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ScottThomas
Inspiring
February 5, 2018
Question

Unable to move files/folders in Lightroom Classic CC?

  • February 5, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1344 views

The current version of Lightroom Classic CC's file manipulation seems to have an issue, unless it is just me. I recently imported a couple of hundred images from a shoot and did some editing.

On returning home, I went to move them, from within Lightroom, to a different drive (note that these are all within the same Catalog). Tried to  drag them, and nothing happened. Right-clicked, hoping to be able to cut/copy and paste. No joy. Well, actually, from within the top-level folder, about 6-7 files moved, but the sub-folders and the other files did not.

This used to work flawlessly. FWIW, I'm on Mac Sierra (10.12.6).

Scott

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1 reply

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
February 5, 2018

It may have worked flawlessly for you. But moving images within Lightroom has always been a precarious task for many people. It's easy to lose images. I have lost them, and it has taken hours to locate them. When I have had a group of images including folders that I have wanted to move, I have preferred to do so using my system browser with Lightroom closed. I position those images and folders where I want them and then Lightroom will notify me that those folders are missing. Then I use the Lightroom library option to either find the missing folders or update the folder location to get things synchronized again. It just takes a couple of seconds to get things straightened out. A much "safer" way to get images moved in my opinion.

    S
    ScottThomasAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 5, 2018

    Thanks Jim.

    Yes, I have seen issues like this, but in recent versions it has worked flawlessly for me. Probably because moving files has not been a very common need.

    In this case the only option was to move the files on disk with the system file manager, then help LR find the "missing" files.

    Yet the standard admonition is to move files within LR, so they don't get "lost."

    Hmmm.

    JP Hess
    JP Hess
    Inspiring
    February 5, 2018

    I don't know who gave that admonition. My suggestion would be to move the folders using your operating system file manager and then use the Lightroom 'find missing folder' or 'update folder location' option for the specific reason to avoid losing images. I lost too many folders trying to move them from within Lightroom. I don't ever do that anymore. But if you feel better doing it that way, that's fine.

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