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External photos not importing on Mac

I'm trying to shift to use the Photos App and ultimately I want to share it with family.


So far I've created a new Photos Library (hold down option and open the Photos app) on an external hard drive. I then started Photos, selected the empty library and chose import from the menu, selected about 50 folders of photos (many of which have sub-folders), chose keep folder structure and clicked to import.


When I came back about 20% of the photos had imported, the import had completed (I say that on the basis that it allowed me to kick off another import), but obviously about 80% of my photos hadn't imported.


I'm on Ventura 13.0.1 with all app updates. I've tried it a few times with new clean libraries, but it always seems to only import back to 2017 (which is about 20% of the photos). If I try to kick off another import it imports even less of what is remaining each time.


Any clues?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Nov 18, 2022 7:30 AM

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14 replies

Nov 19, 2022 9:18 AM in response to BikingPastor

I just did a quick test, and I could upload pictures in 4-deep folders that kept the organization and worked just fine. I also tried it with a new library on an external drive. I'm using Monterey, but I can't believe that matters. I have no idea what's going on. You should try these things--you've probably done some of these steps already, but you should complete the list:


  1. Restart the computer (of course)
  2. Rebuild your Photos Library by closing Photos and re-launching by option-command-clicking the app icon.
  3. Make a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it
  4. Use another library if you have one, or make a small test Library with a few pictures in it and see if the same thing happens.
  5. Start in Safe Mode (different for different computers)

           Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support 


See if anything changes.

Nov 22, 2022 9:43 AM in response to BikingPastor

As a test launch Photos with the Option key held down and create a new, test library.  Import some photos and test to see if the same problem persists. Does it? This tells us if the problem is limited to your current library or is more wide spread.


If it persists log into a new, basic, admin user account, Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac and repeat the test library above. This tells us if the problem is limited to your user account or is system wide.


Nov 19, 2022 8:33 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

They are mainly JPG and show fine in Preview. They range in size from 270Kb up to around 8mb. Taken from a mixture of iPhones, DSLRs and a couple of scans.


The only think I can find different is the date.


The external drive is formatted Mac OS extended and the photos are organised into folders named "YYYYMM event" so for example "201710 Holiday" and within those folders there are sometimes sub-folders like "City Centre" or "Aqua Park" or whatever.


As far as I can see October/November 2017 is the cut-off point, photos in folders dated after that point import, photos in folders before that point don't.


No error messages, just Photos appears to be working but nothing comes out the other end. When the folders are selected the photos for import are shown, I can chose to preserve folder structure, click import new photos and then nothing happens. If I try to import again Photos tells me to wait until the import is finished, a few minutes later it then allows me to import again as if the previous import had completed.

Nov 23, 2022 1:45 AM in response to BikingPastor

One step further, actually if I just copy the offending photos to Pictures and import from there they are fine. So my external drive has photos that import directly off it (all post 2017) and photos that need to copy to Pictures (all pre 2017). I'm guessing some of the file permissions may be messed up, can't think what else it would be - thoughts as to how I could reset them?

Nov 23, 2022 8:15 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

The permissions were already set as in your image, with ignore ownership already checked. However it is only some of the folders on the drive that are causing the issue, those with images pre-2017 so it wouldn't be a drive level issue?


However in a moment of clarity I selected the little drop down just above ignore ownership on this volume and used "apply to enclosed items" and it has fixed the issue.


Thank you so much for bearing with me on this and for helping! Fingers crossed it will work when I do the whole lot, but it has worked for 182 photos in 10 folders.

External photos not importing on Mac

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