Skip to main content
B
Burn3rs
Participant
December 1, 2022
Question

Migrating PC to Mac. Catalog opened. Can't access photo files

  • December 1, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 1272 views

Hi. I appreciate this will have been answered several times, but I haven't managed to find this specific issue yet. Thanks for bearing with me!

 

I am migrating from Windows to Mac and have linked to my Lightroom Classic catalog. Photos transferred over as part of a (long, slow!) migrate using Migration Assistant. However, I can't access the photos other than via the Photos app.

 

I am struggling to find the right folder to relink the photo library from within Lightroom - I'm looking in Users/[user]/Pictures, where I can see "Photos Library.photoslibrary", and assume the images (and hopefully the original file structure!) are hidden within that, but I can't open it.

 

Should I not have used the Migration Assistant to migrate the photos? Not a problem other than wasted time but I'd like to check before I manually copy the photo file structure and images across (again!). Assume that I'll need to clear down the Photos library if so to avoid duplication?

 

Thanks again for your patience and help!

D

 

Setup is Macbook Pro 14 (2021, M1) running Monterey12.3.

Lightroom Classic 12.01.

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
December 3, 2022

I am struggling to find the right folder to relink the photo library from within Lightroom - I'm looking in Users/[user]/Pictures, where I can see "Photos Library.photoslibrary", and assume the images (and hopefully the original file structure!) are hidden within that, but I can't open it.

 

Why are you talking about that Mac Photos app, if your photos were used by LrC on the PC? The photos should have been copied from the PC hard drive(s) to one of the Mac hard drive(s) and should exist outside of the Mac Photos app. You should use the operating system's search feature to search all Mac disk(s) to find them. If that doesn't work, copy the photos from PC to Mac yourself, so you know where they are.

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 3, 2022

I have only used Migration Assistant to move from one Mac to another, never to move from a PC to a Mac. It is possible that MA does indeed move pictures into the Apple Photos library in that situation. If you start Apple Photos and see all your pictures, then this is indeed what may have happened. In that case it is probably best to copy your images again, this time manually and not using MA. And yes, delete the 'Photos Library.photoslibrary' after you have done this, because otherwise you will have duplicates for no good reason.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
    kentdesign
    Community Expert
    kentdesignCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 3, 2022

    First congrats on the new MAC!!

    Now I presume you downloaded and installed Lightroom CLassic on the new Mac?

    If so, look in the PICTURES folder and find your catalog (your catalog's name.lrcat) .

     

    And it is easier to transfer (copy) your LR catalog and the associated .lrdata files to the mac first.

     

    Second, where were the photo files themselves located when you were using the PC? Were these on the same drive or an external drive? 

    If they were on an external drive, you probably only need to connect the external drive, launch your catalog from the PICTURES folder, and probably follow the steps here to relink.

    https://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

     

    If the photo files themselves were on the PC and they did not move, you. may need to physically move them!

     

    On a side note if you double click  the Photos Library.photoslibrary icon in the PICTURES folder, it just launches the PHOTOS application from Apple.

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices