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I Did a Clean Install of Catalina and iMovie Doesn't "See" the Files in the Movies Folder

After installing the new OS, I copied the files from a backup of my previous Movie folder to the new Movies folder. If I right click the iMovie Library file and select Show Package Contents, all the video files are there. However, when I open iMovie, the files are not loaded. How do I reconnect iMovie to the iMovie Library files and its contents?

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Feb 14, 2020 2:00 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 14, 2020 8:36 AM

Not sure what is causing that. It might be that iMovie is opening in a new blank library and thus showing no content. If that might be the case, try double clicking on your old populated library in the Movies folder to see if iMovie will open in it and read the files.


If the above isn't the issue, then if you haven't done so already you might update the iMovie app as well. That might establish the link. Once you open the updated iMovie in the older library, the older library will be updated and will no longer be able to be read by the older version of iMovie. So keep your older iMovie version and library on backup just in case.


As a final thought, try opening iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and selecting to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library and see if iMovie will read it.


-- Rich



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 14, 2020 8:36 AM in response to Ratboy

Not sure what is causing that. It might be that iMovie is opening in a new blank library and thus showing no content. If that might be the case, try double clicking on your old populated library in the Movies folder to see if iMovie will open in it and read the files.


If the above isn't the issue, then if you haven't done so already you might update the iMovie app as well. That might establish the link. Once you open the updated iMovie in the older library, the older library will be updated and will no longer be able to be read by the older version of iMovie. So keep your older iMovie version and library on backup just in case.


As a final thought, try opening iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and selecting to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library and see if iMovie will read it.


-- Rich



I Did a Clean Install of Catalina and iMovie Doesn't "See" the Files in the Movies Folder

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