How to Move iPhoto Library to a New Location/Computer

iPhoto is a part of iLife software application suite, which not only helps you organize and edit your photos, but also lets you get more from these photos by making photo books, greeting cards and slideshows. iPhoto will generates a iPhoto Library folder or package that contains imported photos and any albums you've added using iPhoto.

If you want to move iPhoto Library to a new location or new computer, you must move the entire iPhoto Library folder or package and then identify its new location in iPhoto.

How to Move iPhoto Library to a New Location / Computer

Now you want to move iPhoto Library to a new location in internal drive of Mac computer (frankly, I don't know why, maybe you just want). Other cases include that you run out of hard drive space in Mac (Mountain Lion included) due to the high resolution photos taken by camera, or you just bought a new Mac computer (Mac OS X 10.11 included). Well, see how to move iPhoto Library to a new location or your new computer (using external hard drive). The solution is very similar.

1. Exit iPhoto if open.

2. Open your Pictures folder and select the iPhoto Library.

3a.For a new location: Drag the iPhoto Library folder or package to its new location.

3b.For a new computer: Connect your external hard drive which will display on Finder. Drag the iPhoto Library folder or package to external hard drive.

4. Now open iPhoto (the new computer for moving iPhoto Library to a new computer). Hold down the Option key on the keyboard, and keep the Option key held down until you are prompted to create or choose an iPhoto library.

5. Click Choose Library.

6. Locate and select the iPhoto Library you moved in step 3.

7. Now you will see the photos in the new iPhoto Library or in a new computer's iPhoto Library.

8. Delete the original iPhoto Library if necessary.

9. Moving iPhoto Library complete.

Note: If deleting the old library from the computer's hard drive makes you nervous, you can backup iPhoto to CD/DVD by clicking Share -> Burn before you erase anything.

More about Moving iPhoto Library:

1. The iPhoto library thumbnail is different between pre-iPhoto '08 and post-iPhoto '08. The iPhoto library in iPhoto '08 or later is called a package. See below:

2. You could also move iPhoto library to an external hard drive for backup purpose.

3. Move, delete, rename, or change files or folders in the iPhoto Library folder may make you unable to see your pictures. To slove this problem, you can restore your iPhoto library backup (if exists), or change it back to the original one.

4.There are also applications to help you move iPhoto Library safely, such as iPhotoLibraryManager or iPhotoBuddy.