In system settings- wallpaper there is an option to "add folder" . I want to add my photos, so I open this and select and find ,under users, pictures, the "Photos Library.photoslibrary" is greyed out. In the finder it is not and works just fine. When I attempt to create a new library at the same location it too is greyed out. Any ideas?
iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021, 2 ports)
Where is your library located? If on an external drive the drive must be formatted APFS or OS X Extended (journaled) and preferable with Ownership set to be ignored.
It also must be designated the System Photo Library.
If you meed all of those requirements then try the following: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.
NOTE 1: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following;
• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed
• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)
• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically
• Disables user-installed fonts
• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files
NOTE 2: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will insure a successful boot into Safe Mode.
I don't think I saw a response to OT's suggestion that you start in Safe Mode. Hove you tried that? Safe Mode bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes.
Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support
If that doesn't help, try making a new user and see if the same problem recurs with that user account
Use another Photos Library if you have one, or make a small test Library (close Photos, option click on Photos icon), put a few pictures in it, make it the System Library, and see if the same thing happens with this fresh library.
Let us know how it goes...
For me, the access to my System Photos Library is broken in Ventura, when I try to add a folder of Desktop pictures. The problem started, after I set up the Shared iCloud Photos Library.
You may also want to try to find the album you want to use by searching for a keyword or date:
You can't add the library that way. You add it via the "Add Photo Album" menu and the click on Photos:
What follows will be a list of the albums in your library including smart albums. So put the photos you want to use in an album, name it so you sn easily find it and do what the screenshot shows.
Hi, I can't start in safe mode because my keyboard doesn't work at this point (Press and hold the Shift key, then click Continue in Safe Mode.).
I've created another Library with 4 photos, and that seems to work, but repairing the library also works for a while, as does rebooting the iMac. In the wallpaper settings sometimes it shows 1,112 photos(I have 11,000+) and sometimes none.
Strange. I added 15 photos to an alternate library and it works, but the alternate library also shows 300+ photos from the original library. As for the other there is nothing strange in users and I haven't used any system cleaners. Also I created a new user, gave it admin, and the add photo album was greyed out.
I can't find that I am using a shared Library either in iCloud.com nor in system settings icloud.. Where would I look to see if I am using a shared library? However I set up an alternate photo library on an external disc( I exported the photos to the disc). I had 4 desktops on which I used the alternate library as the source on 1 desktop and the regular library on the other 3. All worked normal, until overnight. Now the alternate library is the only one showing photo wallpapers, the other three are not. Also photos only show 6 photos while the alternate shows 11,000+. I'm going to continue using the alternate and see what happens. Thanks
The library is in the iMac-not on an external drive. If the System Photo Library is located in the Macintosh hd-Users-me-pictures, then yes it is it.
I have an old wireless keyboard that uses rechargeable batteries that have to be manually taken out to be recharged. It does not have a charging cable nor the ability to use one. So should I still so into safe mode?
I would add more pictures to this alternate Library and see if it continues to work. If so, that really means your main Library is at fault.
In Settings>Users and Groups, do you have any weird login items? Those can run processes that interfere with system functions. I've removed all of mine. And have you run any "System Cleaners" or other system wide apps? Some of them have been known to mess up Photos Libraries.
Have you created a new user, given it admin permissions, and tried with that? That would be very helpful in finding just where the problem lies.
Those things will help narrow down the problem.
Don't know what happened but creating a new library, exporting photo library to it, seems to nudge the original library. All seems ok now.
jurisfromlapmezciems wrote:
Yes I am syncing with icloud.com
Overnight the photos in wallpaper disappeared. I am back to square one.
But is the Shared iCloud Photos Library enabled or are using just a personal iCloud Photos Library?
Even though you have 4 Photos Libraries, only one can be the System Library that syncs with iCloud.com. It is also the System Library that is referred to in the Wallpaper dialog.
As you switch among Libraries, do you assign each in turn as the System Library? This can cause some crazy things to happen as iCloud tries to synchronize each library in turn. Frankly, I'm not sure exactly what happens, but it probably takes quite a while (like days) for things to stabilize and make sense. Switching may force iCloud to reload the entire library.
You could turn off WiFi while experimenting. Like, turn off WiFi; make a new Library, and make the new one the System Library. Mess around with it to see how it works, then switch back to the previous Library and again make it the System Library before turning on the WiFi. That sort of thing has worked for me, but I haven't tried it while changing user accounts.
This button must be greyed out for the library to be the System Photo Library:
Wallpaper Ventura
