There are a number of benefits for using an external drive as your Photos library. If you have a giant collection of photos and videos, want to save your Mac’s space for other files, multiple users use your computer, or often swap computers and have work on images, then using an external drive as your primary photos library can be useful. The process is a little tricky and time-consuming.
Steps to create an external drive you new Photos library and use it as the primary library:
• Step 1: Disable iCloud sync on old library.
• Step 2: Create a new Photo library.
• Step 3: Make the new library as your System library.
• Step 4: Connect the new library with iCloud.
• Step 5: Wipe out your old library.
Once you’ve completed these steps, the external drive will become your new Photos and original library.
Want to know how to do this all? Read the below guidelines.
Step 1: Disable iCloud sync on old library
Before creating a new Photos library, you need to disassociate your current system library. If you’re not using iCloud Photo library, then you can ignore this step.
1. Open ‘Photos’ app on your Mac.
2. Click on ‘Photos’ tab.
3. Go to ‘Preferences.’
4. Switch to ‘iCloud’ tab.
5. Unmark ‘iCloud Photo Library’.
6. Click ‘Remove from Mac’ on the prompt. This will remove all the low-resolution items from your library.
7. Again hit ‘Remove from Mac’ to confirm.
8. Exit from Photos.
Step 2: Create a new Photo library.
You need to connect your external drive with your Mac and for this, you require a USB-C, USB, or Thunderbolt.
1. Hook up your external drive to your Mac.
2. Option-click and keep holding down option, while opening the Photos app.
3. When “Choose Library” window appears, click on ‘Create New…’
4. Enter a name for the new library.
5. Click the ‘Down arrow’ of “Save As:”
6. And, select ‘External Library/drive.’
7. Click ‘OK’ to save.
Step 3: Make the new library as your System library.
Your new external library is empty, and now you have to make it as your System library.
1. Open ‘Photos’ app on your Mac.
2. Click on ‘Photos’ tab.
3. Go to ‘Preferences.’
4. Select ‘Use it as System Photo Library.’
Step 4: Connect the new library with iCloud.
Your external Photos library has been set up. Now if you use iCloud Photos Library, then you can connect it with iCloud. Connecting it with iCloud ensure that the data stored on your iCloud library has an external backup. If you don’t want, then you can ignore this step.
1. Open ‘Photos’ app on your Mac.
2. Click on ‘Photos’ tab.
3. Go to ‘Preferences.’
4. Switch to ‘iCloud’ tab.
5. Mark ‘iCloud Photo Library’.
6. Click the ‘Download Originals to this Mac’ button.
7. Now, wait for images to get download into your Mac.
The downloading time will depend on the size of the content and also on internet speed. Sometime this will take up to twenty-four hours to complete. At this time do not disconnect the external drive or shut down your Mac. Once the process ends, you can disconnect the external drive. Now, you can connect and use your new external Photos library whenever you want.
Step 5: Wipe out your old library.
Before you wipe out your old library, please confirm that your new Photos library is live and working on the external drive. Because once you’d delete the original library, it will go.
1. Launch a new ‘Finder’ window.
2. Click the ‘Go’ menu.
3. Go to the ‘Home’ folder.
4. Open ‘Pictures’ folder.
5. Select the old library.
6. Hit ‘Command + Delete’ or drag the folder to Trash.
7. Clear the ‘Trash.’
8. Launch a new ‘Finder’ window, without closing the previous one.
9. Select the external drive.
10. Right-click on the new ‘Photos’ library.
11. And select ‘Make Alias’ from options.
12. Click and drag ‘Alias’ to the opened pictures folder.
13. Rename the ‘Alias.’
That’s it! Your Photos Library is linked directly with the pictures folders.
Tim Cross is from Ohio USA. Before he started writing blogs he went through various occupations such as teaching, programming and travelling. But his favorite job is writing blogs for antivirus technology for McAfee.com/Activate.