My iPhoto library just disappeared!

All of a sudden my iPhoto library is missing. iPhoto can't find it, and it is not located in my pictures folder anymore. How can this happen? I googled this problem, and it seems it has happened to people occasionally over the years. Luckily, I have backed up my hard drive, but how can an entire 12 gb iPhoto library just disappear?

The computer works just fine. The iPhoto library is the only thing that disappeared. My friend plugged his iPhone into my computer to charge it, and when I opened the computer, I was asked something about which iPhoto library to sync with it. That might have something to do with it.

Similar Messages

  • My iPhoto library just disappeared... How can I get it back

    I had an old Macbook Pro with Snow Leopard, but when I upgraded from Leopard to Snow Leopard I didn't reinstall iLife to save space. As a result I had a folder named iPhoto Library left over from the reinstall and no iPhoto application.
    Now I just got a new Macbook Pro with Lion and the folder transferred over with all the images and software on the new computer. Everything was fine and the pics were still in a folder named iPhoto, sorted by year, etc as they were when I had iLife last. I wanted to open up the new iPhoto application that came with my new computer and sort through my photos as opposed to using Finder like I had been doing in the past few years without iLife.
    Somehow the folder icon named iPhoto Library has changed and the icon representing the same location on my hard drive is now an application icon and not a folder icon. In addition when I open up the app and try and import photos to iPhoto, I can't because the library is not recognized as an app and not a folder.
    I have these images backed up on a portable hard drive, but how can I recover them without using that method? In finder it says my iPhoto library is 4.4 GB in size, so I know the images are there somehow, but how can I open them in the iPhoto application? I can't open the finder folder any more.
    Thanks.

    Since iPhoto 7 (iLife 08) the old iPhoto Library Folder is a Package File. This is simply a folder that +looks+ like a file in the Finder. The change was made to the format of the iPhoto library because many users were inadvertently corrupting their library by browsing through it with other software or making changes in it themselves.
    Frankly, I suspect that you've long since trashed that library.
    Go to your Pictures Folder and find the iPhoto Library there. Right (or Control-) Click on the icon and select 'Show Package Contents'. A finder window will open with the Library exposed.
    Regards
    TD

  • IPhoto library completely disappeared from Lacie drive

    Hi
    I would be so grateful if anyone could help me.
    My mac was backed up to an external hard drive (Lacie) then wiped. Within the back-up was iPhoto containing pictures from 2008 to 2013. They are my only copy and none have ever been printed out.
    My daughter was making a movie for prom so I connected up the drive to get her some photos and videos. Indeed it was always my plan, that when she leaves for uni I would spend a year making albums of all of the pictures that no one has ever seen.
    I went into time machine back up, latest and older copies, and there is no reference to iPhoto whatsoever. Many of the answers on line refer to empty iPhoto libraries. Mine is just not there, no reference to it at all. The back up is showing about 180 gb so the iPhoto library is not within this back up anymore as the library is much bigger.
    I cannot understand what has happened.
    I have googled every possible way of asking the question but i cannot find anyone whose iPhoto library has disappeared without reference to it.
    Please help me
    Thank you

    What system and iPhoto versions are you using?  Do you keep your MBP on all the time and iPhoto open? I
    Do you have Time Machine enabled even when the EHD is not mounted?  If so you may have "local" backups on your MBP that might have the library.  See this site for more info: What are Local Snapshots?

  • My iPhoto library just reverted to an old library: How can I find, and re-access my current library?

    My iPhoto library just reverted to an old library: how can I find and re-access my current library?  I opened my iPhoto, and got the message that it needed to "update" to use this library.  I thought maybe there had been a software update since I last opened the program (2 days ago).  The library it opened was saved in a file on the desk-top.  My current file was just in iPhoto.  Please help!

    Best option: Restore from your back up.
    Otherwise:
    Option 1
    Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.
    If that fails:
    Option 2
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.
    Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one. .
    Regards
    TD

  • My iphoto library has disappeared. How can I get it back?

    My iphoto library has disappeared. How can I get it back?

    I'm very new to this sort of thing, so bear with me.  I had my computer in to the Apple store on Jan 10th, & they replaced Leopard with Snow leopard because of problems.  I have iphoto 8.
    This morning opening my computer a picture briefly appreared that I had saved to iphoto. I decided to place it in its correct event box, and  ! sign appeared.  Upon opening iphoto, I found a blank.  I've not backed up my files.  I've looked everywhere on the system, including Trash, applications, Pictures, all my document files.  
    Also I had 2 icons  of iphoto on my desktop because it had disappeared 2 years ago & came back some months later.  Two days ago I decided to clean up my desktop & moved the icons to the pIcture  file and a document file.  I don't know whether this triggered the disappearance. The main icon is still in the dock.
    Does this help?

  • New user here.  Trying to import iPhoto 9.4.2 libraries into Aperture 3.4.3 as referenced files. When accessing File Import Library, it finds the iPhoto library just fine, but then imports it as Master files. No option that I can find to leave the photos

    New user here.  Trying to import iPhoto 9.4.2 libraries into Aperture 3.4.3 as referenced files. When accessing File>Import>Library, it finds the iPhoto library just fine, but then imports it as Master files. No option that I can find to leave the photos in place on the file system.  All the literature says their should be an option to choose, but I never get that option.  What?

    All the literature says their should be an option to choose, but I never get that option.
    That has been true for the previous Aperture versions. Now Aperture simply treats the original image files exactly as they are in the imported library. Referenced images will stay referenced, managed will be imported as managed. But you can always relocate the imported managed images afterwards by using "File > Relocate".
    Regards
    Léonie

  • My iPhoto library randomly disappeared

    Yesterday I opened my iPhoto app on my iMac only to discover that it was asking me to choose an library to open. However, there was none so I chose create a new one. All my thousands of pictures just disappeared!!! I have no backup, unfortunately, because I had no external hardware, but according to the number of GB used on my computer, the number hasn't changed. I suppose this would mean the pictures are somewhere on my computer, just lost (I hope). How can I fix this? Are they recoverable?

    Backing up to iTunes and storing photos in iPhoto are two unrelated things.
    I'd ask about your iTunes back up on the iPhone forum.

  • Library just disappeared! SOS!!

    I just opened my itunes on my computer and somehow mu current library, which I've had for many months, just disappeared and reloaded my previous library. What can I do to retrieve it? My new ipod has so much valuable music on it and I don't want to plug it into my computer and have it be replaced with the old much smaller library.

    Hi, angelwings0624.
    "Something" - I'm sorry but I don't know exactly what - has happened to your iTunes Library files - default location C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\My Music\iTunes - which among other things tell iTunes where the song files that make up the Library are located.
    We have seen a number of posts reporting this problem lately but unfortunately no one has figured out exactly what the reason for this behavior.
    First of all, the new songs that aren't displayed in iTunes are most likely still on your computer's hard drive. And even though iTunes has lost track of them, there are a few ways for reminding it that they're still around.
    The best approach is to use a back-up copy of the most recent .itl file.
    If you don't have a back-up copy of the same - and I know most of us don't but it is a good idea to start making one from time to time - then you might want to have a look at this article in the Apple Knowledge Base for instructions on recreating your Library.
    If that doesn't do the trick, post back and there are a couple of more strategies we can make use of for getting everything back in order.

  • Iphoto Library Photos Disappeared

    Using iphoto 8, just finished downloading photos from camera. Clicked umount on camera and disconnected mini usb from camera.
    Then received msg that some events may have not been saved properly. Couldn't open pics i had just downloaded. Closed iphoto and when I reopened all my photos gone!
    Help!

    Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Do you see anything in iPhoto, like thumbnails or empty thumbnails?
    It's a damaged database file. The following may help: try the three fixes below in order as needed:
    Fix #1
    Launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select all options.
    Fix #2
    Rebuild the library using iPhoto Library Manager as follows:
    Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
    1 -Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.
    2 -Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.
    3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->Rebuild Library menu option
    4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.
    5 - Click on the Create button.
    Note: This creates a new library based on the LIbraryData.xml file in the library and will recover Events, Albums, keywords, titles and comments but not books, calendars or slideshows. The original library will be untouched for further attempts at fixing or in case the rebuilt library is not satisfactory.
    Fix #3
    Start over with a new library and import the Originals folder from your original library as follows:
    Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.
    1. Move the existing library folder to the desktop.
    2. Open the library package like this.
    3. Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.
    4. Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open iPhoto window.
    This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.
    TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier versions) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
    I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. There are versions that are compatible with iPhoto 5, 6, 7 and 8 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.
    NOTE: The new rebuild option in iPhoto 09 (v. 8.0.2), Rebuild the iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup" makes this tip obsolete.

  • ATV worked then library just disappeared

    I fired up home sharing, added access to my main library. Set up 3 iPhones and 2 ipads as remotes.
    ATV working great as an airplay speaker selected via remote directly through my main library, also.
    AWESOME.
    Then, in the middle switching from one song to another via iPad remote, the library just went away. It no longer shows up under "computers" on the ATV, or on the remote as a sub category under the ATV.
    The main library still shows up on "remote", but I can no longer connect to the ATV as a speaker via remote, or from my main computer...a mini that runs my itunes library. The ATV still shows up as a remote speaker, but I get the "unknown error" message when I try to connect.
    My airport express speakers still work.
    I seem to remember having to tweak something to get my remote speakers working (attached to airport express), but not exactly what I had to do.
    The mystery to me is what the heck happened that made the configuration change out of the blue?
    Help!

    Empty/corrupt library after upgrade/crash
    Hopefully it's not been too long since you last upgraded iTunes, in fact if you get an empty/incomplete library immediately after upgrading then with the following steps you shouldn't lose a thing or need to do any further housekeeping.  Note that in iTunes 11 an "empty" library may show your past purchases with links to stream or download them.
    In the Previous iTunes Libraries folder should be a number of dated iTunes Library files. Take the most recent of these and copy it into the iTunes folder. Rename iTunes Library.itl as iTunes Library (Corrupt).itl and then rename the restored file as iTunes Library.itl. Start iTunes. Should all be good, bar any recent additions to or deletions from your library.
    Alternatively, depending on exactly when and why the library went missing, there may be a more recent .tmp file in the main iTunes folder that can be copied & renamed as iTunes Library.itl to restore the library to an earlier state. Look for a recent .tmp file that is similar in size to the .itl files in the Previous iTunes Libraries folder. If it has happened repeatedly you may want the earliest such file generated since the last iTunes upgrade.
    If applicable, see iTunes Folder Watch for a tool to catch up with any changes since the backup file was created.
    When you get it all working make a backup!
    Should you be in the unfortunate position where you are no longer able to access your original library, or a backup of it, then see Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
    I've noticed more of these missing library posts of late and a common factor to most since I started asking is AVG Anti-Virus. It seems in some cases it might be at least part of the reason why the library file disappears. Try excluding the iTunes folder from any AV scanning process.
    tt2

  • My iPhoto library has disappeared and there is no past library for me to import. Where did my pictures go?

    I was cleaning up my laptop last night to free up some space. I deleted some unessecary pictures from iphoto and re-organised my events. I then deleted some pictures from 'images' which shows up in 'all my files' - I didn't delete any of the pictures that I kept in my iphoto, but not all my pictures showed up in 'images' anyway. I also then deleted the pictures that were loose in the 'pictures' folder but these were all edits I had done in photoshop not the originals. I emptied my trash before I went to sleep and this morning when I turned on my laptop my iphoto library was gone and there was no past library to import so I had to create a new one. Although I have the pictures from my 'images' folder not all of my pictures are there. Have I lost my pictures for good?

    No previous backup?  When you opened iPhoto did you get any error messages?  iPhoto normally stores the images inside /Machintosh HD/Users/YOURNAME/Pictures/iPhoto Library you won't be able to simply look at the images if you go there directly you have to open it with iPhoto.  You can hold the option key > then open iPhoto to make sure you didn't somehow create a different library.

  • Mt iPhoto library has disappeared from my laptop after syncing my new iPhone with the laptop. I now have a new iPhoto library with no photos. I have tried pressing option when opening iPhoto but I only get one library option and can't find my old one

    My iPhone4s was recently replaced by apple due to grey out on wifi. when I went to sync with my laptop my iPhoto library disapeared and I was left with an empty library. I cannot find my old library on my laptop. I only get one option for a library when i open iPhoto while holding down option key. I am worried I have lost all my photos. there seems ot be no iPhoto library on my iCloud either.
    Any suggestions?

    Syncing with an iPhone should not delete the iPhoto library on your mac. It only will upload photos to the phone (iTunes sync) or import (connecting by USB). How did you sync your phone?
    TD, do you know of any way, that a sync could delete an iPhoto Library on a Mac?
    You may have opened a wrong library or may be working from a different user account. Are you using the same user name and Apple ID as before?
    How have you searched for iPhoto libraries? Have you searched with Spotlight?
    Each iPhoto library contains a file called "Library6.iPhoto" - even if your iPhoto library should no longer be recognisable as photolibrary, this file should be found:
    Type "Library6" into the "Spotlight" search field in the upper right corner of your screen, like this:
    When you see a list of files, select one of them and hold down the key combination ⌥⌘ to reveal the path to the file.
    If Spotlight cannot find the file in the packages, use "FindAnyFile"  http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile
    Regards
    Léonie

  • HELP - All of my iPhoto library has DISAPPEARED

    A week ago I installed iLife 5. I have had no problems until today. Last night I was working in iPhoto, and had no problems. Now....I open iPhoto, all of my albums are there....BUT ALL OF MY PHOTOS ARE GONE....OMG...what has happened. The scary thing about this is...I remember a similar thing happened to me several years ago, when I did an upgrade from another version of iPhoto.
    HELP..anyone with some assistance out there??

    Foxall:
    Welcome to the Apple Discussions. Look in your User/Pictures folder and see if there isn't a folder titled "iPhoto Library". If it's there then launch iPhoto with the Option key depressed and when asked, navigate to the Pictures folder and select that folder. It should open. If you have library issues like a damaged database file or whatever it may not open fully or not show all the photos. If it does open and everything is there we're done. If not, but it does open, then close iPhoto and relaunch it with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select all of the options. You may get some duplicates but those can be culled out after you're up and running again. If that fails post back and we can go from there.

  • My iphoto library content disappeared

    when i opened i-photo, it told me that the library had to be rebuilt. the library is very large
    when it was rebuilding the thumbnails, it did not respond anymore and i had to force quite
    now when i open i-photo, my library is empty

    when it was rebuilding the thumbnails, it did not respond anymore and i had to force quite
    Rebulding thumbnails can take a long time and eat up the CPU'S resources to where iPhoto can't do anything till it's done.  How long did you wait before force quitting?
    You best bet would be to restore a backup copy of the library created just prior to this happening.
    Otherwise, do the following:
    1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys held down to open the First Aid window. Be sure to follow the circled recommendation in the screenshot.
    2 - run Option #4, Rebuild Database.

  • HT1364 My library just disappeared... Help!

    I had about 17,000 songs in my iTunes library. A while back I added an external drive, then later another. I had some music on my C drive, some on one external drive, and more on a second external drive. Recently I had to empty my library and reload the music files. When I did I got 1 song on some titles, and frorm 2 to 4 copies of other titles.
    I realized that my music was duplicated in different spots on my various drives, and I tried to consolidate them - and now ALL of my music appears to be gone! Please help!

    Gone from the hard drives? Or just disconnected from the entries in iTunes? How did you go about consolidating?
    tt2

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