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User profile for user: bobrickard
bobrickard Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Photos cannot find existing photo library even when I double click on it.

Clicking on Photos gives the message Photos cannot find the System Photo Library named “Photos Library.photoslibrary”


Option-Click Photos -> Create New gives the message Photos cannot find the System Photo Library named “Photos Library 2.photoslibrary” where Photos Library 2 is the name Photos generated.


I have read/write access to the pictures folder and the photoslibrary file. Software is latest versions: MacOS Catalina (10.5.3) and Photos 5.0.


I've rebooted with cmd-option-pr.


Any suggestions what to try next?

iMac 27" 5K, macOS 10.13

Posted on Mar 6, 2020 8:30 AM

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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
210,437 points

Posted on Mar 6, 2020 9:35 AM

Log into another user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac,  and see if the problem persists. (This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide).


If the problem is limited to your user account boot into Safe Mode (Use Safe Mode to isolate issues with your Mac and Playing Safe: what does Safe Mode do?) from your user account and test the library from there. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing some system cache cleaning, volume verifying and directory repairing. 


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User profile for user: Old Toad
Old Toad
User level: Level 10
210,437 points

Mar 6, 2020 9:35 AM in response to bobrickard

Log into another user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac,  and see if the problem persists. (This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide).


If the problem is limited to your user account boot into Safe Mode (Use Safe Mode to isolate issues with your Mac and Playing Safe: what does Safe Mode do?) from your user account and test the library from there. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing some system cache cleaning, volume verifying and directory repairing. 


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Photos cannot find existing photo library even when I double click on it.

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