Where Is the Mac Photos Library Stored?
Photos Library.photoslibrary package in Pictures plus originals, database repair and switching libraries.
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The Mac Photos app keeps everything in a Photos Library.photoslibrary package in Pictures: originals, edits, faces data and the library database. It looks like one file but behaves as a folder.
Never poke inside by hand. Hold Option at launch to switch libraries, and repair with Option+Command when the library misbehaves.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Pictures/Photos Library.photoslibrary
Right click, Show Package Contents reveals originals and database, but edit nothing inside. iCloud Photos syncs this library when enabled as System Photo Library.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move Photos to an external drive?
Quit Photos, drag the library package to the drive (APFS or Mac extended, not ExFAT), double click it there, and set as System Photo Library.
Photos says the library is corrupt. What helps?
Launch with Option+Command held and run Repair. Back up the package first; repair rewrites the database.
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