You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Photos not working in iMovie

After updating the app on June 2nd, I found it difficult to add clips from my photos library that are linked to iMovie onto the editing timeline. When I highlight a clip, a small task loading circle appears above the highlighted clip for a split second before disappearing. Then when dragging the clip into the timeline to add it to the video I'm working on, it just shows a still image of the first frame of the clip with zero audio for the duration of the clip or a black screen that says "Missing Media". Then if I do it enough it will show a little stop sign next to my cursor and won't let me add the clip at all. I have to drag it in multiple times or wait a few minutes in order for the clip to work as it should. Also if I use a clip that's already in another project I was working on before I updated the app and the clip doesn't work, there will be a "Missing File" screen where that clip should be even though it was already in use before. I have both iMovie and my photos library stored on an external hard drive. It's incredibly frustrating to have to take this much time to edit a video all of a sudden. It basically makes the program unusable at this point. Any help would be greatly, and I mean GREATLY, appreciated.

iMac 24″, macOS 12.0

Posted on Jun 8, 2022 3:08 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 8, 2022 3:16 PM

Is it possible that you have optimized iCloud storage selected? If so, some of your clips will be stored in the cloud on a random basis. Only a thumbnail would reside in the Photos app. iMovie may not be reading the thumbnail. So you might try downloading the file into the Photos app library, and then see if you can access it from the Photos item in the iMovie sidebar.


If no success, try exporting the file from the Photos app to your desktop and from there dragging it into iMovie.


-- Rich

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 8, 2022 3:16 PM in response to RampagingElephant

Is it possible that you have optimized iCloud storage selected? If so, some of your clips will be stored in the cloud on a random basis. Only a thumbnail would reside in the Photos app. iMovie may not be reading the thumbnail. So you might try downloading the file into the Photos app library, and then see if you can access it from the Photos item in the iMovie sidebar.


If no success, try exporting the file from the Photos app to your desktop and from there dragging it into iMovie.


-- Rich

Photos not working in iMovie

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.