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when exporting multiple photos

My photo library will not export photos, it keeps giving me unknown error (4) does anyone know what this means?


iMac 21.5", macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 17, 2020 11:29 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 17, 2020 3:29 PM

Where is your library located? Is it a "managed" or "referenced" library?



It the library is on an EHD how is that drive formatted and connected to your Mac?


Have you tried exporting just one photo to another volume?


See if this Apple document will help: Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder - Apple Support


Lastly, you can use the paid version of PowerPhotos to copy photos and their metadata, albums, etc. to another library. This tutorial describes it: Merging libraries. There are other tutorials about copying photos and albums between libraries also: PowerPhotos Documentation: Documentation




5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 17, 2020 3:29 PM in response to JDTall

Where is your library located? Is it a "managed" or "referenced" library?



It the library is on an EHD how is that drive formatted and connected to your Mac?


Have you tried exporting just one photo to another volume?


See if this Apple document will help: Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder - Apple Support


Lastly, you can use the paid version of PowerPhotos to copy photos and their metadata, albums, etc. to another library. This tutorial describes it: Merging libraries. There are other tutorials about copying photos and albums between libraries also: PowerPhotos Documentation: Documentation




Feb 17, 2020 12:12 PM in response to JDTall

Please read the following user tip and restate your question/problem in detail: Writing an Effective Apple Support Communities Question - Apple Communityi.e. what system and Photos versions your running, where your library is located and if on an external HD how is that drive formatted and connected to your Mac, Mac type and model, amount other info.






Feb 17, 2020 2:56 PM in response to Old Toad

My photo library will not export any photos, it keeps giving me unknown error (4) does anyone know what this means?

I am trying to consolidate multiple photo libraries by exporting photos from one photo library to a folder in my downloads & in hopes of importing the photos to the photo system library. I am on an iMac macOS Catalina 10.15.3

I have tried exporting the photos to multiple locations & tried doing single photos & groups of photos, but I continue to get the same error message. I've also tried exporting them in every possible format.. still the same error

Also some of the photos' in the library i'm trying to export from have a little cloud in the bottom corner & show no photo, not sure why that is, however i didn't include any of those on my export.

thanks in advance for any advice


Feb 17, 2020 5:37 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks for the info.

Both of my libraries are in my system pictures file. My system photo library is a managed library & the one I'm exporting from was managed, but I changed it to reference. I changed the permissions on the photo library & also the folder I was exporting into, restarted the computer & still getting the same error.

maybe I need the software, is it possible though that I would still have the same issue?

Feb 18, 2020 10:22 AM in response to JDTall

The cloud icon means that you have enabled the iCloud Library and also selected "Optimize Mac Storage". To get all of your full sized photos from the iCloud library into a new, local library create a new, empty library, set it to be your System Photo Library and do not enable Optimize Mac Storage. That will download all of the photos from the iCloud into the new library as full sized image files. Then continue with the combining libraries.



when exporting multiple photos

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