Importing and file location

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
October 14, 2017
3 replies
1821 views

When I import a RAW file into a catalog, the RAW file (and the jpg file) no longer are in the original file location and can't be found. Where does LR5 put the files after importing and how do I locate the file path? Have I changed storage settings by mistake?

file storage

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cmgap

Community Expert

In Lr Grid View, with the Catalog selected in the left-most column under the navigator panel, select a missing image and Right-Click on it, there you can 'Show in Finder' , 'Show in Library' and see where it is located both in your catalog and on your drive.

dj_paige

Legend

raymur wrote
Where does LR5 put the files after importing and how do I locate the file path?

Lightroom puts the file wherever you told it to put it in the Lightroom Import dialog box.

If you made a mistake and you don't know where the file is, you can find it from inside of Lightroom by locating the file and then in the metadata panel on the right hand side of the library module, hover your mouse over the information just to the right of the word Folder.

F. McLion

Community Expert

It puts it wherever you tell it, if you use Copy in Import.

If you want to keep it where it is placed, use Add in the Import dialog.

How to transfer photos from a camera or card reader to Photoshop Lightroom

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richardplondon

Community Expert

It's probably worth saying, that if Copy had been used at Import, then the starting file would still remain where it was.

It would be a new copy of that, in a different location, which appears in Lightroom in that case.

Copy is the only import method which Lightroom allows, from something like a removable camera memory card. Move and Add become available when looking at some kind of more persistent computer storage.

If the files are now NOT in their original place, then most likely either Move was originally used at Import; or else Add was originally used but then stuff was physically moved around later, or a containing folder was physically renamed... from inside LR.

Anything you drag around or rename inside Lightroom's Folders panel, is causing actual corresponding changes on disk.

Edit: and, to view where a particular imported image is located on disk, you can right-click on it and choose "Show in Explorer" (Windows) / Cmd-click and choose "Show in Finder" (MacOS). This opens up a new separate file browser window, with that file highlighted in its actual location. The Folders panel of LR will usually show you only a partial "address", for a given file.

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