I'd like to rename my Lightroom catalog - how do I do that?

[jclin10]

Hi everyone

I'd like to rename my Lightroom catalog. How do I do that? What are the different files/folders that I'd need to rename?

Thanks,

John

[john beardsworth · Accepted solution]

In LR, go into Catalog Settings and click Show - this opens Explorer or Finder. Or just open Explorer or Finder if you know exactly where the catalogue is.

Close LR. Now change Lightroom Catalog.lrcat to My New Name.lrcat, and do the same with Lightroom Catalog Previews.lrdata which will become My New Name Previews.lrdata and the corresponding smart previews folder. Then double click the catalogue file and you're done.

[jclin10]

Thanks!

My catalog is in a folder (within the Pictures folder) with the same name. Can I change the name of the folder also? Would I simply do that in the Finder?

[john beardsworth]

Yes. Again, with LR closed, and then double click the catalogue file to reopen LR.

[philipn95815980]

Hope no-one minds me re-opening this old-ish post, but for LR Classic, does the same renaming advice also now apply to the  "Lightroom Catalog Helper.lrdata" and "Lightroom Catalog Smart Previews.lrdata" files ?

[Bob Somrak]

Yes

[Rob_Cullen]

"Lightroom Catalog Smart Previews.lrdata" files ?

Yes, Rename as in Correct answer.

"Lightroom Catalog Helper.lrdata"?

Can be deleted, it will be automatically re-created with new name of the catalog.

The three files that must be renamed the 'same'-

1. Change {Lightroom Catalog.lrcat} to {My New Name.lrcat},

2. Change {Lightroom Catalog Previews.lrdata} folder to {My New Name Previews.lrdata}

3. Change {Lightroom Catalog Smart Previews.lrdata} folder to {My New Name Smart Previews.lrdata}

Then double click {My New Name.lrcat} to re-open the Catalog.

[philipn95815980]

Thank you for clarifying that for me.

[Melissa29371373dz3v]

I hate to reopen this question but I have Lightroom and I accidentally named my main catalog a clients session and I have no idea how to change it. Can someone please help me?

[dj_paige]

I hate to reopen this question but I have Lightroom and I accidentally named my main catalog a clients session and I have no idea how to change it. Can someone please help me?

By @Melissa29371373dz3v

Doesn't the answer marked correct provide you with the information you need?

[Rob_Cullen]

FYI-  Information on "Catalog Rename" in this blog article-

CATALOG-FIND MOVE RENAME