How to Fix 'Photos Can't Find the System Photo Library' on Mac

Has your Mac ever shown you the “Photos can't find the System Photo Library” message? It can be quite annoying and make anyone wonder how it happened and what they can do about it! You're not alone. The good news is that we have a few suggestions that can help you fix the "Photos can't find the System Photo Library" error.

This guide will walk you through the issues and share simple tricks to recover your precious photos. Let's dive in and tackle those Mac photo library problems together!

• Solution 1: Check and Remove Empty Photo Library Folders
• Solution 2: Create a New Photo Library
• Solution 3: Designate a System Photo Library on Your Mac
• Solution 4: Use the Photo Library Repair Tool
• Solution 5: Restart Your Mac in Safe Mode
• Solution 6: Update Your Mac

Knowing the quick fix when you're about to deal with the "Photos can't find the System Photo Library" message is crucial – and that's where a fast, efficient, and reliable photo recovery tool comes to rescue.

How to Recover Lost Photos on Mac with Software

A super simple data recovery tool, like the free Mac Data Recovery Wizard Free, is like a magic spell for your lost files – whether they've been accidentally sent to Trash or disappeared without a trace, or even photos lost after updating to macOS Sonoma.

Using this tool is incredibly easy. Select a hard drive, let the software find your lost pictures, and voila! You can view all your lost or hidden photos; you can even recover deleted pictures on Mac. It's like having your own personal data protector right on your Mac!

The beauty of this software is that it works with all your important devices: recover SD card on Mac, USB flash drive recovery, Mac hard drive recovery (including both external and internal hard drives), and so on.

And you don't have to worry about file types – it handles photos, videos, music, documents, emails, and more. Best of all, you don't have to be tech-savvy. With a single click, the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool lets you recover permanently deleted files on Mac, making it the ultimate do-it-yourself data rescue utility.

To assist you in understanding how to recover lost photos on your Mac, follow these steps:

Note: It would be safer and more reliable to create a backup first by clicking “Disk Backup” on the left and then restore from the backup image, in case of further damage to the photos in your Mac library.

Step 1: Search for the Missing Photos

Launch the Mac Data Recovery Wizard, hover the mouse over the system drive that contains your Photos library, and click Search for Lost Files.

Select the location, and then scan for the lost Mac photos.

Step 2: Find an image from the gallery

When it's done, click on “Photos” under the “Paths” tab. All your lost photos should be listed here.

Step 3: Recover photos from the library

Click the preview image, select the correct option, and then click “Recover” to save the picture to another secure location on your Mac.

How to Fix the 'Photos Can't Find the System Photo Library' Issue on Mac

In addition to employing the fastest and most reliable solutions, it also employs built-in, lengthy procedures to address issues. Let's delve into the details!

Solution 1: Check and Remove Empty Photo Library Folders Before you begin, ensure that you have backed up all your important data. Here are the steps to check and remove any empty photo library folders that might be causing the issue: 1. Open Finder. 2. Navigate to your Mac's "Library" folder. To show hidden files, press `Shift` + `Command` + `.` (period). 3. Inside the "Library" folder, go to the `Pictures` folder. 4. Within the `Pictures` folder, look for a folder named `Photos Library.photoslibrary` (or a similar name, depending on your settings). 5. If you find multiple `Photos Library.photoslibrary` folders and one of them is empty, it could be the source of the problem. 6. Right-click on the empty `Photos Library.photoslibrary` folder and select "Move to Trash." 7. Restart the Photos app to see if the issue is resolved. Please note that you should only delete an empty photo library folder if you're sure it's not the main, currently in-use library. If you're unsure, it's best to consult a professional or Apple Support for further assistance.

It's possible you have multiple photo libraries, and one of them is empty. Your Mac might be trying to access your photos through that one. You should change the default library here to fix the issue.

Step 1: Open a Finder window.

Step 2: Locate the folder with the photo gallery that needs fixing.

Step 3. Click on “Photo Gallery,” and select the “Disable” and “Remove” options.

Step 4. Click “Finish” to save your changes.

Now you can easily set up a new photo library to be your system photo library!

Solution 2: Create a new photo library

If there are no other empty albums in Photos, creating a new library is your best bet.

Step 1: Quit Photos from the Activity Monitor. Now, relaunch the Photos app.

Step 2: In the Select Database window, click the New button.

Step 3: Enter a name for your new library and choose where you want to save it. Click “OK” to save your changes.

Now, you can move your photos to this new library. Keep in mind that, since it's not the system Photos library, iCloud Photos won't sync here automatically. If this article was helpful, share it on social media to help others learn how to fix the “Photos can't find the system photo library” error.

Solution 3: Specify a system photo library on Mac

Another solution is to set the system Photos library to a different folder to work around this issue.

Step 1: Quit the Photos app.

Step 2: While holding down the “Option” key, open Photos. Your libraries will be displayed, one of which will be labeled YourLibraryName (System Photo Library).

Step 3: Choose the library you want to use as your System Photo Library.

Step 4: In the Photos app, open your library, then go to Photos > Preferences (or Photos > Preferences) from the menu bar.

Click Photos > Settings.

Step 5: Click the “General” tab.

Step 6: Tap the “Use as System Photo Library” button. If this button is grayed out, it means that the current library is already your system photo library.

If you open a different library in Photos but don't set it as the system library, other apps continue to use the photos in the original system library. So remember to press the Option key when opening Photos to see which library is set as the system library.

Fix 4: Use the Repair Tool in Photos Library

If your Photos library isn't compatible with the Photos app, don't worry; your Mac has a built-in tool to fix that.

Step 1: If Photos is already open, close it. Hold down Command + Option, then click the Photos app icon to open it.

A black window will appear with the options to “Repair” and “Exit.” Click “Repair,” and enter your user account's password when prompted.

Step 3: Now, wait for the repair process to finish. This can take a while depending on the size of your library.

When it's done, Photos opens your library, and if all has gone well, any unexpected issues should be resolved.

Solution 5: Restart your Mac in Safe Mode

Another effective solution to this problem is to restart your Mac in Safe Mode. Here's how:

Step 1: Turn off your Mac and wait 10 seconds.

Step 2: Hold the Power button until you see the "Startup Options" screen and the gear icon.

Step 3: Choose your startup disk.

Step 4: While holding down the Shift key, click on “Continue” under “Safe Mode.” Release the Shift key now.

Step 5: Once that's done, relaunch the Photos app to see if the issue has been resolved.

Safe Mode checks your disk, clears caches, repairs files, and only loads necessary programs at startup. It's like a tech detox for your Mac!

Solution 6: Update your Mac

An out-of-date version of macOS can also cause this error, so updating your Mac can fix the issue.

Step 1: Go to Settings and select “General” from the sidebar on the left.

Step 2: Click on "Software Update" from the sidebar on the right.

Click on the “General” tab

Now, check for software updates, and if any are available, install them to fix the issue. After the update, check again, and your error should be gone.

Conclusions

If you're looking for how to fix the Photos can't find the system photo library error on your Mac, you've come to the right place. While many approaches involve trial and error based on the cause, the quickest and most reliable is by using the Data Recovery Wizard tool. It adds an extra layer of security, ensuring your photo keeper, just like your Mac and system photo library, stays in good shape. So, you can rest easy knowing your memories are safe!

"Unable to find the System Photos Library FAQ"

Users do have a lot of questions about error messages, and we've tried to answer them all!

1. What does "Photos can't find the System Photo Library" mean? This typically indicates that the Photos app on your Mac is unable to access or locate the default photo library file. It could be due to several reasons, such as a corrupted library, permission issues, software glitches, or the library being moved. To address this issue, try the following steps: - Make sure you're using the latest version of the Photos app and macOS. - Check if you have sufficient storage space available. - Restart your Mac. - In Photos, choose "File" > "Open Library," then navigate to the backup or previous location of the library. - If you've moved the photo library, return it to its original location: `/Users/YourUsername/Pictures/iPhoto Library` or `/Users/YourUsername/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary` (depending on whether you use iPhoto or Photos). - Use "Disk Utility" to check the disk for any errors and repair them. - If the issue persists, consider starting your Mac in Safe Mode, or contact Apple Support for further assistance.

If you're one of the users encountering the “Photos can't be found in the System Photos Library” error, you won't be able to view, share, edit, or copy pictures stored in your iPhoto library.

2. Where is the System Photo Library on my Mac?

Your System Photos Library is initially located in the Pictures folder on your Mac, but you can move it to another location on your Mac or even store it on an external drive.

How do I switch to the System Photos Library?

To switch to another library in the Photos app on your Mac and set it as the system Photos library, do this: Click Photos > Preferences, then choose General. Click Set as System Photos Library to set the current library as the system library.