restoring photos

If you are confident that your the photos in iCloud are up to date, then you can:

1. Rename the current photos library file to Photos Library. photoslibraryOLD. (Just add OLD at the end of the file extension). This will prevent the Photos app from opening that file. You can later delete this file once you have successfully download your photos from iCloud.
2. Open the Photos app and start a new Photos Library file.
3. Once the Photos app has opened with the new file (without any photos) then you can, from the options in the tool bar, select Photos ➔ Preferences ➔ iCloud: Here ensure that iCloud Photos is checked and either Download Originals to this Mac is checked.
4. Once the above is complete then you will notice that your photos will begin downloading from iCloud. Once this is done successfully then you may delete the OLD photos library file mentioned in point 1.

Axel F.

Go to Finder, pictures and click on Photos Library and see if Photos opens. If it does this is the file. Then you can close out and open Photos again and pick open other and select the file in pictures.

You will need to repair the photo library. Here is ➔ How to use the Photos Repair Library on your Mac.

Axel F.

Can you provide some clarity around your question? What exactly do you see on your screen when you open the Photos app?

What are trying to accomplish?

Axel F.

Do you have a backup on TM or other drive that you can import?

Did you try to restore the photos file in pictures from TM and see if Photos opens

Glad it all worked out. You are welcome.

Axel F.