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precise_Lionheart4790
Participant
September 22, 2026
Answered

Lightroom Classic closes immediately on launch on macOS 27.0

Description of Issue
Lightroom Classic closes immediately during startup before showing the catalog or main window. The same behavior occurs after reinstalling the application, testing Lightroom Classic 15.5.1 and 15.5, trying Open in Rosetta, and resetting Lightroom Classic preferences. Photoshop and Lightroom (cloud) launch normally on the same Mac.

Lightroom Classic Version Number
15.5.1 (also reproduced on 15.5; Creative Cloud installation)

OS Version Number
macOS 27.0 (build 26A428), Apple Silicon arm64, Mac model identifier Mac17,4

Step-by-step Reproduction Instructions
1. Install Lightroom Classic from the Creative Cloud desktop app.
2. Launch Lightroom Classic from Creative Cloud or Finder.
3. The application starts briefly and then closes before displaying the catalog or main window.
4. The same result occurs after reinstalling, resetting preferences, and choosing Open in Rosetta.

The Expected Result
Lightroom Classic should remain open and display the catalog selection or main application window.

The Actual Result
The application exits immediately. macOS generates a crash report with EXC_CRASH/SIGABRT (Abort trap: 6). The latest report shows the crash during startup in the main thread while background startup code is fetching product/version preferences.

Troubleshooting already completed
- macOS is fully updated.
- Lightroom Classic reinstalled from Creative Cloud.
- Lightroom Classic 15.5.1 tested.
- Lightroom Classic 15.5 tested.
- Open in Rosetta tested.
- Preferences reset; the active preference plist is no longer present in ~/Library/Preferences.
- Photoshop and Lightroom cloud app tested and open normally.

    precise_Lionheart4790Correct answer
    Participant
    September 27, 2026

    Hello Anshul,

     

    Here is an update on the Lightroom Classic catalog issue and the recovery work completed.

     

    The catalog had worked correctly on this Mac before the upgrade to macOS 27.0. After the upgrade, Lightroom Classic 15.5 and 15.5.1 crashed while opening the existing catalog. Photoshop and Lightroom (cloud) continued to launch normally.

     

    We completed the requested troubleshooting: Lightroom Classic was reinstalled, preferences were reset, Rosetta was tested, the previous version was tested, and the complete macOS crash report was attached. A new temporary catalog opened and operated normally, confirming that this was not a general Lightroom installation or startup problem.

     

    To recover the work safely, we kept the original catalog and its associated files untouched. We restored the working catalog from the automated backup dated June 26, reconnected the external drive containing the original photographs, and recovered the photos and catalog work. We rebuilt the affected collection structure, including Family (Weddings, Golden Wedding Anniversary and Birthdays) and Travel. We also added the photographs from the temporary “prueba cumple Mon” folder to Family/Birthdays.

     

    The recovered catalog is now functioning normally. We have opened it, added new photographs and continued organising them successfully. We are using this recovered catalog as the working catalog.

     

    For the final isolation test, we first created a complete backup of the working catalog folder. From that backup, we created a separate temporary folder containing only a copy of FOTOS.lrcat, without its Previews.lrdata, Smart Previews.lrdata or FOTOS.lrcat-data files, exactly as requested.

     

    When we opened this isolated copy, Lightroom did not crash immediately. Instead, it displayed the warning that FOTOS.lrcat-data was missing and offered the option to continue. We did not continue past that warning because the recovered working catalog is functioning correctly and we did not want to risk altering the working setup.

     

    Please let us know whether this result is sufficient for your investigation. The original catalog and all associated files have been kept untouched.

     

    Best regards,

    Elisenda

    View reply

    8 replies

    precise_Lionheart4790AuthorCorrect answer
    Participant
    September 27, 2026

    Hello Anshul,

     

    Here is an update on the Lightroom Classic catalog issue and the recovery work completed.

     

    The catalog had worked correctly on this Mac before the upgrade to macOS 27.0. After the upgrade, Lightroom Classic 15.5 and 15.5.1 crashed while opening the existing catalog. Photoshop and Lightroom (cloud) continued to launch normally.

     

    We completed the requested troubleshooting: Lightroom Classic was reinstalled, preferences were reset, Rosetta was tested, the previous version was tested, and the complete macOS crash report was attached. A new temporary catalog opened and operated normally, confirming that this was not a general Lightroom installation or startup problem.

     

    To recover the work safely, we kept the original catalog and its associated files untouched. We restored the working catalog from the automated backup dated June 26, reconnected the external drive containing the original photographs, and recovered the photos and catalog work. We rebuilt the affected collection structure, including Family (Weddings, Golden Wedding Anniversary and Birthdays) and Travel. We also added the photographs from the temporary “prueba cumple Mon” folder to Family/Birthdays.

     

    The recovered catalog is now functioning normally. We have opened it, added new photographs and continued organising them successfully. We are using this recovered catalog as the working catalog.

     

    For the final isolation test, we first created a complete backup of the working catalog folder. From that backup, we created a separate temporary folder containing only a copy of FOTOS.lrcat, without its Previews.lrdata, Smart Previews.lrdata or FOTOS.lrcat-data files, exactly as requested.

     

    When we opened this isolated copy, Lightroom did not crash immediately. Instead, it displayed the warning that FOTOS.lrcat-data was missing and offered the option to continue. We did not continue past that warning because the recovered working catalog is functioning correctly and we did not want to risk altering the working setup.

     

    Please let us know whether this result is sufficient for your investigation. The original catalog and all associated files have been kept untouched.

     

    Best regards,

    Elisenda

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    Anshul_Saini
    Community Manager
    Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    September 29, 2026

    Hi @precise_Lionheart4790,

    Thank you for the detailed update. Yes, this is sufficient for now, and I’m glad the recovered catalog is working normally.

    Since you have a stable working catalog, please don’t make any further changes to the original affected catalog or its companion files. Keep those preserved in case we need them for further investigation.

    Lightroom Classic 15.6 is now available and includes additional bug fixes, so I recommend updating your working installation to 15.6 at your convenience and continuing with the recovered catalog.

    If the crash returns after updating with the recovered catalog, please let me know. Otherwise, there’s no need to perform any further isolation testing at this stage.

    Thanks again for the careful testing and for preserving the affected files.

    Best,
    Anshul Saini

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    waarisjan.be
    waarisjan.be
    Participant
    September 26, 2026

    I had the same problem, for me it is solved bij holding option while starting Lightroom, Then in the catalog selector at the right is a checkbox “check catalog integrity” check that checkbox en let it do its thing. This resolved my problem of Lightroom classic crashing on startup.

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      precise_Lionheart4790Author
      Participant
      September 23, 2026

      I completed the isolation test with the Option key held while launching Lightroom Classic. The catalog selection dialog appeared, and I created a new temporary catalog named “prueba”. Lightroom Classic remains open and the interface works normally with this new catalog. Therefore, the crash occurs when opening the existing catalog, not during general application startup. This suggests the issue is related to the existing catalog or an associated catalog service.

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        Anshul_Saini
        Community Manager
        Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
        Community Manager
        September 24, 2026

        Thank you, @precise_Lionheart4790. The new catalog test is very useful and changes the picture considerably. Since Lightroom Classic remains open and operates normally with the temporary catalog, while opening your existing catalog consistently causes the crash, we’ve isolated this from a general Lightroom installation/startup problem and toward something being initialized when opening the existing catalog.

        I’ve also reviewed the crash report you attached. The crash signature is consistent with an issue already under investigation by the Lightroom Classic team involving an unhandled exception on macOS. I’ve added the details from your case, including the fact that it began after the macOS 27.0 upgrade and that a new catalog works normally.

        I’d like to make one final isolation before we modify anything in your existing setup:

        1. Quit Lightroom Classic.

        2. Locate the folder containing your existing .lrcat catalog.

        3. Make a backup/copy of that entire catalog folder first.

        4. From the working copy, place a copy of just the .lrcat file in a new temporary folder. Do not bring over its Previews.lrdata, Smart Previews.lrdata, or .lrcat-data companion data for this test.

        5. Hold Option while launching Lightroom Classic and open that copied .lrcat.

        Please tell me whether that copy opens or produces the same crash.

        Please keep your original catalog and all of its associated files untouched. There’s no need to reinstall Lightroom, reset preferences, test Rosetta again, or repeat the other troubleshooting you’ve already completed.

        If the copied .lrcat also crashes, that is useful information in itself. If it opens, we’ll have narrowed the trigger further to data/services associated with the original catalog rather than the catalog database alone.

        Thanks again for the very methodical testing and for providing the crash report.

        Best,
        Anshul Saini

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        precise_Lionheart4790Author
        Participant
        September 23, 2026

        Thanks for the follow-up. Lightroom Classic had been working correctly on this Mac before the upgrade to macOS 27.0. The startup crash began after upgrading to macOS 27.0.

        I have now also updated Lightroom Classic to 15.5.1 from Creative Cloud. It still launches briefly and then closes while opening the existing catalog.

        I am attaching the complete macOS crash report from one of the failed launches as a ZIP file.

        I will also perform the Option-launch isolation test with a new temporary catalog and report the result separately.

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        Anshul_Saini
        Community Manager
        Anshul_SainiCommunity Manager
        Community Manager
        September 22, 2026

        Hi @precise_Lionheart4790,

        Thanks for the exceptionally detailed report and for including the crash information and troubleshooting you’ve already completed.

        The Lightroom Classic team is investigating a related startup crash on Apple Silicon involving an unhandled exception that results in the same pattern. Your report is particularly useful because the failure appears consistently during startup, and you’ve reproduced it with both Lightroom Classic 15.5 and 15.5.1.

        Since you’ve already reinstalled Lightroom Classic, reset preferences, tested Rosetta, and tested the previous version, there’s no need to repeat those steps.

        Could you please attach the complete macOS crash report from one of the failed launches? If possible, also let us know whether Lightroom Classic had previously launched successfully on this Mac with macOS 27.0, or whether the problem started immediately after upgrading to macOS 27.

        I’d also like you to try one isolation test: hold Option while launching Lightroom Classic to bring up the catalog selection dialog, then create a new temporary catalog. Please let us know whether Lightroom still exists before the catalog dialog appears, or whether it can remain open with the new catalog.

        That comparison will help determine whether the failure occurs during Lightroom’s application initialization or when the existing catalog and its associated services are initialized.

        Best,
        Anshul Saini

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