P: Inconsistent behavior of Rename Catalog depending on what is visible in Folder Panel

Forum|Forum|5 months ago
November 1, 2025
4 replies
238 views

PROBLEM:

Let's say the catalog is in a folder called "Cat A". Also in that same folder is a subfolder (we'll call "Images") that contain images known to LrC.

If the "Cat A" folder is hidden in the Folders panel and you rename the catalog (to say "Cat B"), including renaming the parent folder for the catalog, everything works as it should. The parent folder for the catalog becomes "Cat B", the catalog files/folders are renamed "Cat B", and the "Images" folder is still linked.

However, If the "Cat A" folder is exposed (show parent of "Images"), and you do the same catalog rename including the parent folder, the renaming of the catalog and its parent folder work fine but both the "Images" folder and its parent folder (still "Cat A" in the folders panel) go missing.

DESIRED:

When you perform a catalog rename and include renaming the folder containing the catalog, it should fix the links of all images and subfolders in or descending from the renamed catalog folder whether or not that parent folder is visible in the folders panel when the rename catalog operation is performed.

All versions of LrC since "Rename Catalog" command introduced

All platforms. I tested on Windows 11 but others have confirmed same bug on Mac's

Rikk Flohr_Photography

The team has reviewed and responded:

"Lightroom Classic tracks your folders based on their names and locations. When you rename a parent folder, the behaviour depends on whether that folder was visible in the Folders panel before the rename:

Case 1: Parent folder was hidden

If the parent folder wasn’t revealed in the Folders panel, Lightroom Classic only tracks the subfolder (e.g., Images).
After renaming the parent folder, the subfolder’s path remains valid, so your images stay connected.
When you later choose Show Parent Folder, Lightroom Classic simply reveals the renamed folder, and everything works as expected.

Case 2: The Parent folder was already revealed

If the parent folder was visible in the Folders panel before the rename, Lightroom Classic tracks both the parent and its subfolder.
After renaming, both the parent and subfolder paths change, so Lightroom Classic cannot find them automatically.
This results in the folders showing as disconnected.

This is as-designed and is not 2 different behaviours."

I hope their explanation helps.

Rikk Flohr: Adobe Photography Org

Califdan2Author

Inspiring

For some reason, I can no longer reproduce the scenario in my 2nd paragraph where the Rename Catalog including parent folder command also re-links the images folder contained within the catalog folder. I don't know what changed but on 11/1 it did on on 11/2 it didn't. Left over Halloween gremlins?

Anyway, it seems that the catalog rename tool when including the parent folder of the catalog does take care of

The catalog name
The catalogs folder name
Backup path if it was in the renamed folder
LR/Cloud sync folder if it was in the renameed folder
List of recently opened catalog

It does not take care of any images or folders containing images that were in or below the catalog folder.

johnrellis

Legend

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Renaming a catalog with the Rename Parent Folder option won't always correctly relink subfolders of the catalog folder containing cataloged images.

To reproduce on LR 15.0 / Mac OS 15.7.1:

1. Download and open this tiny catalog, named CatA:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hbgjjox180gx6bn4pq3b5/cat-rename-bug.2025-11-03.zip?rlkey=0qt5dymfmu1oopc2w9a5korgn&dl=0

The subfolder CatA/Images contains one photo. Observe in the Folders panel that Images is at the top level:

2. Do File > Rename Catalog, checking Rename Parent Folder, renaming to the name CatB. Observe that the path of Images has been correctly updated to the new location under CatB:

3. In the Folders panel, right-click Images and do Show Parent Folder:

4. Do File > Rename Catalog, checking Rename Parent Folder, renaming to the name CatC. Observe in the Folders panel that the parent folder of Images is still incorrectly named CatB rather than CatC, and CatB, CatB/Images, and the photo are all incorrectly marked missing: