How to access old photos from Time Machine backup?

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How to access old photos from Time Machine backup?

Hi,

I have an external hard drive that I want to make more space on. I have several so this one simply needs to be cleared. Before erasing it I'm trying to double check that I have all the files from an old Timemachine backup that is on it on other drives. For most types of file this is easy as I simply go to the folder in the Timemachine back-up & check via the titles / same folders saved elsewhere on other drives. However this backup was from an old Macbook that no longer works, so when I try to view the Photos library to check I have all the photos, it doesn't let me open it. Searching in the app itself, by using 'show package contents' does mean I can search through some folders, such as 'Masters' but the photos aren't ordered into the folders they were in in the App & they also don't have the original file names.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can open the app on a different Macbook or any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Apr 3, 2025 2:31 AM

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Answer 1

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léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Apr 3, 2025 6:01 AM in response to jshire

You have to use Time Machine to access the Time Machine backup from the old computer.

The backup of a Photos Library needs to be restored by running Time Machine, or the internal links may not be restored correctly.

By default, Time Machine will only browse your current backup volume, but when you hold down the (opt)key when launching Time Machine from the Time Machine menulette in the main menu bar, you should be seeing an option "Browse other backups". Then you can select the older Time Machine drive to restore from.

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Answer 2

léonie

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Apr 3, 2025 4:57 AM in response to jshire

You would have to restore the Photos Library from the old Time Machine backup to a folder on some other drive. Photos cannot open Photos Libraries that are on Time Machine volumes, because of file ownership conflicts.

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

215,346 points

Apr 3, 2025 2:39 PM in response to jshire

Your photos are in the Photos library, not the Photos app. You want to enter Time Machine via its menu in the Menu bar, locate the library and hit the Restore button.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

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Apr 3, 2025 11:12 AM in response to jshire

Hold down the Option key when you access the Time Machine menu and select "Browse Other Backup Discs…". You should be able to browse that TM drive.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

200,531 points

Apr 3, 2025 6:37 AM in response to jshire

You can access the backup from any computer, if you can mount the Time Machine volume on your new computer. Or do you not have a suitable cable? Just use the "Browse other backups" option to open the old backup on your new computer.

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Answer 6

Old Toad

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Apr 3, 2025 3:19 PM in response to jshire

But you have to restore its to verify its content. There's no other way. You can restore it and keep both the restored and original libraries. Then when you've confirmed what's in the restored library you can delete it.

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Answer 7

markwmsn

Level 6

16,715 points

Apr 3, 2025 12:31 PM in response to jshire

So you were able to restore the Photos library successfully from the Time Machine backup disk to a work area, but were unable to open the library from the work area afterwards?

Do you know how old the system version on the old computer was? What is the system on the computer you are using to try to open it? (A high degree of version mismatch when opening an older library is tolerated, but Photos cannot open a library from a higher version of Photos.)

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Answer 8

jshire Author

Level 1

43 points

Apr 3, 2025 5:24 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for the reply, though I'm not sure I understand. How am I supposed to 'restore' the Photos library to another folder, when I can't open it or seem to do anything with it on the external drive?.

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Answer 9

jshire Author

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Apr 3, 2025 7:32 AM in response to léonie

I have all the cables needed. I am still confused though as you said that the the backup could only work with the computer it was from. You say I can 'mount the Time Machine volume on your new computer' but, as I mentioned, when I try to do that it says I can't open it.

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Answer 10

jshire Author

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43 points

Apr 3, 2025 1:19 PM in response to markwmsn

When you say 'restore' what exactly do you mean? On the external drive the Time Machine back up has the Photos app in the Application folder. It will not allow me to open it & if I drag it to my desktop & try & open it from there it also doesn't open it.

I can't remember what OS the old Macbook was running, but it was up to date in 2023 for example. I'm not running Ventura.

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Answer 11

Old Toad

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Apr 3, 2025 2:35 PM in response to jshire

jshire wrote:

Thanks. Perhaps I'm not being clear. When I do that it will not open Photos library. It says 'Cannot open this version of Photos Library.'.

Even when you select the library in Time Machine and restore it?f

What system are you currently running and under what system was the library created?

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Answer 12

jshire Author

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Apr 3, 2025 3:12 PM in response to Old Toad

Again, it won't let me do anything & I'm not trying to 'restore' the library, in the sense that it would interfere with my current Photos library. I don't want to replace the library I have now. I want to check this old library to ensure I have copies of everything before deleting it.

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Answer 13

jshire Author

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Apr 3, 2025 3:16 PM in response to Old Toad

I don't want to restore the library in a way that it replaces the library I have now. Also, as I have said a number of times now, it won't let me do anything with it anyway. It always says 'unable to...' etc.

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Answer 14

jshire Author

Level 1

43 points

Apr 3, 2025 3:28 PM in response to Old Toad

As I have said a number of times that it won't let me do anything with the backup of the photos library. Opening it, using restore etc, all bring up the 'unable to...' window. The only thing I can, as mentioned in the original post, is use 'show package contents'.

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Answer 15

jshire Author

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Apr 3, 2025 6:20 AM in response to léonie

Thanks, but as mentioned in the original post, the macbook it's a backup from doesn't work anymore, so I can't access it from the old computer.

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How to access old photos from Time Machine backup?

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