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my photos are gone

Help!! I recently updated my MacBook Air. Since then, I have not been able to find my photos. The whole file just looks empty. I am really not very tech savvy so if you have some advice for me, can you please tell me in very simple terms? Thanks in advance for your wisdom.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 4, 2022 5:48 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 5, 2022 12:54 AM

OK - so you updated your air. Do you mean you updated MacOS? Or bought a new machine?


If you updated, did you just use the normal update process, or did you wipe and re-install?


What version did you update *from*? Were you previously using Photos app, or iPhoto?


Was your library previously on your internal drive, or on an external drive? Were you syncing with iCloud? Did you have a backup?


Try this (connect any external drives first if the library may be there):

use the spotlight search to see if there are any other libraries (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)


5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 5, 2022 12:54 AM in response to nmrubio

OK - so you updated your air. Do you mean you updated MacOS? Or bought a new machine?


If you updated, did you just use the normal update process, or did you wipe and re-install?


What version did you update *from*? Were you previously using Photos app, or iPhoto?


Was your library previously on your internal drive, or on an external drive? Were you syncing with iCloud? Did you have a backup?


Try this (connect any external drives first if the library may be there):

use the spotlight search to see if there are any other libraries (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)


my photos are gone

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