Photos 8.0 "Another import session is in progress. Please try again when the current task is complete." error

Is anyone else having issues importing photos into the Photos app (v8.0) in Ventura? Initially noticed when it would just pause while starting to import from memory card. It will not let me import photos into the app from my desktop. I drag/drop the photos to the "library" tab on the left column and it goes to the import tab like it is about to import but nothing happens. When I try the action again I get the following error "Another import session is in progress. Please try again when the current task is complete.

" this is the case for one photo import or trying to import several at once. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Mac Studio

Posted on Nov 3, 2022 9:37 PM

Top-ranking reply

hohealpen

Level 1

12 points

Posted on Nov 23, 2022 6:20 PM

SOLVED

For posterity: reformatting my external drive from exFAT to APFS solved the issue

My steps

Borrow another external drive (it was the older OSX Extended Journaled)
Copy "Photos Library.photoslibrary" from drive which was not working after the Ventura update to the borrowed drive
Use OSX's DiskUtility.app to erase and reformat my drive from exFAT to APFS
Create a directory (I created one called "Pictures" to mimic the path if it were on my internal iMac drive)
Copy "Photos Library.photoslibrary" from borrowed drive back onto original drive to your new directory
Photos.app will open and because the drive format has changed, not be able to find the library, so you must click the dialog it presents to select the "new" directory location of "Photos Library.photoslibrary"

Cheers -

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23 replies

léonie

Level 10

202,775 points

Feb 5, 2023 12:08 AM in response to Yer_Man

Yer_Man, it is the first time, that I notice that the recent version of this document is using the unfortunate phrase "Formatted for Mac", which is misleading, as many external disks are sold with "Formatted for Mac" printed on the package, even if the drive is formatted ExFAT and needs reformatting for Photos.

Nov 6, 2022 9:18 PM in response to alma1090

Reboot didn't help. Reboot into safe mode didn't help. Same situation as Shooters95. This is the first I've attempted to import on Ventura. My Photos library is on an external SSD.

Shooters95 Author

Level 1

7 points

Nov 6, 2022 9:50 PM in response to alma1090

I had forgot to mention that detail as well. My library is on an external USB hard drive.

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,430 points

Nov 6, 2022 11:22 PM in response to hohealpen

And the drive is what format?

Nov 23, 2022 11:28 AM in response to hohealpen

I am having the same issue and really do not want to do this unless this is a 100% fix. This has to do with Ventura and I love how they shoved it under the rug.

Jan 7, 2023 8:22 PM in response to léonie

But why such an obtuse error message??? FFS Apple developers, this sadly is just another example of obfuscation.

Feb 4, 2023 8:01 AM in response to fedupwithapple574

they wont ever admit fallibility

Feb 4, 2023 8:02 AM in response to Shooters95

i tried bypassing this by exporting the photos to a folder on my desktop, and importing them there instead - but the same problem remains - why?

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Photos 8.0 "Another import session is in progress. Please try again when the current task is complete." error