Transfer Shared Albums in Photos

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Level 1

51 points

Transfer Shared Albums in Photos

Recently added Catalina to my iMac on a partitioned IHD running Sierra. Transferred and/or updated programs including Photos, now running on either Sierra or Catalina. No problems EXCEPT the Photos program on Catalina does not have my Shared Albums from the Sierra Photos program. Otherwise everything else about Photos is OK.

BTW, the Photos on both Sierra and Catalina are in libraries on EHDs, and have been for years. The libraries are not on the IHDs.

What is the problem, and how can I fix it?

Thank you.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Feb 20, 2023 6:37 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

judysings

Community Specialist

Feb 21, 2023 6:16 PM in response to elkriverken

Good evening elkriverken,

It might be helpful for you to speak directly with an Apple advisor about this issue. Click the link below, choose the phone number for your region from the list, and call when it is convenient.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Take care.

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Answer 2

Eric_G1

Community Specialist

Feb 21, 2023 1:33 PM in response to elkriverken

Hello elkriverken,

This page can help provide assistance with Shared Albums on the Mac: Turn on Shared Albums in Photos on Mac - Apple Support

Turn on Shared Albums in Photos on Mac

To create albums you can share with others, you first turn on Shared Albums. You can also use Family Sharing to share photos with family members. See Set up Family Sharing.

Note: You can use Shared Albums only with your System Photo Library.

1. In the Photos app on your Mac, choose Photos > Settings, then click iCloud.

2. Select the Shared Albums checkbox.

To turn off Shared Albums, deselect the checkbox. Even if you turn off Shared Albums on your Mac, you can continue to view and make changes to your shared albums using your other devices that have Shared Albums turned on.

As the page notes, Shared Albums may only be used with the System Photo Library. This page can help provide further details on that library, if needed: System Photo Library overview in Photos on Mac - Apple Support

Cheers.

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Answer 3

elkriverken Author

Level 1

51 points

Feb 21, 2023 5:58 PM in response to Eric_G1

It appears that my problem is with the "System Photo Library". Please note the following:

On my Sierra OS, my photo library is on an EHD titled "Sierra Photos". In Photo preferences, the library is greyed out and so is the tab "System Photo Library". Therefore as far as I can tell, I have no System Photo Library, and everything has worked well, including Shared Albums.
On my Catalina OS, my photo library began as copied from the Sierra Photos and is on another EHD titled "Catalina Photos". Both libraries agree with their content, probably through iCloud. However in Photo preferences in Catalina, the photo library in Catalina Photos > System Photo Library is greyed out, as it is in Sierra. Therefore no "System Photo Library" is identified, just as in Sierra. But Catalina has no Shared Albums.

My question is how to get my libraries identified as the "System Photo Library" under both Sierra and Catalina. All I want to do is bring up my Shared Albums in Catalina OS Photos as I already have in Sierra OS Photos.

Thank you.

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Transfer Shared Albums in Photos

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