My imovie project file appears in the movie library in Finder but does not appear in the list of projects when I open iMovie. Please help. How can I open the project? Thanks.
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.12
Hi,
To cover the bases, try closing iMovie and then going to the Finder icon of the iMovie library in which the project was created. Double click on the icon and iMovie will open in that library. In iMovie go to the projects browser screen (where your projects are displayed as icons). At the top of the screen,next to the search button, make sure that the correct library name is displayed. Click on the little triangle next to the library name to reveal a pop up menu. Make sure that "All Projects" is selected.
Now see if your project is displayed in the projects browser screen. Scroll up and down to make sure that you have viewed the whole screen.
-- Rich
Thanks. I have posted some screenshots below (I had to take a screenshot of the top and bottom of list to show all the project files). The iMovie file of interest is: FW RD3 new 4.29 v4. (Notice the project file is version 4 of my movie files. Sorry about the similar project names in the list in iMovie.).
Please see how this file is in the same library in Finder, yet does not appear in the list in iMovie in the "tile" of project files to open. And I have no way to get to it and open it in iMovie. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
If still having trouble, make sure that your iMovie app is updated to current version. Sometimes that cures odd problems like you are experiencing.
Another thing that you can try is to open a backup of your iMovie from the iMovie backups folder. To
get to the iMovie Backups folder, follow this file path from the Finder menu:
Go/Home/Library/Containers/com.apple.iMovieApp/Data/Library/Caches/iMovieBackups
NOTE: If running Ventura or later, in the above
file path substitute iMovie for com.apple.iMovieApp. So, for Ventura or later,
the file path would read:
Go/Home/Library/Containers/iMovie/Data/Library/Caches/iMovieBackups
When you get there you will see a list of previous backups of your iMovie library. Click on one dated just before
your issue started. iMovie will open in that library. Navigate to your projects browser (where your projects are displayed as icons) and see if your projects are intact.
-- Rich
Assuming that you are using the fully updated iMovie app, at this point I have no idea why your project is not showing in the project browser.
Regrettably, you may need to make a duplicate of your Version 3 project and hopefully will be able to recreate the missing Version 4 project.
-- Rich
Thanks. Yes, all that checks out. I tried calling Apple Support today, and they tried similar techniques. It's so odd that the file is in the library folder, yet does not appear listed in iMovie.
Have you confirmed that what is shown in the iMovie library is in fact a project and not an Event? Can you open it and post a screen shot of its contents?
—Rich
Thanks. I found the folder that you suggested. Unfortunately, no success opening the project file.
Missing iMovie project in iMovie project list but project appears in the iMovie library
