Rebuilding Photos library from iCloud Photo Library

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Level 2

309 points

Rebuilding Photos library from iCloud Photo Library

Photos app High Sierra.

I have a corrupted photo in my Photos library. It shows up as a white square instead of a thumbnail. You can’t edit it, delete it, get info on it or use it in a Slide Show without crashing the app. It does not show up in the shared iCloud Photo Library on my iPad or in Safari. I keep all the originals in the library on my Mac.

I spent a good deal of time on the phone with Apple Support but they could not resolve the issue. They suggested restoring the library from Time Machine but unfortunately the corrupted image is in all my backups. Now I’m thinking of deleting the library from my Mac and then creating a new library and downloading the 26,000 photos from the iCloud library. Has anyone ever tried this? I know there are some negatives like you don’t get Projects like Books and Calendars and you don’t get Faces info in that sort of download. Plus it will take days.

Posted on Nov 14, 2018 9:20 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

léonie

Level 10

202,461 points

Nov 15, 2018 7:32 AM in response to bitman

How have you tried to delete the corrupted image? if you cannot select it without crashing Photos, try to select a range of photos - select the photo to the left of the problematic item, hold down the shift key, then select the photo to the right. Now try to delete the complete selection. You may want to export the two image left and right before you do this, so you can restore them afterwards.

I have restored my library from iCloud several times without problems. I use this method to migrate my library to a new mac.

Just create a new, empty Photos Library and enable this library as your system photo library and then enable iCloud Photos for the library. Wait for the photos and videos to sync back from iCloud.

On High Sierra this will restore all albums, smart albums, folder, your keywords, titles, descriptions, the named face.

Only your slideshows and other projects will be missing. Also the keywords, that have not yet been assigned. And the Last Import Album will not sync back.

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Answer 2

bitman Author

Level 2

309 points

Nov 15, 2018 7:39 AM in response to léonie

Thanks for the reply, léonie. I can select a group of photos that includes the corrupted image but as soon as I do anything such as try and delete them the Photos app crashes. Good to know that High Sierra restores most everything from the iCloud. I just ordered a new Mac Mini so will likely use that method to migrate my Photos library to it.

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Answer 3

tygb

Level 9

65,086 points

Nov 15, 2018 7:41 AM in response to bitman

See this thread How to restore photolibrary from Icloud

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Rebuilding Photos library from iCloud Photo Library

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