How to Restore iPhoto Thumbnails

Restore the thumbnails in iPhoto by rebuilding your library.

Organizing a digital photo collection is easy with iPhoto. But as with all computer software, it can become corrupted and some information can be lost. If all or some of the thumbnail versions of your photos appear to be missing from your iPhoto library, it does not necessarily mean your photo files are lost. Try rebuilding your library to make the thumbnails reappear.

Instructions

1. Close iPhoto if it is already open.

2. Press and hold the "Command" and "Option" keys on your keyboard while clicking the iPhoto icon to open the program. Continue to hold the keys until the "Rebuild Photo Library" dialog box opens.

3. Select "Rebuild all of the photos' thumbnails" and click "Rebuild." The process will take several minutes.

4. Click "Photos" to browse through your restored thumbnails once the rebuild is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to back up your iPhoto library before attempting to rebuild.

References

• Apple Support: Rebuilding the iPhoto LIbrary

Resources

• Apple: iPhoto Support