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What's happened to iMovie APP since MacOS 27.0.1 update?

Since the update to MacOS 27.0.1, iMovie APP has refused to open the library I use to develop larger movies and has essentially destroyed my iMovie history library and another iMovie library that contained template material.

11 replies

On our MacBook we had to go to Settings - Privacy and Security - then allow full disk access to iMovie. Maybe try Settings - Privacy and Security- Files & Folders. See if iMovie needs access?

I'm unsure what caused the initial problem of not opening the development library, but it seems what looked like a virtual wipe out of mylarger library files was a change in the APPs notation and that it opened in media mode, not project mode.

I found that it initially opens in media mode, not project. Also that themethod of showing this was changed and relocated (more to the upper left). if this is the case and you figure out how to change it to project, they still may be there. Good luck

I’m experiencing the same thing. I’ve discovered that, in my case, it has to do with videos that have been trimmed within the iPhone’s Photos app. If I only use original, untrimmed videos, I am able to export them.


Hopefully, this can be resolved in an update.

I really hoped the, apparently more major than 27.0.1, update to 27.2 would have fixed this problem. I'm talking basically MacOS, but similar problems are being reported on phones and tablets.

In my case, iMovie will refuse to open a movie I just worked on. for instance, I most recently worked on the library highlighted in the following image. After finishing with it I shut iMovie down. Trying to restart iMovie sometimes failed and sometimes came up with this image.

So, after selecting "Choose" it came up with the following window message

Why would a file/library I just worked with not have R/W permission? Nevertheless, I did a "Get info" on the library, and down at the bottom it says:

It says it's R/W. I will ask now, what does the padlock mean? It's ominous, but it seemed everything in the area had them locked.

Finally, here is the actual library in question, as seen in the Finder Window.

When I double click on it, iMovie opens it up with no problem at all -- I can even open other ("problem") libraries and move projects around.


This is not the way things should work, and I really would have thought that a jump from a .0.1 (ie, minor) release to a .2 release would have fixed whatever happened in the earlier release.

"Settings - Privacy and Security- Files & Folders for iMovie" did not work for me. I do my development in a library file with only the one project and then move it to another library where all my projects are stored. I find the development goes faster -- no swirling pinwheels. But since the update it seems I can only open a library by double-clicking on the library file itself -- it just will not open by selection it from iMovie.

new update imove app solve the problem for me.

Ever since updating to iOS27.0.1 on my iPhone 16ProMax iMovie will not allow projects to be Saved, or Save To File.


Just a grey screen Loading that never progresses.

I have a user who has lost movie file? We open the library and there are no movies. Only photos. Any ideas?

Same about opening library. It opens but the videos are not there. Aggravating. I haven't let myself panic that they are gone yet.

Checking this out.


Thanks!