Photo Library doesn't work in Pictures folder, but does on Desktop

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Level 1

4 points

Photo Library doesn't work in Pictures folder, but does on Desktop

I'm on a Macbook Pro, running Sequoia 15.1 (recently upgraded) and I've been having issues with my Photos app for quite a while, even before upgrading my OS. Initially the issue was that photos from iCloud were not syncing. I tried repairing the app, nothing. I created a new library and it would just get stuck on "Syncing from iCloud" or "Restoring from iCloud" but never showed any images or any actual attempt to restore or sync, just big black text for days with no updates.

The original library and the new ones I created were all created in the "Pictures" folder on my local hard drive, as that is the default. Today, after trying literally every thread on this topic I could find and having no luck, on a whim I created a new library on my desktop instead of in the Pictures folder. When I made that the system library and turned iCloud back on, everything loaded super fast and is totally up to date with iCloud.

So my question is, why will the library not work when stored in the Pictures folder, but will work from the desktop? Did something happen to my Pictures folder? I did have some trouble where things were syncing to iCloud drive in a way I didn't want them to, but I thought I put everything back as it was. And does it really matter where the library file lives? Can it just stay on my desktop?

Posted on Nov 15, 2024 10:56 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 17, 2024 10:19 AM in response to imagranola

imagranola wrote: … And does it really matter where the library file lives? Can it just stay on my desktop?

The Library package can be almost anywhere on the Mac. It can't be in a folder like DropBox or iCloud Drive, but any normal spot is OK. Is the Pictures folder inside your User folder? Mine is like this.

Is that the way yours works?

It's possible something is going on with caches or login items, so to help narrow down the problem, I think that I would try re-starting in Safe Mode. This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

You could also try making a new user and see if the same problem recurs with it.

I think that I would rename Pictures to OldPictures and make a new Pictures folder. You could copy things into there.

Let us know what happens…

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Answer 2

imagranola Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2024 2:53 PM in response to Matti Haveri

It looks like I have read & write permissions on the Pictures folder (where it didn't work) and on the Desktop (where it's working), so it appears like everything is working there. I don't have the Documents & Desktop enabled for iCloud and I'm not using any third-party virus apps.

It does look the file is syncing somewhere though. I use Google Drive primarily for backing stuff up, so I don't know if the green checkmark is for that or because it is in fact syncing this folder to iCloud drive.

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Answer 3

Nov 15, 2024 11:31 PM in response to imagranola

imagranola wrote:

I did have some trouble where things were syncing to iCloud drive in a way I didn't want them to, but I thought I put everything back as it was. And does it really matter where the library file lives? Can it just stay on my desktop?

The library can be in a APFS or MacOS Extended folder that has read/write permissions for you. So check the permissions and compare to a folder where it works. If you have iCloud Drive and its Documents & Desktop enabled, do not put the library in those folders because then it is unnecessarily and slowly uploaded to iCloud.

...and do not use 3rd party virus apps (Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Intego, MacAfee, Norton, Kaspersky, ESET NOD32, Trusteer, PC Matic etc) and 3rd party "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up" apps (CleanMyMac, MacKeeper etc). They often produce obscure errors like this and are not needed.

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

197,387 points

Nov 16, 2024 3:30 AM in response to imagranola

Is you Desktop& Documents folder syncing with iCloud? In that case your library must not be on your Desktop at all. A Photos Library will get damaged, if it is in a synced folder, like the Desktop in iCloud, or anywhere on iCloud Drive.

Just a hunch - are you using File Vault and your disk is encrypted? Some users have reported, that iCloud Photos had problems with an encrypted drive.

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Answer 5

imagranola Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2024 3:16 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

So, I booted up in safe mode and reassigned the library that is in the Pictures folder and it worked like I would normally expect, and like the library on the desktop is working. So what does that mean? You said it could be caches or login items, is there a way to fix this when I'm not in safe mode? Is there a cache reset of some kind? I really appreciate any help!

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Answer 6

Nov 18, 2024 8:13 AM in response to imagranola

Safe mode will fix some of those things, booting back to normal should work better. Check your Login items-- you can open System Preferences and search for Login. I have 0 login items-- the perfect number.

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Answer 7

imagranola Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 16, 2024 5:21 AM in response to léonie

I don’t have my Desktop & Documents syncing with iCloud. I verified that is toggled off. And I do not use File Vault

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Answer 8

Nov 17, 2024 10:13 PM in response to imagranola

That .tmp.driveupload looks hints to Google Drive so check its settings.

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