How To Fix Windows 8 Libraries Not Working

Windows 8 has library feature which allows quick access to most needed stuffs. Like, Documents, Music, Videos or Pictures stored in computer can be accessed from a single directory. What if Windows 8 Libraries stop working? Here’s how I fixed it.

Whenever I clicked Browse button, I have say OK to an error – Windows Libraries not working. To be more specific, it said- “Pictures.ms-library not working“.

pictures.library-ms no longer working

This was the case when I clicked browse for pictures. Same kind of errors kept coming like:

  • Documents.library-Ms is No Longer Working
  • Videos.library-Ms is No Longer Working
  • Music.library-Ms is No Longer Working

I don’t access Libraries to get pictures or music. But that error window which popped up whenever I clicked Browse followed by the Dang sound was irritating. I couldn’t find how this happened but fortunately found a solution to fix it.

Restoring default Windows 8 libraries is easy. Just one click and you will not face those errors anymore and Library folders will also start working.

How to Fix Library-ms is No Longer Working

In the Libraries folder, you will notice that icons of folders have changed to something else. This clearly indicates that Windows 8 Libraries are no more working and corrupted.

windows 8 libary not working

  1. Click on Explorer icon on Taskbar and access Libraries from left sidebar.
  2. Select all of them and Delete.
  3. On left sidebar of explorer window, right click on Libraries folder.
  4. Select “Restore Default Libraries
    restore windows 8 libraries
  5. Double click on library folder and check if it is opening. Repeat the procedure if still not opening.

In first attempt, default icons were restored but I still couldn’t access Windows 8 libraries. So, don’t panic. Delete and restore them again to get it back to working.

Alternative Solution (Not Recommended)

Creating new Library and including the folders you want can also be one of the solution. To do that, Right click >> New >> Library. Double click on New Library and Include folders you want. Even the type of Library can be specified and icons can be changed to suit from Properties.

I guess some 3rd party software had a control over libraries and when I uninstalled it, they were left orphan. This error is in existence since Windows 7 but still the cause behind is unknown.

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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 93 comments
Michelangelo Montgomery - November 30, 2012

Yay! Thank you very much!

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    Gill vd M - September 17, 2013

    If I could come and give you a hug right now I would. Thank you very, very much!

    Reply
alison mouqtassid - December 30, 2012

it worked!! thank you so much

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Nikita Maraj - December 31, 2012

Ok, whoever wrote this- I fricken love you. Thank you so much!

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user - January 2, 2013

It worked!! Thanks a ton!

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    sidra - August 5, 2013

    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

    Reply
WV Mom - January 9, 2013

Kudos to you!! Thanks for your help.

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Paul - January 9, 2013

Worked like a charm 🙂 Many thanks.

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AliceAnn - January 14, 2013

Excellent! Perfect! Worked first time.

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raefi azrani - January 14, 2013

thanks mate^_^

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Sindhu Sp - January 14, 2013

Thanks so much! 🙂

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Alex - January 18, 2013

Thank you so much! Windows 8 is really trying my patience…

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Jake - January 21, 2013

Thanx a lot!!! It helped me a lot!!

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fatima - January 21, 2013

thanks so much 🙂 I was getting so worried!!

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Americo - January 24, 2013

Thanks…..working great now

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Mike - January 24, 2013

It worked just as you said, the first time. Thank you so much!

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Edd - January 24, 2013

The solution works. The restore default libraries does not always work. My question however is, why does this happen?

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Fay - January 27, 2013

Thanks so much..you are a life saver

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Clayton - January 28, 2013

You are a LEGEND thank you so much!!! NB: if like me you try deleting the not working libraries in the list that are listed on the right and it doesnt work then follow the instructions TO THE LETTER and right click on them ON THE LEFT under where it says Libraries lol

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JoeGuitar - January 29, 2013

God bless you and THANKS!
🙂

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Megan - February 3, 2013

Thank you sooo much! Immediately worked!

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Josh - February 5, 2013

Yes, but will it delete all the files I have in my library folders? I do NOT want that to happen.

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    Mario L - February 17, 2013

    No, deleting the libraries does not delete the folders. Your files will be safe. Think of libraries as fancy shortcuts.

    Reply
Mario - February 6, 2013

Thanks, now it works.

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jose p - February 17, 2013

thank u so much….worked!

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sree - February 20, 2013

Thanks a ton..it worked.

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Misty - February 22, 2013

You are my hero right now. Was ready to throw this laptop through a window. But this worked!! THANK YOU!!!!

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    Rohit Langde - February 22, 2013

    Hahha.. Silly problems on Windows can drive you really Crazy sometimes.

    Reply
      David - September 14, 2013

      So I am having the same problem but and I want to try this solution but am worried that it is going to delet my photos in my pictures library. will my pics be safe or should this not affect my files?

      Reply
John - February 27, 2013

Thankyou very much, excellent solution

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Nam Ngô - February 27, 2013

Thank so much !

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Valle Oberg - March 2, 2013

Thank you, it works exactly as described. 🙂

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Mike - March 3, 2013

Thank you so much you’ve been very helpful!

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yeldar - March 8, 2013

Thank u thank u thank u!!! 😀

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TechKenya - March 11, 2013

Thank you !!!

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Rodney Goitia - March 15, 2013

Thank you a lot…

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Martin - March 25, 2013

you rock on

thank you so much

works great

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V - March 26, 2013

Ah wonderful person! Thank you!

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Thankful Mama - March 27, 2013

OMG! My daughters new Windows 8 started this 3 weeks ago. I couldnt figure it out. THANKS. When I first clicked “Restore Library” nothing happened. I actually clicked each folder (Documents, Music….) and deleted it. I went back to the library icon on the side bar and right clicked again. i cliced Restore Library and it worked! aLL OF HER FILES ARE BACK!

thank you!!!!

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Mark - March 28, 2013

It worked! THank you!!

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Diana U. - April 17, 2013

Oh my gosh, thank you so much! <3

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carl p - April 22, 2013

microsoft need to sort out this little annoying bug it is a good method to fixing it tho had to delete all lirbraries an then restore 🙂

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RRP - April 25, 2013

Thank you – worked for me too!

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T Marker - May 9, 2013

Worked great. Thanks for the help.

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Peter Forint - May 16, 2013

Thank you for your solution!

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Max - May 16, 2013

Thank you. This was the first link I found on Google, by the way. THANKS GOOGLE!

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LYSSETTE GRAY - May 17, 2013

YOUR A GOD SENT…YOU SAVE MY HUSBAND AND MY PICTURES:)

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Jared - May 23, 2013

Thanks so much

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Arctyc - May 27, 2013

All I can say is THANK YOU! Major major help and it worked like a charm on the first try!

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Nick - May 31, 2013

Thank you thank you thank you I seriously almost started crying when this happened

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joyce - June 1, 2013

oh u just saved me from launching this thing out the window

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Bob - June 4, 2013

Worked, you rock dude!

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Kaci - June 7, 2013

THANK YOU! I was so scared all my pictures and files were gone….very simple and clear, thanks so much <3

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Gail - June 7, 2013

Thanks so much! it Worked! Before I found this fix I went to the Microsoft Support desk and they wanted to charge me $99 to correct this problem!

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Robert - June 10, 2013

Thanks for the Help.

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Tamara - June 17, 2013

I don’t know who you are but I love you! It worked! Thank you so much for writing this, you just saved my life!

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Udayshy - June 18, 2013

Hei thanxx a lot for dis ..

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C.W.Carson - June 29, 2013

I want to thank you for Info. on fixing my library .

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Andy - July 4, 2013

I spent hours trying to fix this problem, thank you very much, it worked first time.

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Andrew - July 9, 2013

This works for every folder except for my Games folder. Great tutorial but the Games folder is something I really need at the moment..

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C - July 18, 2013

Thanks for this solution! My computer just started doing this today, it was already getting on my nerves.

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Brad F. - July 19, 2013

Thanks for the tip! For a moment there, I thought I’d lost all my data. I found it, but I couldn’t deal with having the broken links. I like being able to access my information through the Libraries links, so your post was very helpful!

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Jacob K. - July 21, 2013

Right now my friend… YOU are my HERO. Jeebus I was frustrated with this issue. Thanks a million for helping me resolve it.

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kay - July 22, 2013

thank youi

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luiz - August 2, 2013

If it’s not work, first remove all the links in the library and then click in “restore…”

thanks for the post

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Jim Stokoe - August 4, 2013

Thank you. You stopped the heart sinking feeling!

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Kevin the Viking - August 9, 2013

Thanks! I thought uh-oh! but this worked first time!

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Sophie - August 15, 2013

Omg!! Thank you so much!! I almost cried when i thought all my pictures and videos were all gone, thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!

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John - August 26, 2013

I followed your instructions , it worked perfectly. All of my data is intact!

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Tia - September 11, 2013

OMG! Thank you so much!!!

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Martin - September 13, 2013

Awesome! 😀 Thanks! It really worked! 😀

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Roger - September 23, 2013

THANK YOU

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Donna - September 28, 2013

THANK YOU SO MUCH

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Hannah - October 6, 2013

I know there are 73 other comments telling you just how amazing you are, but after the most disgusting feeling of thinking a second laptop has broken within a year, to come across this wonderful blog which explained how to fix it so well, I feel the need to re-iterate, that you are an absolute life saver!!

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Sharon - October 7, 2013

Thanks so much the help was a life saver.

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Lizzy V - October 7, 2013

Thank you so much it worked….I cant believe the hassles this Windows 8 is giving me.
I purchase a HP Pavilion 2 weeks ago and my mouse pad and key have stopped working and when I could not access to my Docs I was so upset….

Thanks a Million

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Tom Walsh - October 7, 2013

hate windows 8. operating computers for 40 years, but you settle my problem with 5 keystrokes. great job.

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Ciara - October 10, 2013

omg u just saved my life!!!!!! thankyou so much!!!

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Stef - October 20, 2013

THANK YOU!!!! I was freaking out!

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Maeve - October 26, 2013

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!

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Sara - November 8, 2013

Thank you so much!! I started getting “Your computer had an issue and had to restart” type messages and then this library problem came up and I about lost my mind! I haven’t done anything in the past week and all of a sudden I had these issues. THANK YOU!!!

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Rob - November 24, 2013

Thank you!

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JoAnna Jordan - December 18, 2013

Wow! All I can say is, “Thank you”. You are amazing. I didn’t have to take a survey, download any crap, listen to any adds, etc., etc., etc., !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You just explained how to fix the problem and within 5 minutes my libraries were restored and working. You are amazing. Thank you again so much.

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chrystal - December 25, 2013

if i do this, will it delete my thousands of pictures and videos i have saved on my computer ? i want to try but i dont want to “delete libraries folder” if it will wipe out all my photos 🙁

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    John - March 19, 2014

    I was concerned about the same thing as you. What did you end up doing?

    Reply
jack - December 31, 2013

it worked!! after resorting to the default libraries all of my files where back! thanks.

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Kieran - January 2, 2014

OMFG!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
THIS IS MY MOMS COMPUTER AND SHE WOULDVE KILLED ME!!!

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izzudin - January 28, 2014

it’s working…thnx you… 🙂

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MD - January 31, 2014

Thanks, have not know how to fix this for a year. Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!

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Rod. Nicky the Nark - April 26, 2014

If you are getting this problem on widows 8 download windows 8.1 this cures it

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Chantl Martin - May 1, 2014

Oh wow! Thanks so much! You just saved me so much time and sanity! You are appreciated!

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Hong Ngo - June 2, 2014

OMG you’re amazing! My life was in those folders and I almost had a break down. I almost had to pay Geeksquad $69.99 to help with this. By any chance, does anyone know why this happened? Anyways, thank you so much and keep doing what you do. God bless you !!

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Roger Fajman - October 5, 2014

Did the trick for me too. Thanks.

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