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iPhoto Missing Original Files preventing iCloud upload

Hi folks, in attempting to upload files from my iPhoto app on my iMac into my iCloud, I get the following error;


"35 referenced files in your library will not upload to iCloud Photos. In the Photos app, select the referenced files in your library and choose “Consolidate…” from the File menu to copy the original files into the library"


Using forums I found out how to use a New Smart Album to source the 35 photos successfully. However when I then highlight these and select "consolidate" I get the following error;


"Missing file. Photos with unavailable original files cannot be opened. The original photo “Edwins - 20.jpg” is either offline or cannot be found. Click Find Original to reconnect." This same error appears for all other 34 photos.


On Clicking "Find Original" I'm presented with my Finder page and prompted to "Choose Folder" from my iMac folders which run into the, well lots!


My guess is that these 35 photos from my library of 15k, no longer have the original assosiated in my iMac (they date back many years). Feeling i had no alternative, I have then attempted to delete the 35 referenced copies in the New Smart Album. But whilst they disappeared from the Smart Album on attempting to switch iPhotos to iCloud back on I get the very same error message about the 35 files as described above all over again.


I'm caught in a doom loop. And it seems to be preventing my 15k photos and films uploading to my 2T iCloud storage. Documents and desktop seem upload fine.


I'm running a 2014 iMac macOs Big Sur Version 11.7.7 which is up to date. Yes its take me this long to finally get around to using iCloud :(


Thanks folks in advance for help and advice!

iMac 27″, macOS 11.7

Posted on Jun 15, 2023 11:45 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 15, 2023 12:27 PM

First, do you really mean the discontinued app iPhoto, or are you using the current app Photos?


If Photos, do you intend to use a Referenced Library? Normally, in Settings (or Preferences) the choice "Copy items..." is checked, and all the pictures are kept in the the Photos Library where Photos keeps them safe. (The pictures that were copied remain where they were.) This is a Managed Library--the Photos app takes care of it.

If this box isn't checked, then it's called a Referenced Library, and Photos tries to use the pictures where they were-- but if you ever move them, then Photos can't find them. That seems to be what's going on. Referenced Libraries are notoriously unstable.


To get out of the circle of doom, the first things to try are these:


  • Restart the computer (of course)
  • Rebuild your Photos Library--close Photos and re-launch by option-command-clicking the app icon.
  • Make a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it
  • Use another library if you have one, or make a small test Library with a few pictures in it and see if the same thing happens.
  • Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this: 

           Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support 

The idea is to find out if the problem is with the Library, with your account, or with caches and login items, and stuff like that. One of these steps may fix the problem, but their failure to work is also diagnostic.

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13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 15, 2023 12:27 PM in response to Cheech

First, do you really mean the discontinued app iPhoto, or are you using the current app Photos?


If Photos, do you intend to use a Referenced Library? Normally, in Settings (or Preferences) the choice "Copy items..." is checked, and all the pictures are kept in the the Photos Library where Photos keeps them safe. (The pictures that were copied remain where they were.) This is a Managed Library--the Photos app takes care of it.

If this box isn't checked, then it's called a Referenced Library, and Photos tries to use the pictures where they were-- but if you ever move them, then Photos can't find them. That seems to be what's going on. Referenced Libraries are notoriously unstable.


To get out of the circle of doom, the first things to try are these:


  • Restart the computer (of course)
  • Rebuild your Photos Library--close Photos and re-launch by option-command-clicking the app icon.
  • Make a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it
  • Use another library if you have one, or make a small test Library with a few pictures in it and see if the same thing happens.
  • Re-start in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this: 

           Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support 

The idea is to find out if the problem is with the Library, with your account, or with caches and login items, and stuff like that. One of these steps may fix the problem, but their failure to work is also diagnostic.

Jun 16, 2023 1:20 AM in response to Cheech

iCloud Photos needs to be enabled in two places, in the "System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > Photos" and in "Photos > Preferences > iCloud". Have you checked both places?

You may also want to check your iCloud account page to see, if there are any problems with your AppleID, perhaps you need to update your payment method or similar.


And you may want to look again at the status bar in Photos, below the "All Photos" view: Check the status of your library in Photos for macOS - Apple Support

Does this show, if Photos is uploading?



Jun 15, 2023 1:22 PM in response to Cheech

The handling of referenced files has changed between the versions of macOS.

iCloud Photos has never been able to upload referenced files to iCloud, intentionally. But the early versions of Photos just skipped the referenced images when syncing with iCloud and just uploaded the managed files. It has been a neat method to sync only a partial library to iCloud. The upgrade to macOS 10.15 Catalina has broken this workaround. Now the iCloud syncing may not be possible at all, if there is a single referenced image in our Photos Library.


Deleting the referenced files from your Photos Library should have fixed the problem. Did you remember to empty the Recently Deleted album? The referenced files must not be in Recently Deleted either.



Jun 16, 2023 1:08 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Hi Richard, many thanks for talking the time to help me.


Yes i do mean Photos not iPhoto. I have no intention of using a reference library (I don't what it is, I only started this route as the pop ups kept advising me to source a reference file original).


I couldn't see how to get the page up you have dropped a copy of, can you tell me how i would find that General tab?


Things I have tried prior to posting: Restating, updating software, starting in safe mode, repairing photo library. Nothing so far has either traced the original 35 files to match them to the referenced ones or removed them.


I have this morning gone back in and deleted the 35 referenced files in Photos and as pointed out in leonie's posts below, then deleted them from Recently deleted. This seems to have worked in so far as I'm no longer getting the error message "35 referenced files in your library will not upload to iCloud Photos".


I am though now getting a new error "Your password is required to enable iCloud Photo Library. Open Apple ID in System Preferences to turn on iCloud Photo Library." This is odd as i am signed in. I do then uncheck the Photos box in "Apps on the Mac using iCloud" and recheck it which then prompts for my password again which i enter once again. No errors then appear but nothing appears to be happening, I'm not sure how to tell if Photos/ flies from Photos are uploading to the cloud?



Jun 16, 2023 1:10 AM in response to léonie

Thank you leonie, this is very much appreciated.


I have this morning gone back in and deleted the 35 referenced files in Photos, then deleted them from Recently Deleted. This seems to have worked in so far as I'm no longer getting the error message "35 referenced files in your library will not upload to iCloud Photos".


I am though now getting a new error "Your password is required to enable iCloud Photo Library. Open Apple ID in System Preferences to turn on iCloud Photo Library."


This is odd as i am signed in. I do then uncheck the Photos box in "Apps on the Mac using iCloud" and recheck it which then prompts for my password again which i enter once again. No errors then appear but nothing appears to be happening, I'm not sure how to tell if Photos/ flies from Photos are uploading to the cloud?


Jun 16, 2023 1:46 AM in response to léonie

Thank you, have enabled in "System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud > Photos" and in "Photos > Preferences > iCloud".


Checked iCloud account page to see, everything looks fine there and no problems with AppleID or payment method or similar.


Looking at the status bar in Photos, below the "All Photos" view it says "updating" so i'm keeping everything crossed it's finally working!


Having logged into iCloud I can now wee my Photo Albums but as yet there are no Photos within them. I can also see that it says last updated (1 minute ago). The total number of photos is 298 and 87 videos. This number doesn't seem to be moving but I wonder if just the sheer size of the files I'm uploading (15k Photos and 1.5k videos). Perhaps I just need to give it time? What do you think?


May i ask one more question please? I have enable iCloud on my iPhone 14 PRO and on iPad Air. These were cleaned down by me and had no files in them after i had imported them into my iMac (ahead of me then looking to upload the iMac to iCloud yesterday). It seems though that lots of Photos and Videos are dropping back into my iPhone and iPad. I'm not sure why and am worried this is going to start to use up storage on these devices. If who Library (15k Photos and 1.5k Videos) is somehow backing up to these devices through the iCloud, they will fall over?


And thank you so much for all your help.

Jun 16, 2023 1:59 AM in response to Cheech

I think, you will have to be patient do not interrupt the upload.

my library took ten days to upload completely and had less videos than your library.


While you are waiting, try to play your videos and check, if Photos can open them properly. Some older videos may need converting to a different codec, as Apple has removed the support for some older codecs from the more recent system versions.

Jun 16, 2023 7:06 AM in response to léonie

You are spot on!


It is now working (thank you!) but quite slowly, its uploaded 485 photos of 15K and 280 videos of 1.5k. Think this could take weeks!!!!


Everyone is moaning that our internet capability is stalling, is there a way of switching iCloud uploads on and off as it might be best to upload over night?

Jun 16, 2023 7:45 AM in response to léonie

Will do, thanks leonie, you have been so helpful!


Just one last things and sorry if its a dumb question, I have enable iCloud on my iPhone 14 PRO and on iPad Air. These devises had their Photos files imported into my iMac (ahead of me then looking to upload the iMac Photos files to iCloud yesterday). This meant both devices had empty Photos apps.


But it seems lots of Photos and Videos are dropping back into my iPhone and iPad. I'm not sure why. Is the something to do with enabling iCloud (seems odd). This will start to use up storage on these devices. If it somehow linked to what i'm uploading to iCloud from the iMac (15k Photos and 1.5k videos) they will fall over?

Jun 16, 2023 8:17 AM in response to Cheech

Cheech wrote:
is there a way of switching iCloud uploads on and off as it might be best to upload over night?

On my Mac I am editing pictures on an alternate library that is not synced with iCloud, and I sometimes use an editor that needs me to set this alternate library as my System Library. So I may, sometimes several times a day, turn off iCloud in my synced library's settings. It stops updating, but starts back up when I turn iCloud back on for that library. So far that has not caused any problems. It may help that my synced library is relatively small, with only favorites and recents.


Anyway, if you don't have a "pause" button, then you can try just disconnecting iCloud.



Jun 16, 2023 12:09 PM in response to Cheech

Cheech wrote:

..
But it seems lots of Photos and Videos are dropping back into my iPhone and iPad. I'm not sure why. Is the something to do with enabling iCloud (seems odd). This will start to use up storage on these devices. If it somehow linked to what i'm uploading to iCloud from the iMac (15k Photos and 1.5k videos) they will fall over?

If you enable iCloud Photos on more than one device, iCloud will sync all libraries and keep the photos libraries on ll synced devices identical. That is the main purpose of iCloud Photos - to ensure that the libraries on all devices are perfectly in sync and you will find exactly the same photos and videos on all your devices.

Sowe should keep only those photos and videos in our iCloud Photos Library that we want to be on all our devices and keep the iCloud Photos Library small enough to fit onto the device with the least storage.


iPhoto Missing Original Files preventing iCloud upload

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