Answered

Why can't I import folders into Lightroom, I have 5 photoshoots, all separated by folders

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
November 29, 2025
1 reply
258 views

I want them to import into the same organizational structure

Why can't I check the box, include subfolders, where is this check box?

Why would it dump all of them into one folder?

macOS

Correct answer Rob_Cullen

LIghtroom does not use a folder based system. All imports simply go to the Cloud (and View by Date, etc) where you can place photos into Albums. (Albums can be combined into a 'Folder').

"include sub-folders" TBMK and my experience, photos in sub-folders are automatically included when you select a folder to import, without a checkbox available.

Confirm which app you are using- Lightroom, or Lightroom-Classic ?

Rob_Cullen

Correct answer

Community Expert

LIghtroom does not use a folder based system. All imports simply go to the Cloud (and View by Date, etc) where you can place photos into Albums. (Albums can be combined into a 'Folder').

"include sub-folders" TBMK and my experience, photos in sub-folders are automatically included when you select a folder to import, without a checkbox available.

Confirm which app you are using- Lightroom, or Lightroom-Classic ?

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 .

V

VirtualTourYYCAuthor

Trying to use Lightroom desktop and move away from classic because I need shared libraries.

And this seems like a non starter already.
Forcing people to import and organize like this is stupid.

Rob_Cullen

Community Expert

Perhaps you are a Pro and needing to share full-size files with other users of Adobe apps.

Me, i am an amateur that prefers to stick with Lr-Classic and sync my Collections to the Cloud. I can share Collections with anyone using a browser and allow downloads of files (with a long edge dimension of 2048px), and not use any of my Cloud storage allocation. Shared Test by Robert Cullen

Maybe Lightroom will improve with time to provide the features you (and I presume many others) need.

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 .

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