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owler8
Participant
August 9, 2023
Question

? How to import photos from my Mac OS Ventura Photos library on an external drive into Lightroom?

  • August 9, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 852 views

Just starting with LR cloud based. I am using Mac OS Ventura 13.5.

I have my Photos library on an external drive.

When I tried to add some photos to LR and directed LR to the Photos library (still titled iPhotos library since I migrated from iPhotos to Photos) on that drive, it could not find any of my pictures.

My basic question is how do I use LR with my Photos library?

Do I need to export photos from the Photos library to another folder on my desktop to use them with LR.

I could not find any help topics for using LR with an existing Photos library on a desktop Mac.

Thanks for any help.

Caroline

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

selondon
Community Expert
selondonCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 11, 2023

I thought that you could migrate an Apple Photos Library Johan? Unless this no-longer works, as Ventura isn't on the supported OS list:

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/using/migrate-apple-photos-library.html

I'm not at a Mac right now but I thought I saw the Migration Menu Item the last time I looked.

 

If it does still work, it depends if Caroline (the OP) wants to migrate her whole Apple Photos Library anyway. 

I assume that photos can't be accessed directly from the drive is because they are inside an Apple Photos Library but cannot recall as I haven't used Apple Photos for ages.

 

 

 

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 11, 2023

Right! Sorry, I mixed up Lightroom Classic and Lightroom. Lightroom Classic cannot migrate a Photos library, only an iPhoto or Aperture library. Lightroom desktop should be able to migrate a Photos library. One thing to check: Apple changed the security requirements in MacOS Monterey and later. Go to MacOS 'System Settings - Security & Privacy' and add Lightroom to "Full Disk Access". Click on the plus icon to add Lightroom if it isn't already listed. If it is listed but not activated yet, then just flip the switch.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
    claudojapon
    claudojapon
    Participant
    January 22, 2024

    Thank you John for your helpful information. I happen to use Mac OS Ventura and I'd like to migrate a Photos library but I can't see any "plus" sign in order to add Lightroom in the list in the Security & Privacy window. 

    Have you any hint to share about it ? Thank you. 

    Claude Lévi Alvarès

    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 10, 2023

    Yes, you need to export the images from Apple Photos. Use 'Export as Original'. Lightroom cannot access a Photos library, and also not migrate one.

     

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
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