How do I troubleshoot import, Photos permission, and missing video problems?
Import problems are usually related to file format, permissions, or missing source files. Here is how to diagnose and fix the most common issues.
"The selected file is not a valid video"
What it means: Smooth Operator cannot read the file as a playable video.
Causes and solutions:
- Unsupported format: The file may be in a format AVFoundation cannot read. Try converting it to .mp4 or .mov using a tool like HandBrake or QuickTime Player.
- Corrupt file: The file may be damaged. Try opening it in QuickTime Player — if it does not play there, it will not work in Smooth Operator.
- AVI files: Some .avi files use codecs not supported on macOS/iOS. Convert to .mp4 or .mov.
"Access to the file was denied"
What it means: The app does not have permission to read the selected file.
Solutions:
- On Mac: Check the file's permissions (File → Get Info → Sharing & Permissions). Make sure your user account has Read access.
- On Mac: If the file is on an external drive, make sure the drive is formatted as APFS or Mac OS Extended — NTFS drives may be read-only.
- On iOS: Try moving the file to a different location (like "On My iPhone") and importing from there.
"Photos access was denied"
What it means: You previously denied the app permission to access your Photos library.
Solutions:
- On Mac: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos. Find "Smooth Studio" in the list and enable it.
- On iOS: Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos. Find "Smooth Studio" and set it to "Full Access" or "Add Photos Only."
- After enabling, return to the app. It checks for permission changes every second for up to 60 seconds.
- If the app still shows the error, force-quit and reopen Smooth Studio.
Photos access: "Limited" vs "Full Access"
If you chose "Limited Access" when granting Photos permission:
- The app can only see the specific photos/videos you selected.
- If the video you want to import is not in the limited selection, you will need to change to "Full Access" in Settings.
"Could not identify selected video" or "Could not find video in Photos library"
What it means: The app selected a video in the Photos picker but could not retrieve it.
Solutions:
- The video may have been deleted from your Photos library since the picker was last cached. Check your Photos library.
- Try restarting the Photos picker and selecting the video again.
- On iOS, force-quit the app and try again.
"Failed to load video: [error description]"
What it means: The Photos library returned an error when trying to load the video.
Solutions:
- The video may still be downloading from iCloud. Check if the video shows a cloud/download icon in the Photos app. Wait for it to fully download, then try again.
- Ensure you are on Wi-Fi — iCloud downloads may not work over cellular (depending on your settings).
- Free up storage space on your device if it is nearly full.
"The video reference is no longer valid. The file may have been moved or deleted."
What it means: You imported the video using reference-based import (the default), and the original file is no longer where the app expects it.
Solutions:
- If you moved the file, move it back to its original location.
- If you renamed the file, rename it back to the original name.
- If you deleted the file, you will need to re-import it. Create a new project and import the video again.
- If the file was on an external drive, reconnect the drive.
- To avoid this in the future, keep original video files in a dedicated folder you do not move.
"The video could not be found in your Photos library."
What it means: A video imported from Photos has been deleted or is no longer accessible.
Solutions:
- Check if the video is still in your Photos library. If it was deleted, it cannot be recovered by the app.
- If the video is in iCloud but not downloaded, open the Photos app and download it, then reopen your project.
Import was cancelled
What it means: The file picker or Photos picker was dismissed without selecting a video.
Solution: Try importing again and make sure to select a video file before dismissing the picker.
"Failed to copy the video file"
What it means: The copy-based import fallback could not copy the file.
Solutions:
- Check available storage space on your device. Video files can be large — you may need several gigabytes free.
- Try a reference-based import instead (the default) to avoid copying.
Still having problems?
If none of these solutions help, try these general fixes:
- Restart the app. Force-quit and reopen Smooth Studio.
- Restart your device.
- Try importing from the other source. If Photos import is not working, try importing from Files (or vice versa).
- Convert the video. Use QuickTime Player or HandBrake to export the video as a new .mp4 or .mov file, then import the converted version.
- Contact support with details about the error message and the type of video file you are trying to import.