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johnj84
Participating Frequently
February 24, 2018
Answered

How to recover deleted photos from Lightroom?

  • February 24, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 63429 views

I accidentally deleted photos from lightroom. Unfortunately, I did a delete from disk and don't have a copy of the photos on my computer as well. Is there a way to recover the deleted photos?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Just Shoot Me

    Look in the Recycle Bin, Windows, or the Trash, Mac. Restore the images to there original folders and then reimport them into LR.

    2 replies

    S
    smp1940
    Participant
    October 30, 2018

    I have had a problem with deleted images not going to Trash after upgrading to Mojave. A terrific woman with Adobe fixed it.

    For whatever reason my external drive was not communicating with "Trash" so she opened the drive, added a new folder "unnamed folder" and deleted it to Trash. Voila !! Images from that drive now deleted with Lightroom go to Trash as they should.

    The external drive now talks to Trash - so the problem is not with Lightroom but with Mojave.

      24Pictures
      24Pictures
      Participant
      May 23, 2019

      So thankful for this "problem."  I am running High Sierra and I followed your instructions, adding a folder to my external drive, trashing it, and voilà, the deleted imaged showed up in the trash can. Amazing!

      Just Shoot Me
      Just Shoot MeCorrect answer
      Legend
      February 24, 2018

      Look in the Recycle Bin, Windows, or the Trash, Mac. Restore the images to there original folders and then reimport them into LR.

        J
        johnj84Author
        Participating Frequently
        February 24, 2018

        Thank you! My thrash had all the images, but I have lost all the editing. Is there a way to restore the edits I did on the photos?

        Just Shoot Me
        Just Shoot Me
        Legend
        February 24, 2018

        That's what happens when you remove images from the catalog.

        So no there isn't

        Even if you had the option checked to Auto Write changes to XMP once you Delete From Disk LR also deletes the XMP files.

        Not sure how you accidentally deleted them. There is a prompt dialog box that gives you the option to Delete from Disk, Remove (Which just removed the images from the catalog) and also has a Cancel button to stop that action.

        With either the first 2 option the edits done to the images will also be removed from the catalog file.

        I suggest you pay more attention to the dialog boxes that come up when you are working in LR.

        Also if you wanted to delete one image but you had multiple images selected the dialog box that comes up with those 3 options, Delete from Disk, Remove and Cancel, lists the number of images this action will be performed on.

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