Can you automatically remove deleted photos (from your dive) from your catalog?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
July 16, 2022
2 replies
774 views

I don't think this is possible, but say you have deleted photos on your computer that you no longer need for whatever reason, that you previously placed in your LR Catalog. Is there any way to have LR automatically remove those from the Catalog, or do you have to do it manually?

Windows

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Correct answer dj_paige

I would say manually. In Lightroom Classic, Library->Find All Missing Photos, then select All (Ctrl-A) and then delete. CAUTION: This may also find photos you want to keep, that have been moved outside of LrC and are missing according to the catalog.

ADVICE: delete photos from within Lightroom Classic from now on, not via your operating system. Use LrC for all file management tasks.

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Not fully automatic, but close. If you use 'Synchronize Folder' on a folder in Lightroom, then Lightroom will detect if there are images in the catalog that are no longer in this folder on disk and ask you if you want to remove those images from the catalog. You can do this with a particular folder, or with the top folder so it covers the entire catalog all at once.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

bartonlewAuthor

Legend

Thanks. I did this and LR added images from all subfolders to the parent folder I right-clicked on before selecting "Synchronize Folder." In the 1st screenshot you can see the parent folder "_img" on my hard drive and the subfolders and then the first few images it contains. In the 2nd screenshot, you first see a bunch of images from the subfolder "_supp" which are showing in the parent "_img" folder. All 1592 images across all folders are in this parent folder, as well as being in their subfolder. Why did LR do this, and can I undo it? I think I can select Ctrl Z on my PC and it will. But wondering if there is a better way to correct the issue. Thanks.

Bob Somrak

Legend

@bartonlew wrote:

Thanks. I did this and LR added images from all subfolders to the parent folder I right-clicked on before selecting "Synchronize Folder." In the 1st screenshot you can see the parent folder "_img" on my hard drive and the subfolders and then the first few images it contains. In the 2nd screenshot, you first see a bunch of images from the subfolder "_supp" which are showing in the parent "_img" folder. All 1592 images across all folders are in this parent folder, as well as being in their subfolder. Why did LR do this, and can I undo it? I think I can select Ctrl Z on my PC and it will. But wondering if there is a better way to correct the issue. Thanks.

No, that didn't happen. 'Synchronize Folder' does not move or copy images. There is an option 'Show Photos in Subfolders", which apparently you normally have unchecked and now it is checked. The images are still (only) in the subfolders. Lightroom just shows them in the parent folder as well. It's a menu item in the Library menu, and also in the contextual menu. Seems you selected it by mistake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LZSqvXBwBw

Syncronize Folders always shows the photos in subfolders independant of what the "Show Photos in Subfolders" is set to.

M4 Pro Mac Mini. 48GB

dj_paigeCorrect answer

Legend

I would say manually. In Lightroom Classic, Library->Find All Missing Photos, then select All (Ctrl-A) and then delete. CAUTION: This may also find photos you want to keep, that have been moved outside of LrC and are missing according to the catalog.

ADVICE: delete photos from within Lightroom Classic from now on, not via your operating system. Use LrC for all file management tasks.

bartonlewAuthor

Legend

Thanks. That's great advice, and I will absolutely follow it.

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