If I double-click on the iPhoto Library file, iPhoto does open, but it only shows me the empty “Which photo library do you want iPhoto to use?” window, just like when I open iPhoto itself. Why won’t iPhoto open my iPhoto Library? And, more importantly, how can I make it open the Library again?
Oct 16, 2019 If you only had a single iPhoto library on your Mac, it should upgrade automatically as soon as you open the Photos app. Your old iPhoto library will still remain if you need to use iPhoto for whatever reason, but changes made to those older images won't automatically sync to your new Photos library.
Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Reverse Image Search App. Download Reverse Image Search App and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Aug 28, 2018 I keep trying to open my photo library but this message pops up every time: “The library couldn’t be open. Photos has attempted to repair the library ‘Photos Library’,but is unable to open it.' ” None of my photos are backed and I’m not sure how to fix this. Mar 04, 2017 It is possible that the preferences are corrupted. In Finder, hold down Option, click on Go menu and select Library. Open Preferences folder and trash the file com.apple.Photos.plist and then its.lock file if you see it there. Then in Library folder, trash the Caches folder. Open Photos and does it open?
Before following any of these steps, it's a good idea to create a backup of your photo library, even if you use iCloud Photos. You can use Time Machine, use a third-party backup solution, or copy the library to an external drive. By default, your photo library is stored in the Pictures folder within your home folder.
Make sure that your software is up to date
Photos is part of the Mac operating system. You can avoid or fix many issues by running the most up-to-date version of macOS. Learn more about updating the software on your Mac.
If you use RAW images in Photos, learn more about the digital camera RAW formats supported by iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
If you have trouble migrating an existing iPhoto or Aperture library to Photos
You might see an alert message when you first open Photos or migrate an existing iPhoto or Aperture library. Learn what to do if Photos can’t copy or create a library.
Photo Library Won't Open On Mac
If the Media Browser isn't showing your photos and videos
Use the Media Browser to make images from your photo library available in other apps, like Pages and iMovie. The Media Browser shows only the contents of the Photos library designated as the System Photo Library. If you have more than one Photos library—and the one you're using isn't set as the System Photo Library—the Media Browser won't show its contents.
Follow these steps to designate the current library as the System Photo Library:
Choose Photos > Preferences.
Click the General button at the top of the Preferences window.
Click Use as System Photo Library.
If you're having other issues with Photos
If you're experiencing other issues—like missing or blank photo thumbnails, unexpected behavior, or if Photos won’t open—try to see if it's an issue with your library by following these steps.
Create a new Photos library and see if your issues persist:
Why Won't My Photo Library Open On My Mac
Quit Photos.
Press and hold the Option key while you open Photos.
In the dialog that appears, click Create New.
Give your new library a name, then click OK. Note whether Photos opens successfully with this new library.
To return to your main Photos library, quit Photos. Then open it again while holding the Option key, select your main library, and click Choose Library.
Alternatively, you can open Photos in another user account on your Mac and note whether Photos opens successfully.
If Photos opens with the new library, or in a different user account, it might mean that there's an issue with your library. Follow the steps to use the Photos library repair tool on your main Photos library.
Learn more
Learn how to create and order print products like books or calendars in Photos with Project Extensions.
Get help with iCloud Photos.
Follow these steps to use the Photos library repair tool:
Hold down the Option and Command keys while you open Photos on your Mac.
In the dialog that appears, click Repair to start the repair process.
You might be asked to type in your user account password to authorize the library repair.
Why Can't I Open My Photo Library On Mac
The repair tool analyzes the the library's database and repairs any inconsistencies it detects. Depending on the size of your library, this might take some time. When the process is completed, Photos opens the library.
My Photo Library Won T Open On My Mac Computer
If you repair a library that's automatically updated with iCloud Photos, the entire contents of the library re-updates with iCloud after the repair process completes.