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how do i switch photos libraries in imovie

I'm trying to switch photo libraries in iMovie but there doesn't seem to be a way to do it. I have selected the Photo Library I want to use as the system library and rebooted. It's till using old one. I renamed the new one "Photos Library" and the old one something ridiculously different in an effort to outsmart it, but, cleverly, it still found the wrong library. Any ideas?

iMac 27″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Aug 3, 2020 3:36 PM

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Posted on Aug 3, 2020 5:26 PM

iMovie should recognize the Photos library that you have designated in the General Photos app preferences as the system photo library. It won't recognize any other Photos library. So, open the new Photos library, click on Photos/Preferences/General and make sure that "use as system photo library" is grayed out. Grayed out means that it is the system photo library.



There can only be one system Photos library for each user account. Are you possibly opening iMovie in different user accounts, in which case it would access the system photo library for that account?


-- Rich

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Aug 3, 2020 5:26 PM in response to TigerMoth1961

iMovie should recognize the Photos library that you have designated in the General Photos app preferences as the system photo library. It won't recognize any other Photos library. So, open the new Photos library, click on Photos/Preferences/General and make sure that "use as system photo library" is grayed out. Grayed out means that it is the system photo library.



There can only be one system Photos library for each user account. Are you possibly opening iMovie in different user accounts, in which case it would access the system photo library for that account?


-- Rich

Aug 3, 2020 5:34 PM in response to Rich839

Thanks for trying to help. As I said, the one I want it to use IS CURRENTLY the system photo library but iMovie continues to load the old photo library (The previous system library) that was being used for previous projects.


it is all happening under a single account, so it’s not a user issue. This may be the key to tricking iMovie Into working correctly, though.


I remember when I used to come here with questions about unexpected behavior, only to find that I was doing something wrong. I sure miss those days.

Aug 3, 2020 7:16 PM in response to TigerMoth1961

By default, iMovie will look in the Pictures folder on your Mac to find the Photos library. Is that where your newly designated Photos library is located? If not, try moving it there.


If located on an external drive the drive must be formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Reformatting deletes all data on the drive, so back up first.


— Rich





how do i switch photos libraries in imovie

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