Can't add/tag faces to some photos.

Hi Michael

I have the same results when repeating your tests.

Here's what's working for me (as a workaround): I noticed that if I force a rescan of faces in an event, it removes all the previously marked faces and disables the add face button. So if I cut the photos, paste them in another folder (desktop for example), empty the trash on iPhoto, empty the normal Finder trash (just to be sure), and then I re-import the photos: then the faces are scanned, and I get the option to add faces again on that event.

Not pretty, but it's working for me.

So, here's what fixed it for me... After looking at dozens of photos that I couldn't add faces to because "add faces" was greyed out, I went out and looked at those photos through Finder. The one thing they all had in common is that they had no file extension. iPhoto could identify that the photos were jpg or bmp, but for some reason, when there is no extension, it won't allow you to add faces. Anyway, I copied the problem pictures into their own folder, added the proper extension to them, and re-imported them into iPhoto. It recognized many of the faces, and the ones that it couldn't, I was able to add myself. Problem resolved.

Still think iPhoto needs a patch to permanently fix the issue, but at least for now, I got my photos imported and identified.

Hope this helps!

in my case it lets me add some names but not others. In some cases it will let me add a name but not actually anywhere near the actual person. e.g. in one cae it decided that the place to add the name was on another person's shirt (that person already had a name tag) and the person I wanted to name is still unnamed as the system wont allow it.

Can any one help me, Please.

Hey Ron -

Had similar problems. After a few failed attempts at fixing, my Macsense took over and I repaired permissions. I used iPhoto Library Manager, but I'm guessing Disk Utility would have worked. Fixed it for me. Good luck - Rob

I had just imported about 20 photos from a folder and wanted to immediately identify the faces. I couldn't. There was no indication that iPhoto was scanning for Faces, but "Add Faces" was greyed out.

I did notice that the one Web Album I had was updating for some reason.

In any case, I searched for why I couldn't Add Faces, found this thread and so I thought I'd return to iPhoto to try some options.

When I returned to iPhoto, the newly imported photos had recognized the faces and allowed me to tag them. The "Add Faces" button was again active, too.

So, maybe the problem is that iPhoto is busy with some process (face recognition, web album update, or other) and until that process is done, tagging doesn't work? If so, then Apple just needs to provide some feedback to let us know....

You mentioned the extension which made me think of the photo source. I seem to be seeing a pattern related to photos I took on my iPhone vs. my camera. After I started using my iPhone almost exclusively for photos, I can't add faces to any of them. Does that pattern match up to anyone else having this issue?

I have the exact same problem... Anyone can help?

Yes, I have the library and photos in a dropbox folder. But from your experiments, seems that it's not related, right? I haven't tried much yet (it's my first Mac, still learning stuff).

Cancel that 😠. Still have the problem after all.