Photos Library unable to "Repair Library Permissions" after recent Sonoma 14.1 update

I have 250+ GB worth of photos well organized in the photos app. When I try to open the library after the most recent update it says "Repair Library Permissions." ...."The photo library is locked or you do not have permissions to make changes to it. Photos can try to repair the permissions." I am then given the option to quit or repair. If I click "repair" then it allegedly repairs, gets to 100%, and stays there forever. I went into get info, changing permissions, all permissions are granted.


This is a disaster if I can't get these photos. I have a backup but if this update prevents me from viewing them it's pointless.

Posted on Nov 4, 2023 1:56 PM

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10 replies

Apr 1, 2024 4:39 AM in response to mjwoods1960

Hi. I just encountered the same problem. None of the above answers were very explicit, but I figured it out from piecing together the info. Odds are the library is on icloud or somewhere else where it can't be found. Mine, it turned out, had somehow migrated to the desktop on icloud. Once I moved it back to the pictures folder on my MacAir, all my photos magically reappeared!

Jan 5, 2024 9:50 AM in response to bdeschne

Please read the following user tip and restate your question/problem in detail


     Writing an Effective Apple Support Communities Question - Apple Community


What model and year is your Mac?

What system version are your running?

Where is the library located? If on an external drive how is the drive formatted and connected to your Mac?

Have you installed and run any "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus or VPN apps on your Mac?


Dec 26, 2023 4:13 PM in response to bdeschne

same I have 1T PLUS worth of photos well organized in the photos app. When I try to open the library after the most recent update it says "Repair Library Permissions." ...."The photo library is locked or you do not have permissions to make changes to it. Photos can try to repair the permissions." I am then given the option to quit or repair. If I click "repair" then it allegedly repairs, gets to 100%, and stays there forever. I went into get info, changing permissions, all permissions are granted.


This is a disaster if I can't get these photos. I have a backup but if this update prevents me from viewing them it's pointless.

Is there a fix...........I shut all down for 1 hr ......started up again......all was loading......got photos back...yey..then erased 1 item and lost it again......What is happening....help.......Robert

Jan 6, 2024 7:27 AM in response to mjwoods1960

This is a typical problem, if the Photos Library is in a location, where Photos does not have the full access to the library. The library Chooser dialog will not offer a library, that Photos cannot access.

Where is your Photos Library stored? Are you keeping it in your Pictures folder, the best place for a library.

Or is the library on your Desktop or in the Documents folder? The library must not be on the Desktop or in Documents, if these folders are syncing with iCloud Drive. It cannot be anywhere on iCloud Drive or in a DropBox folder, or even in Users/Shared.



Feb 14, 2024 1:24 PM in response to bdeschne

same here, library on an external harddisk for many years and many OS versions ... after the recent update to Sonoma I need to 'Repair Library Permissions ... this goes to 100% after which the library still won't open ...


MacBook Pro 16" 2019

Sonoma (after the update, library is 'corrupt')

library on external HD, top level folder : read/write permissions ok

no special cleaning tools or whatsoever installed


Photos Library unable to "Repair Library Permissions" after recent Sonoma 14.1 update

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