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How to backup photo library on Mac?
How do I back up iCloud Photos on my Mac?
How do I access a backup library?
How do I keep my photos backed up on my Mac?
Back up the library in Photos on Mac. Even if you use iCloud Photos, it’s important that you always back up your library locally using one of the following methods: Use Time Machine: After you set up Time Machine, it automatically backs up the files on your Mac.
- Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple ...
Press and hold the Option key while you open Photos. Select...
- System Photo Library overview in Photos on Mac - Apple Support
The System Photo Library is where Photos routinely stores...
- Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple ...
- Moving Your Photos Library
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To understand how this works, it's important to know how the Photos app catalogs files. It's actually simple; there's a single file that contains your entire library. If you want to back this up, you plug in your external hard drive and drag the whole file over to that hard drive in the sidebar of Finder.
The harder part comes when you need to change which Photos library you want to use. You'll have to change the location from which the Photos app is reading.
In the image below, I've got two Photos libraries, the default one, and a backup library.
While you can access the backup library just by double-clicking it---which will open it in the Photos app---it's better to switch Photos to use this one by default. You can always switch back to the regular library when you need to.
Double click the backup library to open it, then open the preferences for Photos from Photos > Preferences in the menubar.
Select "Use as System Photos Library," which will change the default to the new library.
Backing up files manually is not the best solution, as you can never predict when your computer will break. It's better to back up automatically, so you don't have to think about it at all. Apple's built-in Time Machine is the best tool for backing up to an external drive. You can read our guide on setting it up to get started.
Image Credits: dourleak/Shutterstock
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- Anthony Heddings
Dec 24, 2018 · How to back up Photos Library to an external hard drive. Open Finder > Pictures (or wherever your images are) Select your Photos Library, the folder you want to back up, or individual files. Drag and drop the file onto your external hard drive in the left column.
Aug 7, 2018 · Save valuable space by moving your Mac Photos library to an external hard drive. Plus find out how to back up your entire iCloud Photos Library!
