Deleting LR catalogs to free up space

[Jan0846]

I need to free up space on Mac HD and largest files are LR catalogs. My current catalog is on ext HD.

I'm unsure which ones I can safely delete

Can anyone advise?

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

The catalogs are the .LRCAT files. You can open each catalog file and SEE with your own eyes what is in it, and then determine if you want to delete it or not.

If you decide to delete a catalog, you can also delete the associated (having the same name before the word Previews) .LRDATA folders.

Better yet, move the ones you don't want to a different drive, just to be sure, just in case you do need them.

I also suggest that moving forward, you use ONE catalog only (if necessary, combine multiple catalogs into one). Not only is that the simplest way to go, but it also eliminates the confusion about which catalog is which.

[Jan0846]

Thank you. I opened them in original location and they are not linked to current catalog. I have moved them to Ext HD and deleted from Mac HD. LR for some reason made a lot of new files and I didn't notice - at the time being fairly new. I only use one file now and dsid merge them. Just wary about deleting anything.

[JohanElzenga]

The largest file by far is the first one: 'Lightroom Catalog-v11 Previews.lrdata' of 26.5 GB. That is not a catalog file, it's a previews file. You can always delete a previews file, because Lightroom will simply rebuild the previews if and when necessary. These previews and the catalog file they belong to have not been used since 21 November last year, so this catalog does not seem to be your latest catalog. 

I agree with @dj_paige that you should reconsider your catalogs. It looks like you create new catalogs all over the place, sometimes for one single day. That is confusing and inefficient. Use one single catalog.

[Jan0846]

Thank you See reply above. I certainly didnt purposefully start new catalogs. LR did it, like it will copy to mac HD, if I don't check every time that it should be copying to Ext HD. I am learning all the the time - but getting there

[JohanElzenga]

Lightroom does not create catalogs named 'Lightroom Catalog Dec232021' all by itself. Only a Lightroom user can have done that.

[Jan0846]

I acknowledge that. I renamed that one up as there were so many called version 10 and v 11. It hasp penes to be the one I’m using now. As I said - I am learning and made a few mistakes along the way. Hence - my asking for help on this forum.

I have tried to reply to your original posts and they have been returned to me.

I may seem like an idiot as far as LR is concerned, but have had a lot of problems with failed Ext Hard drives and panicked somewhat at losing images. But im on a learning curve