Cannot Delete Rejected Images

[Framptongal]

I used to be able to select one or more 'rejected' photos and right click or hit the delete button and get a pop up asking if I also wanted to delete from disk.  No longer for the past few months.  I'm not in any collections.  I'm in the file folder.  Hitting Ctrl-Backspace only removes from LR.  The file still exists on the external hard drive.

Running LR Classic 13.2 on s PC

Lightroom Classic version: 13.2 [ 202402141005-bf1aeb84 ]

Operating system: Windows 11 - Home Premium Edition

Version: 11.0.22621

Built-in memory: 16169.4 MB

[AxelMatt]

In a first step try is to reset the preferences to the default settings.

Reset Procedure:

• Close Lightroom.
• Windows: Hold down [Alt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
  Mac: Hold down [Opt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
• Overwrite the Preferences when prompted by the dialog.
• Close Lightroom.
• Restart Lightroom.

It's recommended to backup your preferences before you reset the preferences to the default settings: 

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/kb/preference-file-and-other-file-locations.html

If this doesn't help, please provide a copy of your 'System Info'. This can be get from the LrC Help > System Info menu item. There's a copy button in the System Info dialog. Press this button and paste the info into your next forum post.

[john beardsworth]

Ctrl Backspace should start the Delete Rejected Photos dialog , so I assume you are trying the Backspace or Delete key, or right click and Remove.

When you select a file in a folder, does Delete or Backspace not display this? Right click and remove, too.

Are you sure you're not doing something else, or maybe not checking the right folder in Explorer? After all, the problem that you describe is so fundamental that I'd expect lots of people to report it.

[Framptongal]

That's the issue.  I don't get that pop up window with the three choices.  I used to.  I can right click on a file to remove it and it just removes it from the catalogue.  When a file is rejected and I try Ctrl-Backspace it just removes the files from the catalogue.  No pop up and the file is still on the external drive.  I'm thinking that I might need to uninstall then reinstall the software.   I saw another issue that I posted about the missing file indicator not working.  The suggested resetting the Preferences which I did.  Still not working. 

[Rob_Cullen]

"missing file indicator not working"- If a preview shows the "Missing" badge [!] then it makes sense that Lr-Classic cannot 'Delete from Disk' as LrC does not know where the file is located. (Same for missing folders [?]  )

So a 'Missing' image can only be 'Removed from the Catalog'.

The image file may still exist somewhere on a drive (renamed, or a different folder) in a location that LrC is not aware of.