Problem summary: Messages on my M1 Mac Air cannot find my Photo Library; it says 'No Library Found/You can create a new one in Photos.' I just did that... I can see it when I open the Pictures folder in my user account. Error message still says the same thing. I'm wondering now why there is no 'Choose Photo Library' item in the Settings for Messages??
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 15.7
You can have several Photos Libraries on a Mac, but Messages and other apps use only the System Library. I guess you got to the Library Chooser when you created a new Library by closing Photos and option-clicking on the Photos icon. Here's what mine looks like:
You can see that I have several Libraries, and this identifies the one that is the System Library. It also shows the path to any Library you select.
You don't say if you are using iCloud Photos, which also uses the System Library. If you do use iCloud Photos, then switching which Library is designated as the System Library will cause re-syncing.
You can designate which Library is the System Library by opening the Library in Photos, and either double clicking on it or by using the Library Chooser. Then open Photos' Settings>General.
Here you can see that "Use as System Library" is grayed out, because this Library already is. If yours isn't grayed out, then you can click on it to set this Library as the System Library.
Let us know if that works for you…
You can have several Photos Libraries on a Mac, but Messages and other apps use only the System Library. I guess you got to the Library Chooser when you created a new Library by closing Photos and option-clicking on the Photos icon. Here's what mine looks like:
You can see that I have several Libraries, and this identifies the one that is the System Library. It also shows the path to any Library you select.
You don't say if you are using iCloud Photos, which also uses the System Library. If you do use iCloud Photos, then switching which Library is designated as the System Library will cause re-syncing.
You can designate which Library is the System Library by opening the Library in Photos, and either double clicking on it or by using the Library Chooser. Then open Photos' Settings>General.
Here you can see that "Use as System Library" is grayed out, because this Library already is. If yours isn't grayed out, then you can click on it to set this Library as the System Library.
Let us know if that works for you…
Messages on M1 Mac Air can't find Photo Library
