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
21 comments
Hello,
Can I do this (import from hard drive) through the desktop app instead of the mobile app?
Thanks,
Jose
Hi KJ,
Just to clarify, currently, you can select only one folder to import and all subfolders will be added. Also, if a user used import folder option, other users will not see the "Import folder" option. So, all photos and videos within this folder will belong to the respective user.
Hope this clarifies your question.
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.
@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.
@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.
@Heathcock
Here's how you can eject your primary hard drive: https://help.getmonument.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001607053-Remove-or-Eject-Drives
@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 :)
I cannot find where to eject the primary hard drive, either using the Mac desktop app or the iPad app.
"
Hi KJ,
Just to clarify, currently, you can select only one folder to import and all subfolders will be added. Also, if a user used import folder option, other users will not see the "Import folder" option. So, all photos and videos within this folder will belong to the respective user.
Hope this clarifies your question."
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the quick reply. So just to clarify - what you are saying is that only one user per device is allowed to use the "import folder" function.
Thanks!
After you select the drive under Settings>USB Drives, you will see the option.
@Hunter
Thanks for the plan of change. Appreciate it!
@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.
@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).
Hi Monument team,
"Only a single folder can be selected to import" is for each user or entire Monument device?
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.
Hi, just to follow-up on this:
"@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."
1. So does this mean multiple users will have to share 1x import folder on the primary drive?
2. So if user2 scans the import folder using her account, then all of user1's previously imported photos that exist in the folder will also be imported into user2's account?
Thanks!
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?
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?
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.
The procedure has changed.
In Part 2 it's Settings > USB Drives.
Then click a USB storage device and choose any directory to import.
Can I keep adding more photos to the same new folder I created on the hard drive?
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