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Photos with unavailable original files cannot be opened. The original photo is either offline or cannot be found.

Photos taken in RAW on Sony DSLR A6400. Imported on MACPro 2023 to photo.


However when Memory card is ejected. and despite being able to see the picture within the Imports Folder, whenever I try to open the picture I receive the message :


Missing File

Photos with unavailable original files cannot be opened. The original photo “DSC00602.ARW” is either offline or cannot be found. Click Find Original to ......


Unbelievably frustrating as I specifically purchased the MPro to manage my photos.


Additionally. in many cases ( yet seemingly random) pictures which can be opened, once edited in Photos become blurry and no longer in the original definition.


There was a work-around of rotating the picture prior to saving . But this no longer works.


If anyone knows how to fix the pictures/Photos issues- I would be very grateful..


MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jul 10, 2023 1:22 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 10, 2023 2:20 AM

You may want to check your Photos > Settings > Importing.

This should be set to "Copy Photos into the Library". Otherwise you will have to keep the card inserted in the card reader, because Photos will not copy the photos into the library but reference them on the card.


If you imported without copying the photos into the library, you can fix this by inserting the card again (hopefully you did not yet erase the photos), then select the photos in Photos and use the command "File > Consolidate" to copy the originals of the photos into the library.


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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 10, 2023 2:20 AM in response to NitroOxide

You may want to check your Photos > Settings > Importing.

This should be set to "Copy Photos into the Library". Otherwise you will have to keep the card inserted in the card reader, because Photos will not copy the photos into the library but reference them on the card.


If you imported without copying the photos into the library, you can fix this by inserting the card again (hopefully you did not yet erase the photos), then select the photos in Photos and use the command "File > Consolidate" to copy the originals of the photos into the library.


Jul 10, 2023 5:52 AM in response to NitroOxide

That is strange. It looks like Photos has opened a different Photos Library than before.

Try the following:

  • Quit Photos, if it is running.
  • Launch it again, while holding down the options key ⌥
  • Release ⌥ when you are seeing the dialog to select a library. Is there more than one Photos Library shown? Then try them all in turn to find back to your main library.



Photos with unavailable original files cannot be opened. The original photo is either offline or cannot be found.

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