User profile for user: brianmit
brianmit Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Photos fails to export image to Mac

I am trying to export a photo from Photos to my desktop. "The export operation failed to create a file for the photo identified below". "Unknown error (0)".


It's doing this for all the photos I try in Photos. Have the original images disappeared so that now what I see in Photos is simply a ghost image? I thought my Photos were stored in iCloud. Any tips on recovery steps?


Someone asked the question on this forum in December last year and got a "try these steps" blow off answer about troubleshooting. My Mac is up to date, all the software is up to date. I've just done a complete clean out of caches etc. Solid advice appreciated.

iMac

Posted on Nov 19, 2022 2:46 PM

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User profile for user: Richard.Taylor
Richard.Taylor
User level: Level 6
17,583 points

Posted on Nov 21, 2022 8:56 AM

brianmit wrote:
I thought my Photos were stored in iCloud.

When you say "stored in iCloud" it's not clear what you mean. In Photos>Preferences>iCloud do you have iCloud Photos checked? Do you have "Download Originals to Mac" checked, or "Optimize Mac Storage?" In Photos>Preferences>General, do you have "Copy Items to the Photos Library" checked? These settings can make a critical difference. Also, to help, we need to know what system you're using, like Ventura or Mojave or whatever.


If you are using iCloud, have you looked at your Photos library in iCloud.com?


The pictures that you see in the Library view are thumbnail images kept as separate files for fast loading. When you click on one of these, a database tells Photos which full resolution file to grab, and sometimes that file is in iCloud. How that works depends on those preference items you have checked.

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User profile for user: Richard.Taylor
Richard.Taylor
User level: Level 6
17,583 points

Nov 21, 2022 8:56 AM in response to brianmit

brianmit wrote:
I thought my Photos were stored in iCloud.

When you say "stored in iCloud" it's not clear what you mean. In Photos>Preferences>iCloud do you have iCloud Photos checked? Do you have "Download Originals to Mac" checked, or "Optimize Mac Storage?" In Photos>Preferences>General, do you have "Copy Items to the Photos Library" checked? These settings can make a critical difference. Also, to help, we need to know what system you're using, like Ventura or Mojave or whatever.


If you are using iCloud, have you looked at your Photos library in iCloud.com?


The pictures that you see in the Library view are thumbnail images kept as separate files for fast loading. When you click on one of these, a database tells Photos which full resolution file to grab, and sometimes that file is in iCloud. How that works depends on those preference items you have checked.

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Photos fails to export image to Mac

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