Photos Share Drop Down Menu Issue

Question

Level 1

8 points

Photos Share Drop Down Menu Issue

Hello!

I’m trying to AirDrop photos from my MacBook Pro Photo Library to my iPhone 11.

Some photos are nicely giving me that option, and it works just fine. Yet some (in the same photo album) are not.

With SOME photos, the drop down menu only gives me the “More” option. When I choose that, it brings me to my Extensions preferences, and the boxes ARE checked for AirDrop.

What can I do?

Thanks! :)

MacBook Pro

Posted on Mar 22, 2021 10:18 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 23, 2021 12:10 AM in response to Julie-Ann-1

Hi

Can you tell us something about the set up on your mac?

What version of MacOS are you on.
Has this just started for no apparent reason, or have you upgraded MacOS (if so from which version) or changed machine? or some other event?
Do you use Icloud to sync photos?
If so, do you have optimise local storage set?
Where is the library stored (System drive or external drive)? If external - what is the format of the drive?
Is the library on a network drive or in some sort of cloud storage (EG Dropbox or NAS)?
Have you used any apps to remove duplicates, if so, which?
Have you used any "clean up" or "speed up" apps
Are your files imported into photos (photos preferences general) or left as referenced files?
How do you backup your Mac?

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Answer 2

Julie-Ann-1 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2021 11:24 AM in response to TonyCollinet

Thank you so very much for your reply, Tony!

--I'm on Big Sur 11.2.3

--I had JUST imported that particular photo album onto my MacBook from an external hard drive. I dragged and dropped it directly into my "Pictures" folder in my hard drive with the other photos libraries.

--I have turned off iCloud sync because it kept messing with my work! (I had spent hours deleting duplicates and unwanted photos.)

--The imported library is stored under "Pictures" along with my system photo library, but is not chosen AS my system photo library. (Footnote, the photos in my system photo library share just fine.)

--I DID use an app to remove duplicates. I used Photos Duplicate Cleaner. (See attached photo.) I have used this app before with my other photo libraries as well.

--I have not used any "clean up" nor "speed up" apps.

--I am indeed importing the files into photos. *See other attached photo to make sure I answered that question correctly! :)

--I backup my Mac using Time Machine and also to my Western Digital external hard drive.

I sincerely appreciate your time!!!

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Answer 3

Mar 23, 2021 2:03 PM in response to Julie-Ann-1

OK - just for clarification - you copied a library from the external drive, not an album (or folder). Correct? If so then what will be important was how that library has been used in the past - rather than how your app is set up with your system library. For example - has that library always been set to import images, and at any time has it been synced with iCloud but with optimise mac storage selected.

Another question - are the images that won't work the same type as those that will (Eg jpg, HEIC, raw etc)

First thing I would point out is Apple don't recommend use of duplicate cleaners because many of them will damage the photos library. There are only two which are tested by expert users here, and are known to be safe - these are Power Photos and Photo Sweeper. I can't say the one you're using will damage the library - but I can't say it wont either.

Second thing. What was/is the format of the external drive the library was stored on? It should be APFS, or MacOS extended journaled. Other formats (especially ExFat - which is a windows format but is often the default format for new drives) are incompatible with a photos library, and can also cause problems.

As a test, are you able to export one of the images that won't airdrop via the file menu (file>export). If you can't, it suggests the Photos app is unable to find the original/master file for the image.

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Photos Share Drop Down Menu Issue

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