To select a different library, simply hold down the Option key when you launch Photos app again, then choose the desired photo library. This is quite simple and similar to creating a new library to begin with. Now that you have multiple photo libraries, you’ll likely want to switch between them sometimes. Switching Between Libraries in Photos App for OS X Having a unique library for each work, personal, private, for example. There does not appear to be a limit to how many new photo libraries you can make in the Photos app for Mac, but juggling between tons of them could become unwieldy, so it’s usually best to make a new library for specific purposes. That means it will not contain any of the previously imported pictures unless they are added again. Remember, this new photo library is separate from whatever the default photo library was, whether it was set up as new or imported from iPhoto or Aperture.

Turn on iCloud Photo Library and import pictures from an iCloud account.

Drag pictures into the Photos app to import by file.

Photos app will launch with a new and completely blank photo library, ready for you to import pictures into and giving the familiar fresh launch screen with four options:Ĭonnect a camera or memory card and import pictures from that.

Give the new photo library a name and choose a location on the Mac to store the new photo library (the default will be the users Pictures folder where the other photo libraries are stored).

At the “Choose Library” screen, select the “Create New…” button.

Re-launch the Photos app in OS X while holding down the Option key, start holding down the option key immediately.

How to Make a New Photo Library in Photos for Mac OS X

This allows for completely different and unique collections of images. To be completely clear, making a new photo library means none of the existing libraries images will be included in the new picture library, unless specifically added. No, you don’t go to the File menu, where you can create new albums and folders for pictures, and is another reasonable management method, but instead you must use a key modifier while the Photos app is launching. Making a new Photos library is really quite simple in Photos for OS X, but it’s not entirely obvious.

Mac photos project extensions