How can I transfer photographs in the old iPhoto App to the new Photos App?

I wish to transfer photographs in the iPhoto App on my very old PowerBook G4 (PowerPC Mac) running OS X 10.4.11 to the Photos App on my brand new MacBook Pro (Intel Mac) running OS X 10.11.6. PowerBook G4 can burn CD or DVD (no flash drive), and MacBook Pro has an external disk drive (but I do not know whether old and new CD/DVDs are compatible).

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 8:40 AM

Reply
3 replies

Aug 15, 2016 8:55 AM in response to hiro42

what version of iPhoto do you have on the old system? Do you have any photos in your Photos library on the new system?


To move the library to the new system you and use a network and drag it over, a DVD if it will fit and you have a DVD system on each system or using an external hard drive formatted Mac OS extended (journaled)


Depending on undisclosed information if the old iPhoto is iPhoto '09 (version 8.x.x) adn you have no photos on yor new system simply drag the old iPhoto library to the Photos icon in the Dock to migrate to Photos - How Photos handles content and metadata from iPhoto and Aperture - Apple Support


LN

Aug 15, 2016 12:07 PM in response to LarryHN

Hi, LarryHN,


Thank you for a quick response.


(1) iPhoto app version: 2.0.1 (3E8) copyright 2002-2003.


(2) Photo app already has some pictures in it.


(3) Sorry, I am not terribly familiar with things digital, and do not understand "... use a network and drag it over a DVD if it will fit and you have a DVD system on each system or using an external hard drive formatted Mac OS extended (journaled)."


My old Mac has a built-in drive that can burn CD/DVD, and my new Mac has an external USB SuperDrive (Apple brand). I have no external hard drive.

Aug 15, 2016 1:04 PM in response to hiro42

Ok


Then burn the library to DVD and drag it from the DVD to the pictures folder of the new system - I have no idea if you will be able to upgrade it or not as it is over 13 years out of date and their have been dozens of upgrades since then that you have not installed but maybe - download and run the iPhoto library upgraderagainst the iPhoto 2.0.1 library and see what happens - if it works then drag teh upgraded library to the Photos icon in the dock to migrate it - switch between the two libraries (the new one and the migrated old one) by double clicking on the one you want to use or by holding down he option key while launching Photos and using the library selection window


and since you have no EHD then you have no backups - that is a really bad idea as there is a 100% chance that something will fail in the future and when it does with no backup you lose things - because of Murphy you will lose the most important things t the worst possible time - get an EHD and start backuping up with at least TimeMachine ASAP


LN

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

How can I transfer photographs in the old iPhoto App to the new Photos App?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.