Lost directory structure when upgrading from PSE 2019 to PSE 2026

Question

I just puchased PSE 2026 and it appeared to install properly and it said it converted the catalog successfully. However, upon opening PSE 2026, the folder panel shows just the end directory. In PSE 2019 the directorys were displayed as a hierachial structure. I've included screen shots of the two.

How do I get the PSE 2019 format in PSE 2026?

Glenn 8675309 · Answer

Your images show two totally different things: Organizer, and your system file explorer. Organizer (the first image) shows what you tell it to monitor, and your file explorer shows everything---- Organizer is not a file explorer, and that is by design.
What does that really mean? Nothing is lost.

Your Adobe Organizer may not be displaying a hierarchical file structure because it only shows folders that contain media files that have been imported into its catalog. It is not a live file browser like Windows Explorer or macOS Finder.

For the Organizer to display your complete folder tree, you must explicitly tell it to show all subfolders, including empty ones.

How to show the full folder hierarchy

Navigate to the Folders panel. In the left-hand panel of the Elements Organizer window, click the "Folders" tab, often named "My Folders".
Switch to Tree View. Look for a small icon at the top of the Folders panel that lets you toggle between List and Tree views. Select the Tree View icon to see your folders in a hierarchical structure.
Show all subfolders. Right-click on the parent folder (the top-level folder) for which you want to display the full structure. In the context menu that appears, select Show All SubFolders.

What to do if a new folder doesn't appear

If you create a new folder outside of the Organizer, it will not appear in the panel until you have imported media from it or told the Organizer to show it.

You can make the new folder appear by doing one of the following:

Import a file into the folder, and then import from that folder by going to Import > From Files and Folders.
Manually move a file from your catalog into the new folder using the Organizer. You can do this by first using your file system to place a single photo in the new folder, which will then make it appear in the Organizer when it is cataloged.
Use the "Show All SubFolders" command on the parent folder to make the new folder visible.

Adobe doesn't recommend using NAS storage with their organizer- often just too many problems associated with it.

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