Lightroom Classic won’t start due to a corrupted file that can’t be deleted

Forum|Forum|30 days ago
June 2, 2026
4 replies
63 views

something has corrupted a LRC file I can not delete the corrupt file and I can not open Lightroom because it says it is in use. ???? help please <removed for privacy>

Correct answer Rob_Cullen

“ it says it is in use.” This error message can appear in circumstances where a catalog is not closed correctly (eg. corruption or computer failure). It leaves behind a file with the file-type suffix of .LOCK (eg. Catalog Name.lrcat.lock ).

Search in the folders where you store your catalog and Delete only the .LOCK file and try re-opening a catalog by [Double-clicking] the Catalog Name.lrcat file.

dj_paige

Legend

Please provide the exact word-for-word unedited error message, verbatim.

A

AxelMatt

Community Expert

Which file is corrupt? Try to reboot (cold boot) your machine and then try to delete this file.

My System: Intel i7-8700K - 64GB RAM - NVidia Geforce RTX 3060 - Windows 11 Pro 25H2 -- LR-Classic 15 - Photoshop 27 - Nik Collection 9 - PureRAW 6 - Topaz Photo AI

Rob_Cullen

Correct answer

Community Expert

“ it says it is in use.” This error message can appear in circumstances where a catalog is not closed correctly (eg. corruption or computer failure). It leaves behind a file with the file-type suffix of .LOCK (eg. Catalog Name.lrcat.lock ).

Search in the folders where you store your catalog and Delete only the .LOCK file and try re-opening a catalog by [Double-clicking] the Catalog Name.lrcat file.

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 .

Srishti Bali

Community Manager

Hi @terrys16344968

Sorry to hear you're running into this issue. A few things I'd like to request so we can investigate further:

What operating system are you using, and which version of Lightroom/Lightroom Classic is installed?
What happens when you force quit Lightroom Classic using Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS)? Does Lightroom Classic shut down successfully?
If Lightroom Classic closes successfully, can you try launching Lightroom Classic again? If it opens, please create a new catalog and confirm whether the application itself is working correctly.
How did you determine that the file/catalog is corrupted?
Could you share screenshots or a small recording of the errors or behavior you're seeing on your screen?
Where is the catalog/file stored (local drive, external drive, network location, or cloud storage)?
You can also simply try resetting preferences for Lightroom Classic. Try the manual method after creating a backup and let us know how it goes.

Once we have this information, we'll be able to assist you further.

Thanks, Srishti Bali | Community & Engagement Strategist, Digital Imaging | Adobe

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