You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Problem after moving Photos library out of “Pictures” folder

I changed the location of my Photos library on my Mac (macOS 12.3). It was originally located on an external HD, but I recently moved it to the “Pictures” folder (under my home folder) on the boot disk. Today I decided to make another change and created a “Photos” folder under my home folder (I now have a “Pictures” and “Photos” folder at the same level). I moved the Photos library into the “Pictures” folder.


A couple minutes after the move, another Photos library was created in the “Pictures” folder with the identical name, but with a couple differences. The new library was ~60 MB in size, while the original is ~200 GB. Also, the new library shows the entire extension (XXX.photoslibrary), even though I have the “show extensions” option turned off in the Finder.


The original (moved) library opens as expected when I double click. The new (small) library also opens, but gives an error message “Cannot Import Item.” I cancel out of the message and the library opens and appears the same as the original.


- Have I violated a fundamental MacOS principal by creating the “Photos” folder at this level, then moving the Photos library there?

- Can the new, smaller library be deleted? Will it be recreated if I do?

- Can I simply move the original library back to the original location, or has the library been “split” into two files and both are now needed?


I was planning on moving my Lightroom master photos into the newly created “Photo” folder, plus consolidate several “Photos” libraries in the same folder. It appears that moving the “Photos” library was a mistake!


Any help would be appreciated… I am nervous about moving anything at this point!

Posted on Mar 29, 2022 8:02 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 29, 2022 8:50 AM

I tested by creating a folder "Photos" and moved a test library from my Pictures folder there. Nothing happened, it was working as expected.

If the library you moved has been your System Photos Library, it may still have been in use when you moved it and the background processes may have recreated missing items in the Pictures folder.


Do you have a backup of your Photos Library?

Then try to shut down your Mac, and after restarting it delete the new, small library in Pictures.

Make the moved library in Photos your System Photos Library, if you have not yet done so. Then the background processes should find it there.


Similar questions

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 29, 2022 8:50 AM in response to David Strait

I tested by creating a folder "Photos" and moved a test library from my Pictures folder there. Nothing happened, it was working as expected.

If the library you moved has been your System Photos Library, it may still have been in use when you moved it and the background processes may have recreated missing items in the Pictures folder.


Do you have a backup of your Photos Library?

Then try to shut down your Mac, and after restarting it delete the new, small library in Pictures.

Make the moved library in Photos your System Photos Library, if you have not yet done so. Then the background processes should find it there.


Mar 29, 2022 8:10 AM in response to TonyCollinet

I don't use iCloud syncing and the moved library seems fine and has all my photos.

I'm a little nervous about renaming the new library since I have no idea why it was created and am concerned about corrupting the library. It is clearly related to the original library in some way... it opens the original when I double click on the new library.

Problem after moving Photos library out of “Pictures” folder

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.