I have my system "Photos Library.photoslibrary" on an external SSD drive. Every time I restart, Mac OS (Sequoia 15.5) creates a "Photos Library.photoslibrary" on my desktop with "Zero Bytes" in Get Info. I checked the Photos.app Settings and it still shows the correct Library Location on my external SSD drive.
How do I prevent MacOS from creating this Library every time I restart?
iMac (2017 – 2020)
What I ended up doing is just hid the file using chflags in Terminal. It was not affecting Photos.app use as I have the external library selected. It has yet to appear again after multiple restarts so the chflags is holding.
Hide
chflags hidden ~/Desktop/Photos\ Library.photoslibrary
Unhide
chflags nohidden ~/Desktop/Photos\ Library.photoslibrary
The Dustin wrote:
I already have the External Library on the SSD selected as the System Library.
The problem is that an additional library is being created on the desktop after a restart.
Try this:
Option-launch Photos.app and let it create a new empty dummy library to its default folder in your internal disk's home folder at ~/Pictures and then ignore that dummy library's presence.
Then Option-launch Photos.app and navigate and open the system library from the external disk (or just double-click in the Finder to open it).
Does Photos then still create a new library to the Desktop after a restart?
Open Photos using the photos library that you want to use: hold down Option while starting Photos, and select the library. Then choose Photos->Settings and click the button "Use as System Photo Library".
you can try—
A SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support will sort many anomalies.
Reboot as normal and test.
Do you have another Photos library? Which library opens when you start Photos? When you open Photos do you seee the photos and albums that you expect? And if you go to Photos->Settings, is the button “Use as System Photo Library” inactive (meaning that your library is already set), or is it active?
The Dustin wrote:
You did not read the posts.
I already have the External Library on the SSD selected as the System Library.
The problem is that an additional library is being created on the desktop after a restart.
never heard the issue before...
Verify your software is up to date…
The current stable release of Sequoia including bug fixes, security updates is macOS 15.5
Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support
Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support
To be proactive you can file a bug report / submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple
This usually happens when you get a new Apple device & don't turn off share photos which is automatically on. Photo sharing needs to be turned off on all devices. This hopefully hails the external SSD. To delete the annoying file rename it & change the extension. Photos Library.photoslibrary to whatever name you you chose mine was rude & make the extension .jpg or some other extension & it will let you delete
It's not about what "didn't work". I have checked all of the settings in Photos. Restarted. Restarted in Safe Mode and then restarted again. Shut Down and then started up again. It seems to be something with the OS and having the photos library on an external drive.
I am an expert Mac user. I do a lot of programming and am very comfortable in Terminal. I was simply wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if there may be some type of underlying plist or something that I can tweak to stop this behavior. I'd even be fine with the Finder just hiding it from view.
It does not affect performance, it's just an annoyance.
I´m not using an external HD, and same issue here, anyway there is no problem on deleting, the problem is the MAC keeps recreating the library and the parent folder that was at some point before reinstalling even the system.
Do you think that shared photos is recreating the library on every reboot?
I've already done this. Did not work.
List what else you have you done that "Did not work"...(?)
You did not read the posts.
I already have the External Library on the SSD selected as the System Library.
The problem is that an additional library is being created on the desktop after a restart.
Still not resolved, right?
Why is Mac OS creating a "Photos Library.photoslibrary" on my desktop every time I restart?
