Why are some photos blank

Some my photos have been replaced by blank squares. How can I see them


iMac 27″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Nov 21, 2022 7:01 PM

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Posted on Nov 22, 2022 10:58 AM

Thanks, O T. I tried rotating and got a cloud message: "Error Downloading Photo. "An error occurred while loading a higher quality version of this photo. Please try again later"





Thanks, Richard. Use as system photo library is greyed out.

"Copy items to the photos library" is checked.

Photos>Preferences>iCloud is checked

"Optimize Mac Storage" is now checked instead of "Download originals to this Mac"



I also noticed that in Photos>Preferences>General, the library location is User>Pictures>Photos Library 2. Does this mean I have more than one library? Could another library be where the missing pictures are?

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Nov 22, 2022 10:58 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks, O T. I tried rotating and got a cloud message: "Error Downloading Photo. "An error occurred while loading a higher quality version of this photo. Please try again later"





Thanks, Richard. Use as system photo library is greyed out.

"Copy items to the photos library" is checked.

Photos>Preferences>iCloud is checked

"Optimize Mac Storage" is now checked instead of "Download originals to this Mac"



I also noticed that in Photos>Preferences>General, the library location is User>Pictures>Photos Library 2. Does this mean I have more than one library? Could another library be where the missing pictures are?

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Nov 22, 2022 9:08 AM in response to HFB

Were these photos OK before? If so have you migrated to a new Mac, moved the library to a different volume or upgrade the system since then?


Blank thumbnails indicate the link to the original/soure files is broken. That can occur if you have a "referenced" library



and have moved the library to another volume. One thing you can do is rotate one of the blank thumbnails 90˚ one way and then back again. This will rebuild the thumbnail and if the link is good regenerate it.


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Why are some photos blank

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