I have repeatedly imported some .mov files that show up in "Imports" and "Videos" (under "Media Types"), but not in the Library. I could easily make a mistake thinking that they are absent from the drive because they don't appear in the Library.
MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.1
Any video (or photo) that appears in "Imports" or any of the various specialty views (except Recently Deleted and Hidden) should be in the Library view, but maybe not where you expect, depending on how your library view is sorted. Try selecting one and using the "Show in All Photos" command from the File menu or the context menu to locate it.
As a nasty old bug Photos silently fails to import unsupported .mov codecs like VP9 or even .H.265 hev1 variant even though they do appear in the initial import dialog. Additionally if there is such movie in a folder, Photos fails to import all other compatible movies in that folder. Also if a some movie happens to have .xmp sidecar that movie silently fails to import.
Matti Haveri wrote: … As a nasty old bug Photos silently fails to import unsupported .mov codecs like VP9 or even .H.265 hev1 variant even though they do appear in the initial import dialog.
Wow, that is nasty!
You know, I've learned to always check the album I've imported the pictures to, at least for the number imported, to make sure I got them all! And I never, ever let the import process automatically "delete after import!"
So this is how I ended up solving the problem: I created a new Photo library, exported the contents of the problematic Photo Library--the one where some .mov files weren't showing up in "Library" even though they were appearing in "Import" and "Media Types > Videos"--to a desktop folder, and then imported that folder to the new Photo Library, where the files did fortunately show up in its "Library."
I did this after trying out what markwmsn suggested didn't solve the problem of .mov files missing from the original Photo Library's "Library." Thank you.
Yisang wrote: … I created a new Photo library, exported the contents of the problematic Photo Library…to a desktop folder, and then imported that folder to the new Photo Library, where the files did fortunately show up in its "Library."…
That's great! Apparently we were thinking "problematic videos," and it was really "problematic library."
Since it appears that the Library has problems, you should probably do a Library Repair-- close Photos and re-launch by option-command-clicking the app icon. It would be best to have a backup copy of the Library before doing this. And if you are using iCloud Photos, you might experience a long re-syncing time.
Wow, I certainly hope that's what happened here. Will update when I know.
Typo Correction: Wow, I certainly hope that's NOT what happened here. Will update when I know.
Some .mov files not showing up in Library
