Import Photos From Hard Drive
Photos and videos already on the hard drive connected to Monument can be imported into your Monument library. As the content already exists on the hard drive, it is not backed up to the Monument folder. To view the content on the hard drive in the Monument app, please follow the instructions below.
Part 1: Steps on computer
- Eject your Primary Drive from Monument
- Connect the drive to your computer
- Open the hard drive and create a new folder (example: "Import Folder")
- Move all photos and folders into your new folder
Note: Do not move, rename, or delete the Monument folder.
- Eject the hard drive from your computer
Part 2: Steps in Monument mobile app
- Reconnect the primary drive to Monument
- Open the Monument app
- Go to Settings > Hard Drives > Select Primary Hard Drive
- Click "Import From Hard Drive"
- Select the new folder you just created
Note: Only a single folder can be selected to import
Warning: Do not move, rename, or delete the imported folder - Monument will begin importing all photos and videos inside that folder
Tip: The Monument app can be closed. Import and processing will run in background.
Comments
20 comments
Could you please explain the following sentences in more detail?
"Please Note: All photos/videos from the Parent Folder will only be imported and analyzed. They will NOT be copied into Monument as an additional backup."
Normally importing means, it will be copied to the device. So how does it work differently?
Will the folder remain on the drive after the import and the library just references to it? So if you would remove the folder from the drive after the import, the photos would be gone again?
I cannot find where to eject the primary hard drive, either using the Mac desktop app or the iPad app.
After you select the drive under Settings>USB Drives, you will see the option.
@Heathcock
Here's how you can eject your primary hard drive: https://help.getmonument.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001607053-Remove-or-Eject-Drives
Can I keep adding more photos to the same new folder I created on the hard drive?
@LynnPattison
That's correct! After adding new photos/videos to the hard drive, please do the following:
(As always, do not delete the contents of this folder after importing).
To rescan a 4 terabyte drive after adding a folder does it have to take as long as it did the first time to rescan everything?
@ChrisKilroy
Hi Chris! Monument does not take as long to rescan the content - it quickly goes over the files and checks for only newly added content in the folder.
Hi Monument team,
"Only a single folder can be selected to import" is for each user or entire Monument device?
@KingPi
Great question! This is for the entire Monument device (only one user can add an existing folder). We have plans to change this in the future.
@Hunter
Thanks for the plan of change. Appreciate it!
The procedure has changed.
In Part 2 it's Settings > USB Drives.
Then click a USB storage device and choose any directory to import.
@JamesPoulson
Settings > USB Drives is for Android (we are changing it so it's the same as iOS, Settings > Hard Drives). Either way, the step is the same.
Could you answer the 1st question -
"Please Note: All photos/videos from the Parent Folder will only be imported and analyzed. They will NOT be copied into Monument as an additional backup."
Will the folder remain on the drive after the import and the library just references to it? So if you would remove the folder from the drive after the import, the photos would be gone again?
And will Monument allow 2 folders to be on the HDD so that different users can have different imports?
Thanks.
@AlisonChristie-Upton
That's correct, the folder will remain on the hard drive after the content is imported. New content can be added to this folder and then rescanned in the app.
Monument references this folder, which is why it cannot be removed from the hard drive. If it is then the content will not be accessible through the app (share, download, edit information, etc.).
As the content is already on the hard drive, Monument does not create a copy to place inside the Monument folder on the hard drive.
Currently, only a single folder can be added, but we have future plans to allow for multiple folder selection :)
Will identification of faces carry over if you share though?
It does not look like it.
Perhaps a rethink about how information is attached to each user could remedy this.
Also, how about just the one import folder with user subfolders?
It would make things tidier, and I can imagine it would otherwise lead to mess if you could import folders from just anywhere.
An option to copy or transfer photos into the folders Monument uses otherwise would be great.
Hello,
Can I do this (import from hard drive) through the desktop app instead of the mobile app?
Thanks,
Jose
followed the directions but the option of "import from hard drive" does not appear. Also, photos from the new folder are not added when "rescan" is selected. Help!
Thanks
Dale
It would be great if subfolders would be taken as album names. This would make import from existing albums organised in folders much easier.
It should then also be possible to export all images organized in albums into separate folders.
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