To quit (close) a Mac app normally, choose Quit from the app's menu in the menu bar, or press Command (⌘)-Q. If the app doesn't quit, follow these steps to force the app to quit.
How to force an app to quit
ICloud photo library uploading stuck for photos and videos is a common issue plaguing thousands of users around the world. There are a lot of causes of this problem, ranging from iCloud authentication to bad placeholder allocation in the phone and app.
- Jul 11, 2016 I cannot access my photos. Message says closing library. How do I get back into photos? Then turning off and restarting the mac. To force Quit: go to the apple logo top left of screen, select force quit, then select the photos app! I cannot access my photos. Message says library closing.
- Mar 21, 2018 I get a closing the library message and photo will not open, mac air high sierra, just this minute, no - Answered by a verified Mac Support Specialist. I get a closing the library message and photo will not open. (or click the Photos icon in the Dock). The Repair Library window opens.
- Press these three keys together: Option, Command, and Esc (Escape). This is similar to pressing Control-Alt-Delete on a PC. Or choose Force Quit from the Apple () menu in the upper-left corner of your screen.
- Select the app in the Force Quit window, then click Force Quit.
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- You can also force the Finder to quit, if it stops responding. Select Finder in the Force Quit window, then click Relaunch.
- If none of your apps are responding, you can force your Mac to restart.
- You can also force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Back up your library
Before following any of these steps, it's a good idea to create a backup of your photo library, even if you use iCloud Photos. You can use Time Machine, use a third-party backup solution, or copy the library to an external drive. By default, your photo library is stored in the Pictures folder within your home folder.
Make sure that your software is up to date
Photos is part of the Mac operating system. You can avoid or fix many issues by running the most up-to-date version of macOS. Learn more about updating the software on your Mac.
Mac Photos Closing The Library Stuck Video
If you use RAW images in Photos, learn more about the digital camera RAW formats supported by iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
If you have trouble migrating an existing iPhoto or Aperture library to Photos
You might see an alert message when you first open Photos or migrate an existing iPhoto or Aperture library. Learn what to do if Photos can’t copy or create a library.
If the Media Browser isn't showing your photos and videos
Use the Media Browser to make images from your photo library available in other apps, like Pages and iMovie. The Media Browser shows only the contents of the Photos library designated as the System Photo Library. If you have more than one Photos library—and the one you're using isn't set as the System Photo Library—the Media Browser won't show its contents.
Follow these steps to designate the current library as the System Photo Library:
- Choose Photos > Preferences.
- Click the General button at the top of the Preferences window.
- Click Use as System Photo Library.
If you're having other issues with Photos
If you're experiencing other issues—like missing or blank photo thumbnails, unexpected behavior, or if Photos won’t open—try to see if it's an issue with your library by following these steps.
Create a new Photos library and see if your issues persist:
- Quit Photos.
- Press and hold the Option key while you open Photos.
- In the dialog that appears, click Create New.
- Give your new library a name, then click OK. Note whether Photos opens successfully with this new library.
To return to your main Photos library, quit Photos. Then open it again while holding the Option key, select your main library, and click Choose Library.
Closing The Library Photos Mac
Alternatively, you can open Photos in another user account on your Mac and note whether Photos opens successfully.
If Photos opens with the new library, or in a different user account, it might mean that there's an issue with your library. Follow the steps to use the Photos library repair tool on your main Photos library.
Learn more
- Learn how to create and order print products like books or calendars in Photos with Project Extensions.
- Get help with iCloud Photos.