The Consolidate feature works separately from Import, and doesn’t let you “consolidate” multiple libraries. It does not work with Photos libraries-which answers a question from reader Christine-but the company just announced it will release in a few days a Photos-only version called PowerPhotos, which will be included at no cost with iPhoto Library Manager and sold separately for $19.95. IPhoto Library Manager can merge multiple libraries while removing duplicates with configurable options.

A trial version lets you preview what a merger would look like. The utility includes the ability to merge iPhoto libraries. If it’s worth it to you to spend $29.95, there’s another course of action: the third-party utility iPhoto Library Manager from Fat Cat Software. Unfortunately, while this preserves the current state, it exports all photos into either TIFF, PNG, or JPEG formats, rather than the original file format.Ĭlose Photos and re-open it with the library you want to merge into.ĭrag the exported photos into the Photos library or use File > Import to select and import them. This will exclude all changes to an image made within Photos or imported from iPhoto.Ĭhoose File > Export Photos, pick a format, and click the expansion triangle, then select Full Size from the Size menu. Option-launch Photos and select an iPhoto library you want to merge with another.Īfter conversion, choose View > Albums and double-click All Photos.Ĭhoose File > Export Unmodified Originals and click Export. If you have Aperture, Jeff notes, you can import multiple iPhoto libraries into its format, then import the Aperture library into Photos.įrom within iPhoto, you can export images either in their original unmodified form or in the “current” form, which is the way they appear including any edits in the library. That includes potentially losing metadata, location tagging, and edits. Lots of stuff doesn’t get included, so you’re left with exporting the photos but not a lot of the hard work you may have put into it. The problem with export is that iPhoto is terrible about exporting data.

You have a few different paths to take, although you will lose something no matter which route you opt for. There’s no tool in iPhoto or Photos for merging libraries, and you can only import photos and folders of photos from within Photos. Select an item to see the path to distinguish among generic and same-named entries. Photos allows you to select among iPhoto libraries to convert and Photos native libraries. Choose the last option, Rebuild Database. You’ll be prompted to repair the library. Launch iPhoto and hold down Option to select a library, but then hold down Command and Option when clicking Choose. (If you have trouble with Photos stalling during an import, I recommend rebuilding the iPhoto library first.

Consolidate iphoto libraries