The Install and Open the App article — for Windows or for Mac — tells you which version of the Picture Keeper app to use for your operating system, but it does not explain how to move from one version to the other. This article covers that.
There are two versions of the computer app. One is the copy that comes pre-installed on the drive and runs from the drive itself. The other is the free version you download from the Microsoft Store on Windows or the Mac App Store on Mac. Both work with your Picture Keeper.
WHICH ONE SHOULD I USE?
We recommend the Store version for most people. It is the more stable of the two, and it updates itself automatically, so you always have the newest version without having to do anything.
The copy that runs from the drive is the better choice in a few specific cases:
- An older Windows PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8.
- A very old Mac that can no longer install apps from the Mac App Store.
- A computer that is not connected to the internet.
If none of those apply to you, use the Store version.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THEY DO?
No. The two versions are interchangeable. They back up the same things from the same computer, they reach the same content, and they both work with your Picture Keeper drive. Switching from one to the other does not add or remove any part of the app.
HOW TO SWITCH ON MAC
- Click this link to open the Picture Keeper app page in the Mac App Store.
- Click Get, then Install. The app is free.
- Open the new app from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
- If the app asks you to sign in, use the same account email and password you already use.
- Plug in your Picture Keeper and continue as normal.
HOW TO SWITCH ON WINDOWS
- Click this link to open the Picture Keeper app page in the Microsoft Store.
- Click Get and wait for the app to install. The app is free.
- Click Open, or find Picture Keeper in your Start menu.
- If the app asks you to sign in, use the same account email and password you already use.
- Plug in your Picture Keeper and continue as normal.
You do not have to remove the copy of the app that runs from the drive. You can leave it where it is and simply stop using it, or you can remove it from your computer the same way you remove any other app. Either way, use the Store version from now on.
WHAT HAPPENS TO MY BACKUPS?
Nothing. Your photos and files stay on the drive exactly where they are. The Store version reads the same drive and picks up from your existing backups — there is no need to start over, and nothing is deleted.
YOU MAY NEED TO SIGN IN AGAIN
This is the one thing to expect when you switch. The new copy of the app may ask you to sign in again, because it does not carry the sign-in over from the old one. Use the same account email and password you used before.
If you do not remember your password, you can set a new one on the Reset Password page on our website.
If you are not sure which version you are currently using, or the Store version will not install on your computer, contact us and let us know your computer's operating system, and we will help you from there.