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Takeone.Digital
Known Participant
August 20, 2024
Answered

Adding files added from a folder after the folder already imported into LightRoom

  • August 20, 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 872 views

Updated Lightroom version.
I transferred 790 files from the camera memory card to an external drive.
I imported files from a folder on an external drive into Lightroom.
Because of restoring the database (in the camera itself), there were 150 files that I did not see in another folder in the memory card.
Only after I started editing in Lightroom I saw that the 150 files were missing.
I moved them into the same foder on the external drive.
I try to import them from the same directory on the drive in library mode by drag and drop, but Lightroom try importing the entire folder instead of the 150 files.
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How do I add these 150 files without re-importing the entire folder because I made some editing and presets I don't want to loose?

Correct answer Per Berntsen

I never use drag&drop to import, so I don't know if that's the cause of the problem, but if it bypasses the import dialog, you can't see what settings are applied.

Here's what I do in this situation:

Right click the folder in Library, and choose Synchronize folder,  and check Show import dialog before importing.

When the import dialog appears, make sure that Don't import suspected duplicates is checked.

 

 

3 replies

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barryt154
New Participant
March 21, 2025

what if I added the folder rather than importing a 2nd time .  Does lightroom  classic catch  duplicates?.   The other option might be to delete the existint catolgue.    My problem is that I added images to the folder that I can not identify.   So now  new nnd olds are mixed up in the folder  😞    my bad.

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Takeone.DigitalAuthor
Known Participant
May 6, 2025

move all to single folder and sync it.
that's the same solution the works for me

Per Berntsen
Per BerntsenCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 20, 2024

I never use drag&drop to import, so I don't know if that's the cause of the problem, but if it bypasses the import dialog, you can't see what settings are applied.

Here's what I do in this situation:

Right click the folder in Library, and choose Synchronize folder,  and check Show import dialog before importing.

When the import dialog appears, make sure that Don't import suspected duplicates is checked.

 

 

    T
    Takeone.DigitalAuthor
    Known Participant
    August 20, 2024

    thanks mate! it works.
    I just don't understand one thing - if the user wants to add files, why make it difficult and prevent him from doing so?
    Why force users to search for information on basic operations?
    - They had enough years and hundreds of thousands of users to solve such nonsense...
    Dozens of times I thought about leaving Adobe because of their horrible user interface (in addition to the high pricing and crashes). There is nothing that justifies this.
    I decided to start looking at alternatives. 

    JohanElzenga
    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    August 20, 2024
    quote

    I just don't understand one thing - if the user wants to add files, why make it difficult and prevent him from doing so?


    By @Takeone.Digital

     

    What makes you think it does prevent you to do that? You could also use the normal import dialog, check the option not to import suspected duplicates, and use 'Add' at the top so the images are only added, not moved to another location. This is essentially the same as the second part of the 'Synchronize Folder' procedure.

     

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
    JohanElzenga
    JohanElzenga
    Community Expert
    August 20, 2024

    Right-click on that folder in the folder panel and choose 'Synchronize Folder'.

     

    -- Johan W. Elzenga
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