Lightroom 6 switch to lightroom classic

Report · May 30, 2024

Hello,
Untill now I have been using Lightroom version 6 with the software on a Windows PC (version from a CDRom, no Adobe account, my library is saved on the PC). I wish now to subscribe to Lightroom Classic (Saas mode) on a MacBook. The Windows PC is old and I will not keep it.
Is to possible to keep the existing lightroom library from version 6 and "transfer" or store it on the account I will create, so that I don't lose all the modification steps done on the pictures ? Many thanks.

Report · May 30, 2024

When you first launch Lightroom Classic, it will upgrade a copy of the Lr 6 catalog to the current version (which as of today is LrC 13.3). All of your work in Lr 6 is now in LrC 13.3. There is no need to "transfer" anything.

Report · May 30, 2024

Thanks ! I wish this is so, but since there is a change of PC (Windows to
Mac OS) and type of software (local to Saas), I don't get how my newly
created Adobe account can retrieve the info from my "old" Windows PC. In my
case this is not only a version upgrade. Sorry, but are you sure about what
you say ?
BR

Report · May 30, 2024

Your original question was about upgrading from Lr 6 to LrC 13.3. Your broader question about moving from PC to Mac is answered below.

You have to copy the Lightroom 6 catalog from the PC to the Mac. You have to copy (not move) the photos from the PC to the Mac, keeping the folder hierarchy unchanged.

Please read this document and follow the instructions carefully. Do not skip steps. Do not invent steps that are not specifically stated in the document. https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-move-lightroom-to-new-computer/

Moving from Windows to Mac, all of your edits a preserved this way, but initially the photos and folders will appear to be missing. Thus you have to reconnect the photo files to their new location on the Mac, please read carefully https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-photos-missing-fix/ DO NOT IMPORT FILES. It says that in both documents. This is extremely important. No matter how badly you want to import the photo files, DO NOT IMPORT FILES. If you get stuck, ask more questions. And remember, DO NOT IMPORT FILES.

I have told people many times DO NOT IMPORT FILES in big bold red capital letters and guess what, they import anyway and run into problems (which is expected when you import files in this situation) and they essentially have to start over. Do not be one of these people.