unable to open the library & PHPhotosErrorDomain error 5416

I have the same problem and the repair tool won’t fix it. Please help. I’ve literally 11 years of datas on this library

Hello SalvadorDL,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand you have some issues with opening your Photos Library that is stored on an external hard drive. You mentioned already trying to create a new library, but still seeing the same error. Let's walk through some items together.

1. Did you create that new library in the same exFAT format on the external hard drive?
2. Or did you let Photos create a new library to be stored on your Mac and in the standard format?
3. If you haven't done so, we'd like you to test creating a new library stored on your Mac and in the standard format.
4. See if you can repair your current Photo Library with these steps: How to use the Photos Repair Library tool on your Mac

Reply back with details, and we'll work from there.

Take care.

A Photos Library must not be stored on a volume formatted ExFAT. ExFAT is fine for moving single files between Macs and other PCs, but not sufficient for storing Photo Libraries, as the references between the internal database files and the image files may break. You are risking data loss. Since Photos has been initially released, Apple has recommended to prepare an external drive as described here: Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

On earlier versions photos may have opened the library nevertheless, even on an unsuitable volume, but it may already have caused damaged to the library. Ventura may not even be able to open the library there. I would not even try to repair the library on an incorrectly formatted drive, but first get it off the drive and try the repair in a safe location.

When you try to repair the library, make first a backup copy of the library. Trying to repair a badly damaged library can occasionally make the damage worse.

j_el_jee wrote:

I'm having the same issue/error when I try to open Photos.app. EHD formatted as MAC OS Extended. Oddly, when I navigate to the library on the EHD and click on it, the app opens and works fine.

How is the external volume connected to your Mac? Photos will forget the location of the library and not open the library on its own, if it is on a network share, or the external volume has been used for Time Machine backups. You need to use an external volume, that is directly plugged into your Mac and mounted, before you log into your user account, and the volume must not have been used for Time Machine backups. If you cannot set the "Ignore ownership on this volume" flag on the volume, do not use this volume for Photo Libraries. Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

Although some earlier versions of Photos (and iPhoto) might have be able to operate a library on the EX Fat formatted drive Phoitos V. 8.0 can not.

So you must get another EHD and format it APSF if an SSD or OS X Extended (journaled) if an HDD and copy your library to it. Then try to open it. You may also have to open the library with the Option+Command keys held down to repair/restore the library.

I'm having the same issue/error when I try to open Photos.app. EHD formatted as MAC OS Extended. Oddly, when I navigate to the library on the EHD and click on it, the app opens and works fine.

It’s not working.