Photos - "This Library isn't searchable in Spotlight due to its location"

I am getting a similar message (in German), for any library in the Pictures folder that is not my System Photos Library. The message is slightly different from the screenshot shown by Louis - it would translate to "Only the System Photos Library can be searched by Spotlight".

Added: When I move my test library to /Users/Shared, I am getting the same message as you posted, no longer about the System Photos Library, but the library location.

This is indicating a permissions issue, as /Users/Shared is protecting the ownership of files.

Have you set the "Ignore ownership on this volume" flag for your external drive? Apple is recommending go set this flag for all volumes with Photos Libraries.

I have exactly the same problem. External drive, photo library designated "System Photo Library" and the message "This library isn't searchable in Spotlight due to its location".

Where can I find the reference to Léonie's statement that Apple recommends "Ignore ownership on this volume"?

The Photos User Guide doesn't give indication that this should not work. The "Learn More" link next to the message telling me that the library isn't searchable says the following:

By default, your System Photo Library is stored in the Pictures folder on your Mac, but you can move it to another location on your Mac or store it on an external storage device.

It also warns that

The enhanced Spotlight Search can locate items in the System Photo Library. If you use other libraries, Spotlight does not locate items in those.

But there's nothing to indicate that Spotlight Search will not work if the System Photo Library is located on an external storage device, which is how my Mac is configured. Indeed the implication seems to be that it *should* work. What am I missing?

Just to follow up on my notes above, I had a conversation with Apple Support. They say that the new Venture Spotlight search feature only works with photo libraries that are stored on the Mac and will not work on an external drive.

This is disappointing - internal Mac storage is expensive and my photo library is above 400GB.

What exactly are you searching for?

Are you using the Spotlight menu in the menu bar or the search field when using the Command+Space keys?

Spotlight have never been able to search a Photos or iPhoto library except for the library's name itself. Spotlight can't search in packages (that's what a Photos library is) and many systems folders.

I do not dare to move the System Photos Library around, because it might trigger a new upload to iCloud, which would be very tedious.

"Photos preferences are displaying "

Where does it display this message? Is this in response to a search? in preferences?

To help us:

Do you have "Copy items to the Photos Library" checked?

Do you have "iCloud Photos" checked?

Is "Use as System Photo Library" grayed out (meaning this is indeed your system library)?

OK-- I'm still on Monterey, so I can't reproduce you exactly. Also, I would have to disconnect my Library from iCloud and wait for hours for it to download originals. But this is what I tried: I turned off wifi so iCould wouldn't be affected, then I opened a library on an external drive and made it the system library. No iCould connection, of course. But I did not get the announcement, "This Library isn't searchable in Spotlight due to its location". We'll have to wait for someone else...

OT--

The message"This Library isn't searchable in Spotlight due to its location" is actually in the Preferences Pane under Library Location. Have you seen that before? What does it mean? As you say, Spotlight isn't really connected to Photos.