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i have a problem. I have my photo library on an external drive. I try to open it (using the option key), but I get the message that Photo can't find the system library. I cannot change the system library either from Preferences in the menu bar. The library file seems ok in itself. But it cannot be opened by Photo and I have no idea how to open it now. Anyone who can help?
MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.15
I cannot change the system library either from Preferences in the menu bar.
If the preference pane looks like this it already is the System Photos Library:
Also in the Choose Library window (launch with the Option key held down) the System Photos Library is indicated:
I cannot change the system library either from Preferences in the menu bar.
If the preference pane looks like this it already is the System Photos Library:
Also in the Choose Library window (launch with the Option key held down) the System Photos Library is indicated:
Is your external drive compatible with Photos?
Photos on Catalina is more strict about the location of the library as the previous system versions.
If the external volume has been used for Time Machine backups, Photos will have problems with permissions and file ownership. The volume needs to have a wired connection and must not be accessed over the network. The file system format should be MacOS Extended (Journaled) or APFS.
See: Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support
Thanks. The library is on an external hard drive (it is a WD Elements) that at least used to be compatible with Catalina since I did convert the library to current photos version (although things worked more flawlessly before Catalina). The external hard drive is wired. Would it help to drag and drop the library (of 90gb) to the hard drive and try it from there?
Thanks, This is what I have done - Photos use an empty library automatically generated on my laptop as the system photo library and I am not able to change it to the library on my external hard drive (since the option is grayed out as you show above). When I select the library on my external hard drive using the option key and try to open my library on my external hard drive the system just says it can't find the system library.
Delete the empty library on your boot drive. Then double click on the library on the EHD. lt should open and you can go into its preferences and set it to be the System Photos Library.
Photo cannot find system library
