kid's necks seeing how much space they have occupied with that, more crap to sift through. Just got a Seagate Personal Cloud 2 x 4 TB—doesn't solve my offsite issue, though. I have bad u/l speed from my ISP, any suggestions?

User uploaded file

May 10, 2016 9:06 PM in response to mkems

You are welcome


No - Connect using a network or cable (fireWire target mode for example)


I am not sure if you can do this via screen sharing or not


and I have no idea about the rest of your post - nothing there seems to relate to moving an iPhoto library



again the only way to move a library is to move the library - moving Masters (or anything else) do not move the library - it moves one version of the photos with limited metadata



LN

What is the best method for moving an iPhoto library from one Mac to another?

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