How can I restore my photo library to my Mac?
I have the latest update for Catalina.
All my photo albums are on iPad and iPhone.
I have no idea how the Photo Library vanished from my Mac.
I have extra storage paid on iCloud.
I can’t see the photo library on my Time Machine.
Is it possible to get my photo library back on the Mac?
iMac Pro
First step
Hold down the option key while starting photos. Is your library listed in the pane that comes up. If so, open it. Are any other libraries listed - open each in turn to see if any contain your library.
If no, then second step: try a spotlight search in finder:
Put photoslibrary in the searchbox.
Make sure "this mac" is selected.
If you click on the found libraries in turn, the location will be shown at the bottom of the finder window. Open each one to see if they contain your images. (Use the option key to start photos then select the library)
If you don't find your library this way, then you can restore it from time machine. Don't try to drag/drop from the time machine drive though. You need to "enter time machine" from the menu bar icon, and then navigate to a date when your library was there, select the library and click restore.
First step
Hold down the option key while starting photos. Is your library listed in the pane that comes up. If so, open it. Are any other libraries listed - open each in turn to see if any contain your library.
If no, then second step: try a spotlight search in finder:
Put photoslibrary in the searchbox.
Make sure "this mac" is selected.
If you click on the found libraries in turn, the location will be shown at the bottom of the finder window. Open each one to see if they contain your images. (Use the option key to start photos then select the library)
If you don't find your library this way, then you can restore it from time machine. Don't try to drag/drop from the time machine drive though. You need to "enter time machine" from the menu bar icon, and then navigate to a date when your library was there, select the library and click restore.
You are welcome. I'm glad you've got it back.
Out of interest - was it listed in the "option open" pane, or did you have to do a spotlight search?
Can I strongly suggest you set up time machine to backup your mac to an external disk - which should help you to recover from similar problems in the future.
Hi
If you have all your pictures currently in iCloud, and just want to synchronise them with a Photos library on your mac, the easiest way is to create a new empty library on your mac, (in the pictures folder is the normal place). Set this new library as the system library, and make sure iCloud photos is enabled, and your mac will then download everything from iCloud photos library into your newly created library.
Here is how:
Hold down the option key while starting photos, and click "create new". Name it Photos Library.photoslibrary, and locate it in your pictures folder. (First screenshot). (If there is already a library with that name in the pictures folder, you could just use that one rather than creating a new one)
Then open the new library - go into photos preferences (general tab), and click "use as system photos library" (second screenshot)
Finally in photos preferences iCloud tab, set it up as the final screenshot. (You need to have enough space on your mac to download all the photos from iCloud)
Thanks Tony, I still have some problems - yes it was listed on the "option open" pane but it is only on my SuperDuper and only up to March 2019. I could not find it on my Time Machine - yes I do have a 1TB separate hard drive for Time Machine.
Since I save everything to iCloud, - as well as back up to Super Duper and Time Machine - how do I get back my Photos from iCloud - they are all up to date on my iPhone and iPad. I am only a basic user - not really confident with the more complicated aspects. Any suggestions are most appreciated.
Thank you for this extremely helpful and successful solution Tony. I apologise for the delay in getting back to you but I have had some serious distractions and have just successfully got my photos back on my Mac this morning.
I do notice that the Albums I had created are not there now so I guess I will have to create new Albums manually. I will also give Smart Albums a try.
I am very grateful for your help indeed.
Thank you so much! I am astounded that the solution was so simple yet so hard to find! My Photos library had been missing from my Mac for 2 years.
You're welcome. Thanks for letting me know.
By the way - albums should sync from iCloud, but they will be the last things to sync. It may be worth giving it a little more time to see if they appear.
You are right - albums back now.
Thank you soooo much
Missing photo library
