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Chris Winkler1
User level: Level 2 (258 points)

Computer is moving images to some old iPhoto library

Computer is moving images to some old iPhoto library


I am looking for some recent images & I can't find them and when I search everything is being sent to an old iPhotos library from 2022 and its images, MS word docs and I am wondering what the **** is going on. Here are some images created on the 14th of Sept, and instead of being on my external drive, they are now in this old library. Why on earth is this happening & how do I stop it??????


Then Photoshop says they are moved or deleted. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?????

Posted on Sep 18, 2026 11:36 AM

3 replies

Richard.Taylor
User level: Level 7 (25,466 points)

Sep 19, 2026 7:18 AM in response to Chris Winkler1

I would strongly suggest that you not mess around inside the Photos Library package. Small changes, moving files for instance, can cause corruption to the database and make your information unrecoverable. It's best to stay out of there altogether.


You mention using an external drive. For Photos to work with a Library on an external drive, the drive  must be formatted in either APFS format or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. The drive must be connected directly to the Mac by cable, not networked, clouded, NASed, etc. Additionally, the drive can not have had Time Machine on it since it was formatted. There have been so many problems with using incompatible drives that the newest macOSs won't even allow a Library on a non-Mac formatted drive to open, since there is a chance of damaging the Photos database. See this:

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac

If this drive is in a an incompatible format, stop running Photos with it immediately!  A Photos Library can sit on an incompatible drive, but running it may corrupt the database.


It's a shame you don't tell us what macOS you are using-- things can look different in different OSs.


On a Mac you can have more than one Library. When you plug in an iPhone, it connects to the Library designated as the System Library. You should check to see if the System Library is the one you are expecting it to be.


Open Photos and go to Photos' Settings>General

If "Use as System Photos Library" is grayed out, then this is the System Library. If you can click in this box, then that will change this Library to the System Library.


I'm guessing that you don't use iCloud Photos-- is that right?


You should see this:

Basic Concepts and Terms About Photos - Apple Community


Keith Barkley
User level: Level 7 (21,929 points)

Sep 18, 2026 5:49 PM in response to Chris Winkler1

You probably need to run Image Capture, plug in the camera and reset the place you want the images to go.

Yer_Man
User level: Level 10 (166,900 points)

Sep 18, 2026 11:47 AM in response to Chris Winkler1

Photos can only add images to an open library. If it is doing so then that's because it's the Currently open library.


The library indicated in your screenshot is a Photos Library that was migrated from an old iPhoto library. But don't let the name confuse you, it is a Photos library.


SO the library that is currently open in Photos (called iPhotoLIbrarymigrated...) is getting the images. That is wy this is happening.


What were you expecting to happen?


I've no idea why you mention Photoshop.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256359944