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S
Sandra26581678pkuo
Participant
October 13, 2022
Question

Merging photos from multiple computers (in Lightroom) and Iphone onto external SDD

  • October 13, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 348 views

Hi all, 

 

I want to merge all my photo libraries onto an external SDD as the size has become too large for one computer to hold (over 100,000 photos). I have two lightroom libraries on two separate computers (with different photos) and photos from an Iphone that I also want to merge into one single lightroom libary on an SDD. 

 

1- Starting with the Iphone, can I upload the photos directly to the SDD to be readable in lightroom on my computer, or do I have to upload them first to my computer in lightroom, and then to the hard drive, which will obviously.be a longer process? If I can do the first option, how do I do that?

 

2- One of my computers is using a very old version of Lightroom (older software version). If I merge that library as well as the newer lightroom one from my new laptop onto an SDD, will the current lightroom app recognize or see the photos from my old computer/app when I work from the hard drive? How do I make sure?

 

Thanks in advance. Backing up has been my weakness for far too long...  

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
October 13, 2022

Are you talking about Lightroom (Lr icon) or Lightroom Classic (LrC icon)? What version NUMBER?

S
Sandra26581678pkuoAuthor
Participant
October 14, 2022

Hi there, 

 

The Lightroom version on my new computer is LrC v. 11.5. The Lightroom version on my old computer is LR v. 6

 

I want to merge photos from both onto one location on an external hard drive, and add the photos from my Iphone. 

 

Thanks so much for all your help!! 

dj_paige
dj_paige
Legend
October 14, 2022

I would first get your Lr 6 catalog up and running in Lightroom Classic. If it involves moving it from one computer to another, here are the instructions: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-move-lightroom-to-new-computer/ Please read carefully and follow the instructions exactly, do not make up extra steps, do not skip steps. No matter how bad you might want to import your photos into Lightroom Classic, this is not a step and should not be done. In fact, Importing in this case is wrong and will make things worse.

 

Once that is successful, you can import the photos directly from your iPhone into LrC and onto your SSD in one step. This is just a standard import, you set the Destination folder in the Import dialog box to somewhere on the SSD. 

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