Move Apple Tv Library From To External Hard Drive

Nov 12, 2019 With two Finder windows open (or Finder tabs, if you prefer) drag the Music folder to the external drive where you wish to move the Music library. The Finder will start copying the files to the new location, presenting a progress bar as files are copied. This past was a bit painful since the NAS reformats the drives, so I had to move them one by one and copy all the content from the network but it was worth it. Now my media can be accessed from any device in my home (or even away from home) including chrome casts, smart tvs, tablets, phones and most importantly Apple TV.

Peter writes:

Free

How do I backup the Photos Library so the folders remain organized in the external hard drive just like I have it in the Mac?

I read this question and almost replied, “That’s easy!” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s an intricate question, because of how Apple has its own organizational structure that’s invisible in the Photos Library, independent of how you sort images in the Photos app. And because there are several possible answers to the same question.

The first question is, really, what is your ideal outcome for this copy on the external drive?

  • An exact duplicate of the library. Quit Photos, if it’s active, find the Photos Library, and copy it. The Library includes 100 percent of everything that Photos needs. Done. But that’s probably not what Peter was asking.
  • Copy the file structure of the folder in the Photos Library. You can Control-click the Photos Library and select Package Contents, and then access all the folders that form the library. However, Photos organizes images and video into chronological folders— nested by year, month, and day—inside Masters (originals) and Previews (modified versions). This is probably not what Peter wants, either.
  • Copy Moments, Albums, Smart Albums, and other organizational structures in the Photos app. Unfortunately, while Apple lets you select multiple images to export at once (via File > Export), you can’t export these album and other structures as folders. You could open albums one at a time, select all the photos inside, and then export them to a folder you create with the same name, but that’s manual and tedious, and doesn’t automatically update.
ExternalMove apple tv library from to external hard drive doesn t show up

I’ve recommended PowerPhotos ($30) before, a utility by Fat Cat Software that can merge, de-duplicate, and selectively copy Photos libraries, along with other tasks.

Move Apple Tv Library From To External Hard Drive Software

But it can’t (yet?) provide that sort of clean export operation Peter wants.

Drive

Move Apple Tv Library From To External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro

Ask Mac 911

Move Apple Tv Library From To External Hard Drive For Ps4

We’re always looking for problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com including screen captures as appropriate. Mac 911 cannot reply to email with troubleshooting advice nor can we publish answers to every question.