When I start Photos I get a black full-screen, only Cmd-Q works

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Level 1

4 points

When I start Photos I get a black full-screen, only Cmd-Q works

When I start Photos.app I get a black screen (full-screen) and can only quit Photos using Command-Q to return to the normal desktop (and everything else but Photos works again as usual). Keyboard shortcuts seem to work, but the black screen stays. The context Menu above the keyboard works, but the black screen stays. I simply cannot do anything except admire a pitch black laptop screen after starting Photos.

I tried to delete the preferences of Photos in Library ... that did not help. Are there any additional preferences hidden somewhere?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 11.2

Posted on Jul 24, 2022 2:26 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

cat09182 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 24, 2022 10:13 PM in response to cat09182

SOLVED!

System Settings -> Displays -> Resolution: switch to scaled from standard!

Start Photos.app and the black screen is gone!

You can switch the resolution back to standard.

Still I am puzzled how this can affect multiple accounts?!?

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

216,388 points

Jul 24, 2022 9:55 AM in response to cat09182

If Yer_Man's suggestion doesn't help try the following:

1 - launch Photos with the Option key held down and, if you get to the Choose library window, create a new test library. Close and open it a couple of times. Then try opening your original library. This will tell us if the problem is limited to your particular library or is wider in scope.

2 - log into a new, basic, admin user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac, and repeat Step #1. This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide.

3 - if the problem still persists in only your original library launch the library with Photos with the Option+Command keys held down to repair the library.\

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