Restore a library from Time Machine in Photos on Mac (2024)

FAQs

Restore a library from Time Machine in Photos on Mac? ›

Click the date of your last backup, navigate to the backup of your photo library, then click to select it. Click Restore. Depending on the size of your library, it may take some time for your library to be restored. When you next open Photos, you should be able to use your Photos library as it was when last backed up.

Use Migration Assistant to transfer files from your Time Machine backup to your Mac. If you made a Time Machine backup of your Mac, Migration Assistant can use that backup to restore your personal files, including your apps and everything in your user account.

Even if you use iCloud Photos, it's important that you always back up your library locally using one of the following methods: Use Time Machine: After you set up Time Machine, it automatically backs up the files on your Mac.

This is how to restore a single photo from Time Machine

Navigate to Finder > open your Time Machine backup volume (Backups. backupdb). Select and open the specific date folder from your Time Machine backups which contains your needed photo. Go to Users folder > Pictures.

Where are the photos in Time Machine backup? Your photos on the Photos app are backed up to the Photos Library, which you can check by opening your Time Machine backup disk and navigating to the Pictures folder if you didn't change the settings. Once there, you should find a folder named Photos Library.

If you use Time Machine to back up your Mac, you can recover your files if your system or startup disk is damaged. Important: You must first reinstall macOS on your Mac before you can restore your files using your Time Machine backup.

The largest drawback is that you cannot recover a Time Machine backup created from a version of the macOS newer than the one you are currently running.

Click Control Center in the sidebar, scroll down to Time Machine , then select “Show in Menu Bar” from the pulldown menu. Use the arrows and timeline to browse the Time Machine backups. Select one or more items you want to restore (these can include folders or your entire disk), then click Restore.

If you're not using iCloud Photos, your deleted photos and videos are removed from your Mac only. If you use Time Machine to back up your computer, you may be able to recover items after they're deleted permanently from your Mac or iCloud.

How do I import photos from old iPhoto library? ›

Choose File > Import. In the Import window, select the Photos library that contains the photos and videos that you want to import, then click Review for Import. Do one of the following: To import the entire library, click Import All New Items.

By default, your System Photo Library is stored in the Pictures folder on your Mac, but you can move it to another location on your Mac or store it on an external storage device.

Your first Time Machine backup includes everything on your Mac. After that, Time Machine finds and saves only new and changed items, so the backups become smaller. Also, as your backup disk fills up, Time Machine deletes older backups to make room for new ones.

Otherwise, if your backups reside on another device, you'll need to reinstall macOS (assuming your current system isn't functioning properly). After reinstalling, Migration Assistant lets you restore your Mac from the backup.

Time Machine automatically makes hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. The oldest backups are deleted when your backup disk is full.

In the Finder on your Mac, select the device in the Finder sidebar. Click General in the button bar. Click Restore Backup. Click the Backup pop-up menu, choose the backup you want to restore to the device, then click Restore.