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P: Simplify Import + Export

Forum|Forum|12 days ago
September 17, 2026
12 replies
102 views

Users (thinking of my students, who are new to photography) should be able to import files without going through 32310 steps. If, like in Adobe Premiere, they had the ability to simply drag things from the desktop into LrC, that would streamline things immensely.

For exporting JPGs, there should be an option to right-click (or hit file) > export > export as JPG to [location] without having to navigate the window with all the information specifications (and really small text). Keep that option, sure, but there should be a more simplified option.

Rob_Cullen

Community Expert

I don’t believe anyone has mentioned the Auto-Import function yet. Setup needs only doing once from the File menu (not really difficult), then as easy as shown in the attached video. Drag an image file from anywhere (Facebook page, email attachment, local folder, desktop, etc.) onto the desktop folder created for Auto Import as the ‘Watched’ folder.

It then appears in the LrC catalog in a folder that was designated as the ‘Destination’ folder.

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.4.1, Photoshop 27.8, ACR 18.4, Lightroom 9.4, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.3 .

AUTO IN FOLDER.mp4

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Ethereal_Auroraf65dAuthor

Participating Frequently

This would undermine the file organization we’re working with/ trying to teach them, unfortunately. Additionally, I just don’t have the time to set up the auto-import for all 7 profiles on all ~30 computers :\

KR Seals

Community Expert

Underlying the entire import process is the file system of the OS, whether Mac or Win. Are your students proficient with that? Without a good understanding of the file system, I can imagine how confusing the LrC import process would be. I know professional photographers who struggle to get their imported images into the desired drive/folder.

Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-14700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.

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Ethereal_Auroraf65dAuthor

Participating Frequently

It’s a mixed bag. Some of them get it, and some of them don’t understand that they have to click the dropdown arrow to make things appear below the headline. EdTech, when I catch you…..

KR Seals

Community Expert

Isn’t that the point of training, to get that across and embedded in their minds?

I see the strong possibility that you have classic high detail/low detail minds on your hands.

Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-14700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.

Califdan2

Inspiring

Adobe: PLEASE don’t repeat the thankfully short lived “streamlined import dialog” fiasco that came along with CC 2015.2 (LR 6.2) in Oct 2015.

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

That’s what import presets and export presets are for. There are some shortcuts as well. Right-click on a folder and you can choose ‘Import to this folder’. On a Mac (not sure about Windows) you actually can drag one or more images onto the Lightroom Classic grid to import them.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

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Ethereal_Auroraf65dAuthor

Participating Frequently

True re: import, but it does still open the window with all the tabs that activates people’s fight or flight, and I’ve seen it read weird sometimes. I wish it would just plop the files in there, hahah.

As for the presets: I’m not thinking about this suggestion in the context of personal use among knowledgable users, more for showing a bunch of fourteen-year-olds who are also learning how to use a mac at the same time how to do it so they can submit it on GC. They would nottt be able to set that up themselves, and the time it would take for me to go in and set it up on all 7 class profile on all ~30 computers just doesn’t exist :\

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Maybe Lightroom Classic is a bit above the level of 14 year olds to begin with, if only because of the subscription price. You can’t expect Adobe to take this target group into account for Lightroom Classic. Why not start with Apple Photos if they are still learning to use a Mac?

-- Johan W. Elzenga

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