User level: Level 1 (4 points)I am trying to clean up space on my Mac and there is a large 80GB file called iPhoto Library in my Documents folder. It says it is a Migrated Photo Library. I also have a large Photos Library file in the same folder. Can I delete the iPhoto file without losing any pictures? Or do I need to merge them somehow?
Posted on Oct 24, 2026 8:23 AM
User level: Level 10 (756,437 points)Oct 26, 2026 9:35 AM in response to BigFella7
1. Yes.
2. They're stored in both libraries and only count once toward the used space.
(265357)
User level: Level 10 (756,437 points)Oct 24, 2026 9:00 AM in response to BigFella7
Yes, you can. Note that the media files inside are hardlinked, so deleting it won't free up anywhere near 80GB.
(265339)
User level: Level 7 (25,466 points)Oct 27, 2026 6:38 AM in response to BigFella7
BigFella7 wrote: …Are you saying that the file size shown for the iPhoto library is inaccurate?
The Mac's APFS file system is truly amazing, and it makes copies of files without actually duplicating the bits and bytes, but by using pointers and saving differences. It's really very clever, and it saves us lots of storage space.
Any easy way to tell if it has really migrated?
You can move the file to the trash or, better, to a completely different drive, deleting the one on the internal drive, and see how the other file behaves. Backups are good.
User level: Level 7 (25,466 points)Oct 25, 2026 7:14 AM in response to BigFella7
Don't let the storage on your Mac get greater then 90% of the total, leaving at least 10% free. Many operations use the Mac's empty storage space to move files around. If you run out of storage, then those operations may not be able to be completed and, ironically, that can mean that even deleting doesn't work. If you have less than 10% available, then things can get lost forever. This is also true if your iCloud storage space gets low.
I actually found that on my 1 TB MacAir crazy things began to happen when I had only 120GB free. When I transferred enough stuff to external drives, getting to 150 GB free, things cleared up. So now, I limit my storage to only 85% of the total.
External drives are essential not just for backups, but also to move stuff so your internal drive can be worry free.
Oh-- and whatever you do, don't use "Cleaner apps" to automatically dump files on your Mac. They can't be trusted.
User level: Level 1 (4 points)Oct 26, 2026 9:31 AM in response to Niel
Thanks. Are you saying that the file size shown for the iPhoto library is inaccurate? When I go to storage it says I have a large amount of data in Documents and the majority of that value would be this Library file. If that is true I have no idea how much free space I actually have.
Also, when I view the master files in the library, there are still some photos in there. I can’t tell if they have been migrated so I’m still hesitant to delete the Library. I can’t open the file from Photos to try to import again. Any easy way to tell if it has really migrated?
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256382147