On your new Mac you can open an old iPhoto Library into Photos by holding down the Option ⌥ Key as you start Photo's. You can the choose the iPhoto Library and you should be able to open it. Photos will then convert it into the new Photo's format, so I advise you make a backup copy before you start. Apple’s iCloud Photos service offers the best solution for merging libraries. The trick is that whenever you designate a library as your System Photo Library, Photos automatically uploads all images that aren’t already present, adding them to the photos already in iCloud Photos.

1. The only Apple merge of libraries appeared in Aperture. You could use a third party option like iPhoto allowed, but the main method of merging is to export the photos in whatever organization you want (album oriented) on one Library to the filesystem and then import those into the remaining library.
2. Question: Q: Consolidating iphoto and aperture libraries When I installed aperture, I imported my (large) iphoto library, but chose the 'store files in their current location' option. So now, I have 2 large photo library files, aperture and iphoto.
3. Aperture 2: consolidating two iPhoto Libraries I have several iPhoto Libraries. In theory they can be consolidated with iPhoto Library Manager (which I've registered) or one of several potentially risky techniques, but my tests a few years ago did not go well.

Import Full iPhoto Library

Mylio makes moving your entire iPhoto Library quick and easy. Mylio’s iPhoto import tool includes the ability to import the vast majority of information found within your iPhoto Library. For a complete list of what is and what is not imported from iPhoto to Mylio, please see the “iPhoto Edits in Mylio” tab of this article.

Import Your iPhoto Library

1. Be sure that the iPhoto Application is closed.
2. Open Mylio and select the Import button from the top right corner of Mylio.
3. Within import menu select ‘Aperture / Photos’.
4. Mylio will search for your iPhoto library automatically. If your iPhoto library is not found, select Other Library… and show Mylio where it is.
5. Select your iPhoto Library and click Continue in the bottom right.
6. Information about your iPhoto library will be displayed automatically.
   
   Note:Mylio is creating a copy of your iPhoto Library, so Available Disk Space to must be larger than Library Size.
7. Once the information has been confirmed, select Start Import to begin the iPhoto import.
8. Mylio will automatically begin to import your iPhoto Library. If you would like to continue working in Mylio while iPhoto imports, you can click the minimize size (-) in the top left of the import menu. If minimized, the status of the import can be seen in the Activity section of the Sync panel.
9. Once completed, Mylio will display a blue information bar that says “Library Import Completed. See details…” Click “here to learn specifics about your iPhoto migration, like any errors, keywords, edited media, and more.
10. By default, the iPhoto library will be placed outside of, but next to, the Mylio Pictures folder. Since a copy command was performed you can freely move this folder inside of the Mylio Pictures folder if desired.

Import Partial iPhoto Library

This guide will show you how to export individual pieces of information out of iPhoto and directly into Mylio.

1. Open your iPhoto Library.
2. You can easily select multiple events to export or multiple albums to export, but events and albums cannot be mixed and will need to be exported separately.
   
   
   Note:if exporting both all events and all albums, you will have duplicate files in your library as iPhoto albums contain photos from iPhoto events.
   
   
   
3. With the events or albums you want to import into Mylio selected, navigate to File > Export…
   
   
4. iPhoto allows you to customize your export. Select File Export at the top left of this window. To maintain the highest quality files, your settings should be set as…
   – Kind: Original
   – File Name: Use filename
   – Prefix for sequential: leave empty
   – Subfolder Format: Event/Album Name
   
   
5. Once your settings are in place, select Export.
6. iPhoto will allow you to export your files to your file system. Locate your Mylio Library (by default this is in your user folder).
7. Your Mylio Library will include your Mylio Pictures folder. Save your photos to this location.
8. Once the export is complete, open Mylio.
9. The Mylio Pictures folder will automatically be populated with your iPhoto photos. Manipulating them here will not affect iPhoto.

iPhoto Edits in Mylio

When running Mylio’s automatic iPhoto import, there may be some data in iPhoto that does not translate directly to Mylio. Below is a list of information that Mylio does and does not support.

There’s plenty of good reasons to have multiple photo libraries. Whether you take photos for work and want to keep them separate from your personal pictures. Or you like to split your libraries based on the date of your images. But having multiple photo libraries can get messy fast, especially if you’re switching back and forth while also importing new pictures to each.

If you’re reading this article because you want to end the hassle of dealing with different libraries, then you can sigh in relief. This article will cover three ways to consolidate iPhoto libraries and what you should look out for as you’re doing it.

Before you merge photo libraries

The first thing you should do is backup everything. You’ll be combining photos and deleting others. Mistakes are bound to happen. And the last you’d want to do is accidentally delete a picture of your child’s birth or your lunch from last Tuesday. You know, pivotal moments in your life you won’t be able to recreate.

How to merge photos in iCloud

For iCloud members, merging your photos in the cloud can be a pretty easy way to do it. The downside is it takes up a lot of storage space. But if you’re already using more than the free 5 GB you get with your iCloud account, you might be okay.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re syncing your photo with iCloud on your Mac. Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud and check the box next to Photos if it isn’t already.

Now that that’s syncing, follow these steps:

1. Find the Photos library you want to start with and double-click to open it.
2. In Photos > Preferences > General, click Use as System Photo Library. (If it’s grayed out, then that library is already the System Photo Library.)
3. Scroll to the bottom of the Photos to see the progress of your pictures uploading.

Note: If you need to pause the upload for any reason, click the pause link. Then, you’ll be able to resume it at a later time.

If you have more than two libraries, start back at Step 1 with the next library when your pictures have finished uploading.

When you’re finished with all of your libraries, the last Photos library you uploaded is the one you’ll want to keep. Now, you can delete the others.

After you combine photo libraries

You’re likely to have duplicate or similar-looking pictures after you combine your photo libraries. The good news is you can use the app Gemini 2 to scan your images and quickly get rid of things like duplicate, blurry, or similar photos. But the best part is you can download Gemini 2 and try it for free!

How to merge photos by exporting and importing

If you don’t want to use iCloud to combine your library, you also export and re-import your pictures. Although this method comes with a few disadvantages, it is probably the most straightforward way to do this. First, follow these steps to export your pictures.

• Hold down Option on your keyboard and open the Photos app.
• Pick the library you want to export and click Choose Library.
• In the sidebar, click Photos.
• Select the first photo, hold Shift, and scroll to the bottom to click the last picture.
• Then, click File > Export.
• Choose Export [number] to export edited photos or Export Unmodified Originals.

Note: Exporting edited photos retains all your changes, but you lose the original file. Exporting the originals means you lose all the edits.

• Set your export settings and then click Export.
• Choose where you want to export your pictures, then click Export or Export Originals.

Once you have all of your photo libraries exported, this is how you import them back into Photos:

How To Consolidate Multiple Iphoto Libraries

1. Hold Option and open the Photos app.
2. Select the library you want to use and click Choos Library.
3. In Finder, find the pictures you exported.
4. Drag and drop them into the Photos app.

Merge Iphoto Libraries App

How to merge old photo backup with current library

It’s really important if you’re using Time Machine to backup, do not restore your iPhoto or Photos library in your Pictures folder. If you do that, it will delete your newer pictures with your older ones. Here’s how you should merge your old photo backup:

Consolidating Iphoto Libraries Mac

1. Make sure you’re connected to your Time Machine drive and launch Time Machine.
2. Go to your Pictures folder. If you don’t see it in the sidebar, click Go > Home > Pictures.
3. Use the arrows to go back in time to the last state of your Library that you want to restore.
4. Hold Control and click the library file. Then, choose Restore Photos Library.
5. This is important: select a destination other than where the current Library lives.

Note: Again, choosing your Pictures folder will delete your current photos.

6. Click Restore.

How To Consolidate Photo Libraries On Mac

Now that you have your old library restored, you can follow the instructions above to merge iPhoto libraries and Photos libraries.

Consolidating your iPhoto and Photos libraries is the easy part. Staying on top of your one library to keep it clean and organized is a bit harder. Don’t worry. We’re not going to leave you without a little bit of help. Check out this article for the best ways to organize in the Photos app.