Apple Intelligence is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Hard drive replaced on 2017 iMac but photos aren't showing up

Apple replaced my failed hard drive. Everything seems relatively ok except my photos. They're backed up to iCloud but weren't showing up when I clicked the Photo icon on my Mac. In addition to this, as I was running out of space on my hard drive, I now want to have my photos stored on an external SSD. I have 45,000 photos. Thought I could just drag or save them there but there was a 1,000 photo copy limit. And my albums, faces, etc. aren't appearing. I saw a msg about switching the location of the System Photo Library. I have already moved my library folder to the external drive. But a msg there says it's not searchable in Spotlight because it's not the System Photo Library. If I select "Use as System photo library" it says it will turn off iCloud photos. Any photos and videos that have not been fully downloaded will be removed from this Mac and Shared Albums will be disabled. Turn on iCloud Photos for this new System Photo Library in Settings." Since I only have 1,000 photos copied to my new photo location, I wouldn't care if I had to start over, but I want to be sure if I say ok, then I can go to Settings, and turn iCloud photos on again and the new location and iCloud will sync all of those photos with the new location.


iMac

Posted on Jan 17, 2023 10:12 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 17, 2023 11:02 AM

The first thing we have to ask is, "How is your external hard drive formatted?" To get full functionality (and to avoid damaging the Photos Library) an external drive must be formatted in either APFS format or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. And it can't have had Time Machine on it since it was formatted.


If I select "Use as System photo library" it says it will turn off iCloud photos.

iCloud uses your System Library, and you can only have one System Library. So if your Library on your internal drive is the System Library and is connected to iCloud, then making another library your System Library turns of the iCloud connection. You will have to turn iCloud on in the new System Library. Only do this if your drive is Mac formatted!


When you have a new Library fixed up on an appropriate drive, set as System Library, and connected to iCloud, it will take awhile for your Local Library will get the pictures from iCloud.

Similar questions

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 17, 2023 11:02 AM in response to muglich

The first thing we have to ask is, "How is your external hard drive formatted?" To get full functionality (and to avoid damaging the Photos Library) an external drive must be formatted in either APFS format or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. And it can't have had Time Machine on it since it was formatted.


If I select "Use as System photo library" it says it will turn off iCloud photos.

iCloud uses your System Library, and you can only have one System Library. So if your Library on your internal drive is the System Library and is connected to iCloud, then making another library your System Library turns of the iCloud connection. You will have to turn iCloud on in the new System Library. Only do this if your drive is Mac formatted!


When you have a new Library fixed up on an appropriate drive, set as System Library, and connected to iCloud, it will take awhile for your Local Library will get the pictures from iCloud.

Jan 17, 2023 12:06 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

It was formatted as Mac OS Extended. Not used as Time Machine. When I got my iMac back from Apple and I restored it to Time Machine backup, everything seemed ok. But, when I clicked on Photos, nothing happened. As previously mentioned, I got a System Library started on external drive. If I option click on Photos icon it comes up with a Choose Library screen. I feel I should select the 1st one with the grayed out "system photo library." Agree?

Hard drive replaced on 2017 iMac but photos aren't showing up

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.