Unable to Edit or Sync photos again after using MacOS 27.0.1 Photo Tool functions like retouch.

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Unable to Edit or Sync photos again after using MacOS 27.0.1 Photo Tool functions like retouch.

Since we updated to MacOS 27, 27.0.1, the Photo tool has broken. After saving a tool edit like cleanup-retouch, reframe or extend, we are unable to edit the photo again. When we hit the edit, the pallet comes up dim and we get an error message - Could not load image to edit. Often the best we can do is revert back to original. Occasionally, we can no longer edit the photo even we revert it. The best we can do, if we are lucky, is to re-import the photo from the iPhone. We can performed a number of adjustments with no problems as long as we do not use and Tools function. The photo file(s) seem to got corrupt and we aware unable to also sync the photos manually back to an iPhone/iPad. We tried rebuilding the photo library with no success. We avoid extending or reframe, but use the retouch the most. We did not have this problem with MacOS 26

Does anyone have suggestions? I did report it to Apple.

TIA

We are running on Mac OS 27.0.1 on an MBP with M4 Pro.

MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, 2024)

Posted on Oct 13, 2026 7:22 PM

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Answer 1

a1chang Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 14, 2026 8:10 AM in response to a1chang

Thanks again léonie

I updated the OS on the external drive and tried it. The settings still complained about the issue with the location of the Photo’s lib not being indexed. It was stored originally in my home directory and gave my wife privileged access and changed the owner to her for the whole directory and contents. Since we are booting off this drive now, I moved the directory using the terminal to be off her directory without changing any file privileges. The error warning went away.

My wife is editing and retouching a number of photos and so far, there has been NO errors so far!

There seems to still be some protection issue on this drive. It is not saving any configuration setting for the Control and setting the display to dark mode. I will checking this out after determining that Photos was fixed. I don’t know what the privileges are.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

205,281 points

Oct 14, 2026 1:02 AM in response to a1chang

I am using the extend-tool a lot on my Mac with macOS 27 and for me it is working well.

Perhaps there is another problem with your Photos Library? It may be a coincidence, that the problem is only occurring for photos where you have used the AI tools. Where is your Photos Library stored? Is it stored locally on your Mac or on an external drive?

Are you using iCloud Photos?

The error message "Could not load image to edit" or similar could mean, that there is either a problem to retrieve the edited version, because it is not found (in iCloud or on an external drive) or the retrieved version cannot be saved on your Mac because of a lack of local storage or a damage Photos Library.

Could there be a problem with the available storage on your Mac? Or is the library in an unsupported location? Could the library have become damaged by third-party cleaning apps?

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

205,281 points

Oct 14, 2026 8:25 AM in response to a1chang

Great, that it is now working again.

The Photos.app may have problems with the file ownership on an external drive, if the external drive is used for Time Machine backups or has system software installed. Perhaps it would help to create a second volume on your external thunderbolt drive and move the Photos Library to the separate volume.

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Answer 4

a1chang Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 14, 2026 4:55 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for the info.

The library is located on an external Thunderbolt 5 SSD drive with the MacOS on the internal SSD. It is an OWC Envoy Ultra 4 TB with over 1.5 TB free on the external drive and over 100 GB free on the internal. It has been located there since I purchased the Mac in spring 2025. That has not changed for almost 1 1./2 years. It is a large library with 90,000 photos and videos on that we been adding to it for over 30 years. I do not use iCloud for photo library storage or any 3rd party tools other than Onyx to clean up caches files and check the file structure. I do not wish to use iCloud for privacy, file security and size reasons. I would need over 2 TB storage for the photos and other iCloud files.

It is strange that it occurred immediately after I installed 27.0.0. I noticed that it complained back even in MacOS 26 that it can not build spotlight searches in the setting dialog due to the library location back in 26 the library even though it is the system photo library and I could perform searches in the library in Photos.

I use Thunderbolt rather than USB, other than speed, because the MacOS does not dismount the drive if it goes to sleep and it is an extremely fast and reliable SSD. I use Amphetamine app to keep the system from sleeping when an external drive is mounted (using trigger) since I do use USB drives for additional storage and Time Machine backup.

I do have an older version of MacOS installed on that external drive which I can update it to MacOS 27 and to be the boot drive. I can try updating it in a few days. I have not booted on it for over a year. I originally had the drive as an external boot drive and have all our user directory located there. I did not set our home directory there for the internal OS so we can log in at times when we do not need access to the photos library. We rarely but do occasionally boot with out the external SSD connected.

Until then, I will check the system logs to see if there were any write errors to the drive especially when editing the photos. It does seem to have a problem writing out the edits. We do not seem to have problems importing the photos.

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Answer 5

a1chang Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 14, 2026 9:57 AM in response to léonie

The external drive was initially set up as a bootable Mac Drive with the same users and privileges as the internal drive. (Migrated from the internal drive and Photo Library copied from my old MBP.) Still have some funnies, but at least Photos is not exhibited any problems. Time Machines drives are separate USB Drives which probably have to be recreated since the large library was moved and it is large.

Your tips sent me in the right direction and made my wife very happy. I don’t know any consumer Photos Edit/Data base the retains the image quality, Apple formats and support large quantities of files that would work whether it is Mac Or Windows. Google cloud is lossy and HDR data is lost.

Thanks Again

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Answer 6

a1chang Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 19, 2026 2:42 PM in response to léonie

We just came back from a trip and imported 400 photos (mostly iPhone,) and started editing the photos. The problem seems to have came back. So far if we adjust the tilt of the photo and then perform adjustments we can go back to edit the photos again without reverting the photo. Problem occurs with use of tools. Going to do the standard reboot, and repair the library.

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