Mac photos will not import any photos from any device (or using "Import" option from within app)

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Level 1

8 points

Mac photos will not import any photos from any device (or using "Import" option from within app)

Mac stopped importing photos. When i connect iPhone, it shows new photos to be imported, but when I select "import all new items" or try to select certain items to import, it won't do it. It lets me click the button, but then it switches to the "imports" folder and . . . nothing.

Photo library is on external drive, and I use Google Drive as backup. Photos app just DOES NOT IMPORT any photos anymore, whether I connect phone, or point to a folder and select Import. All Apps are updated, and I even ran "repair" on my Photos library. Very frustrated.

Same problem exists even when I disable Google Drive uploader.

Halp!!

Posted on Apr 29, 2024 8:15 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

207,823 points

Apr 29, 2024 9:00 AM in response to TuneEsq

TuneEsq wrote:

Photo library is on external drive,

Please read the following user tip and restate your question/problem in detail:

Writing an Effective Apple Support Communities Question - Apple Community

What model and year is your Mac?

How is the external drive formatted and connected to your Mac?

What system and Photos versions are you running?

Have you tried repairing the library?

Try this: as a test launch Photos with the Option key held down and create a new, test library in your Pictures folder. Try to import some photos to see if the same problem persists. Does it?

Then close the test library, open your original library and try again.

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Answer 2

Yer_Man

Level 10

162,426 points

Apr 29, 2024 8:49 AM in response to TuneEsq

What format is the external drive? It needs to be formatted Mac OS X Extended, Journaled or apfs. On an inappropriately formatted drive the library is open to silent corruption and dataloss. I would also point out that Google Drive is not an appropriate back up location for exactly the same reason.

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