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birdpixels
Inspiring
June 27, 2025
Answered

Import not working any more..

  • June 27, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 323 views

Hi, this is my first time posting here and overall I have been very happy with Lightroom. I use the Classic version (standalone) on my Mac Studio. For several years and generations of various Mac HW, this has worked very very well. Today, it seems like I am unable to "import" as the import never finishes. I updated the App to 14.4 today (latest) and still have this issue: 

 

HW and SW configuration: 

Mac Studio M1 Ultra with 64GB DDR

OS: Sonoma 14.6.1

Location of Catalog: on Macintosh HD - local SSD for Mac

Location of Photos: External SSD connected using TB4

XML file for metadata: enabled at import

 

Problem

  1. The photos cannot be imported "in location" on the external SSD. This is working fine for tens of thousands of photos already in the catalog (they're all on the external SSD). The import process starts but never finishes. The folder has ~700 photos, but none are imported into the catalog. 
  2. Changing the option to write the XML files at import has no effect - still has the same issue as above. 
  3. Created a "new catalog" to debug this issue - stull has the same problem - cannot import even into a blank catalog. 

 

I am more than happy to privide any information necessary. Thank you in advance. 

 

[Moved from ‘Bugs’ to ‘Discussions’ by moderator, according to forum rules.]

Correct answer birdpixels

SOLVED: 

 

I was finally able to solve this problem. I just did it on accident, so serendipity played the key role and I still don't understand the root cause.

 

In the left side panel, there is a bar called "Folders".  This shows the folders where the files in the catalog reside. When I checked it, I realized that there was a folder I was trying to import that had zero files. I simply right clicked on the folder name and "remove"d it from the list. Then I imported the same folder again and this worked. 

4 replies

B
birdpixelsAuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
June 30, 2025

SOLVED: 

 

I was finally able to solve this problem. I just did it on accident, so serendipity played the key role and I still don't understand the root cause.

 

In the left side panel, there is a bar called "Folders".  This shows the folders where the files in the catalog reside. When I checked it, I realized that there was a folder I was trying to import that had zero files. I simply right clicked on the folder name and "remove"d it from the list. Then I imported the same folder again and this worked. 

Ian Lyons
Community Expert
Ian LyonsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 28, 2025

Have you tried resetting the LrC Preference file? If not, then follow the procedure set out in Method 1 at https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/reset-preferences.html

 

 

 

B
birdpixelsAuthor
Inspiring
June 30, 2025

Thanks for the link, I haven't ever had to reset preferences and will try it next time. In the mean time, I finally figured out the issue and after two agonizing days, I think I am back on track. Please see my post below. 

kind_Hero1587
kind_Hero1587
Participating Frequently
June 28, 2025

Hello,

Although you don't mention it, I assume you tried importing from a volume other than your SSD? If that import was successful, then I would guess that the problem is specific to the SSD: performing standard maintenance operations (such as those offered by the OnyX software, for example) might help.

I must admit that, given all the malfunctions observed in the more recent versions of LR, I have happily stuck with version LRC 13.5.1 with a catalog of over 220,000 images.

Best regards,

B
birdpixelsAuthor
Inspiring
June 30, 2025

Yes I did, but this did not work either... 

B
birdpixelsAuthor
Inspiring
June 27, 2025

A few other things I found: 

  1. The process is stuck at "0". In other words, the progress bar doesn't move and the total number of photos imported is 0. 
  2. I renamed the Catalog, it does not help. 
  3. I restarted LR multiple times, it does not help. 
  4. I restarted the Mac multiple times, it does not help. 
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