# iPhoto 8.1.2 not working in Mountain Lion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223 "2015-10-31T00:41:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/1 "2015-10-31T00:41:13Z")
Not so long ago, I took my MacBook into an authorised Apple repair shop and asked them to do an upgrade from Snow leopard 10.6.8 to Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.5. Got a full system backup prior, and they did a full ‘clean’ install. Problem is, iPhoto (and iMovie, GarageBand and other iLife programs) were purchased separately so didn’t get reinstalled. Restoring the iPhoto program from the backup and trying to open it results in the following error message: “iPhoto cannot be opened because of a problem. Check with the developer to make sure iPhoto works with this version of OS X” Upgrading to Yosemite isn’t an option, given the age of my machine (purchased 2008) which I can’t currently afford to replace. Please would someone here suggest which iPhoto upgrade or new photo management program I need which will work with my existing operating system? Software budget of $100 or so - it’s just the $000’s I can’t manage on a new Mac. Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/2 "2015-10-31T02:38:38Z")
iPhoto 9.4.2 is the minimum version that supports OSX Mountain Lion. I think 9.4.3 should also work. The version you have isn’t supported by the newer OS. You can download a newer version at: [https://support.apple.com/downloads/consumersoftware](https://support.apple.com/downloads/consumersoftware) ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/3 "2015-10-31T03:26:04Z")
Thanks, **Crazyhorse**. That’s very clear. I downloaded iPhoto 9.4.3 from that site, but it displays an alert that “iPhoto 9.1 or later is required to install this update.” Fair enough. But then downloading iPhoto 9.1 starts off promisingly enough, with the usual licence agreement screens - but ends up telling me “iPhoto 9.0 or later is required to install this update.” There doesn’t appear to be an iPhoto 9.0 available for download in that list of software (either by clicking 'List more products", or through a search for “iPhoto”). So I’m still a bit stuck. Am I missing something obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/4 "2015-10-31T03:30:56Z")
I should add: iPhoto 9.0 is not available in the Apple store in my location (New Zealand). ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/5 "2015-10-31T03:44:43Z")
> [@Ferris](#): > > I should add: iPhoto 9.0 is not available in the Apple store in my location (New Zealand). Doh, the app store was the next thing I was going to suggest. If you run Software Update and tell it to check for new updates, does that offer any form of iPhoto? ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/6 "2015-10-31T03:57:51Z")
No, just tried that and it’s only suggesting iTunes 12.3.1. Is it worth me searching out a downloadable copy of iLife 11 somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/7 "2015-11-03T01:22:25Z")
Update: Service technician at local Apple retailer could only hand out the customer support phone number for Australia. That call (45 minutes) resulted in confirming that the best option is to purchase iLife 11, and that Amazon is likely the most reliable place that still sells it. Given Amazon’s software shipping policy, I’ve had to set up an account with a reshipping company in order to have it delivered. Fingers crossed that once I’ve installed it and added all the applicable updates, I’ll once again have access to my iPhotos library. [Jeremy Clarkson] How hard can it be? [/jc] Relevant Apple forum discussion below - so there’s at least one other person in the world with the same problem! [https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6287583](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6287583) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/8 "2015-11-03T23:20:40Z")
Just wanted to point out that this is why complaining about Microsoft and backwards compatibility seems odd. iPhoto 8 came out in 2009, and it is not compatible with the latest OS. I can still run Microsoft’s Office 2003 on Windows 10. (I will admit that Microsoft tried to break the Windows 7 built in games, but I think that’s due a licensing issue. And you can make them work with [a free download](http://winaero.com/blog/get-windows-7-games-for-windows-10/). Plus it does come with upgraded versions for Solitaire, Freecell, and Spider [under Microsoft Solitaire collection] and Minesweeper.) ---
**Author:** ![Ferris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ferris/32/11573_2.png) [@Ferris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferris)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphoto-8-1-2-not-working-in-mountain-lion/736223/9 "2015-11-11T07:05:39Z")
Update: Buying and installing iLife 11 did the trick, once I subsequently performed the three suggested updates that I linked to above. Happy to have my photos visible again, but it’s been a frustrating experience. Thanks for Doper help!