Photoshop Elements 12 photos in Windows directory won't show in PSE

misplonj said:

If I were to remove all these photos from the catalog and then re-import them, that would not delete the actual photos, I hope, just remove them from the catalog. Is that correct?

That is correct.  When you select photos in the Organizer and hit the Delete key, a message will pop up asking if you want to also delete the files from your hard drive.

However, how are you going to delete files from the catalog if you can't find them there?  All file moving and deletion activity should take place within the Organizer.  If you conduct these operations in File Explorer, you will have a bigger mess.

I don't know if this may be a source of your problems, but the default Folders view for the Organizer is a flat alpha-numeric list.  It is better to use the Tree view which you can access via the "hamburger" button at the top of the panel:

The organizer works with a catalog. That means that the files you want to manage must have been 'registered' in the database. You 'import' or 'get files' which means you select the files you want to manage and those files are read and their properties, exif data and location on your drives are stored in the database.

Even if the left folders panel looks like the explorer or finder, it only shows managed files.

Also look at the help for 'watched folders' feature. This service running in the background checks if new files have been added to some folders (with their subfolders).

Hi

Can you clarify if you are using Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? Your subject line refers to both. Thanks.

~ Jane