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System Photo Library

Why can I sync my Photo Library in the Mac to the Photo Library in my iPhone?

iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 14

Posted on Dec 29, 2020 11:55 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Dec 30, 2020 2:28 AM

Is the Photos Library on your Mac your System Photo Library?


  • Open Photos on your Mac, if it is not running.
  • Open the Photos > Preferences > General and check the item "Use as System Photos Library". If this is not dimmed, click it, to make the library your System Photos Library.
  • Check the line "Library Location" in the Photos Preferences. This line is showing you the location of your current Photos Library. Is the library in a supported location, for example the Pictures folder? If your library is on an external volume, the volume needs to be locally mounted, with a USB or thunderbolt connection, not on a NAS or a in a synced folder, like Google Drive or Dropbox. The external volume must not have been used for Time Machine backups.
  • Then restart Photos.
  • Try to sync again.


1 reply
Question marked as Best reply

Dec 30, 2020 2:28 AM in response to ItayBarach

Is the Photos Library on your Mac your System Photo Library?


  • Open Photos on your Mac, if it is not running.
  • Open the Photos > Preferences > General and check the item "Use as System Photos Library". If this is not dimmed, click it, to make the library your System Photos Library.
  • Check the line "Library Location" in the Photos Preferences. This line is showing you the location of your current Photos Library. Is the library in a supported location, for example the Pictures folder? If your library is on an external volume, the volume needs to be locally mounted, with a USB or thunderbolt connection, not on a NAS or a in a synced folder, like Google Drive or Dropbox. The external volume must not have been used for Time Machine backups.
  • Then restart Photos.
  • Try to sync again.


System Photo Library

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