Lightroom classic 13.4 slow to use since migrating to Windows 11

[Andy S H]

Hi,

I'm finding that Lightroom has started running slowly and, at times, is barely usable. I think this started after I upgraded from Windows 10 (64-bit) to Windows 11, although fellow photographers say they have no issues running Lightroom in Windows 11.

I'm running Lightroom Classic 13.4. My main issues are

• it can take a minute to open Lightroom;
• the UI refreshes are so slow I can see individual menus and widgets being painted; and
• the response time between moving a slider and seeing it affect the image can be seconds.

I have created a 7 minute video of what I see when I do an edit that I consider reasonably straightforward. The video is 257MB, but I can upload it as chunks, if it is helpful.

My questions are, is this the sort of performance I should expect and, if not, do you have any advice for me on how to improve performance?

I have already done the standard things advised: a fresh install of Lightroom, setting the GPU to auto etc. I have also stopped many of the background apps that one can end up with on Windows.

My machine is a reasonable spec.

• CPU: i9 10 Core Processor i9-10900X (3.7GHz) 19.25MB Cache
• RAM: 128GB Corsair VENGEANCE DDR4 3200MHz (8 x 16GB)
• GPU: 24GB NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3090 Ti - HDMI, DP
• C Drive: 1.8 TB SSD with 1.6TB free [2TB Samsung 870 QVO 2.5" SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (up to 560MB/sR | 530MB/sW)]
• D Drive: 14.5 TB Mirrored RAID with 9.14TB free [16TB SEAGATE IRONWOLF PRO 3.5", 7200 RPM 256MB CACHE]

Any help and advice is appreciated.

Andy

[GoldingD]

Yes you provided some of this, but please:

Please post your System Information as Lightroom Classic (LrC) reports it. In LrC click on Help, then System Info, then Copy. Paste that information into a reply. Please present all information from first line down to and including Plug-in Info. Info after Plug-in info can be cut out as that is just so much dead space to us non-Techs and it takes up vast amounts of scroll space making the reply less readable and less likely that others will bother with your post.

[Andy S H]

Thanks, Here you go. I see what you mean about the text after the plugins.

Lightroom Classic version: 13.4 [ 202406181129-60d181b7 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en
Operating system: Windows 11 - Business Edition
Version: 11.0.22631
Application architecture: x64
System architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 20
Processor speed: 3.6GHz
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
CPU Utilisation: 2.0%
Power Source: Plugged In, 255%
Built-in memory: 130749.3 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 7083.9MB / 24313.0MB (29%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 130749.3 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 2781.9 MB (2.1%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 10833.0 MB
GDI objects count: 787
USER objects count: 2820
Process handles count: 2395
Memory cache size: 10.5MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 16.4 [ 1897 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2,AVX,AVX2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 965MB / 65374MB (1%)
Camera Raw real memory: 1119MB / 130749MB (0%)

Cache1:
Final1- RAM:883.0MB, VRAM:5010.0MB, 2024_08_06_Westwood_house_0001.DNG
NT- RAM:883.0MB, VRAM:5010.0MB, Combined:5893.0MB

Cache2:
m:10.5MB, n:352.2MB

U-main: 115.0MB

System DPI setting: 96 DPI
Desktop composition enabled: Yes
Standard Preview Size: 2560 pixels
Displays: 1) 2560x1440
Input types: Multitouch: Yes, Integrated touch: Yes, Integrated pen: Yes, External touch: No, External pen: No, Keyboard: No

Graphics Processor Info:
DirectX: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti (32.0.15.6070)
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: Auto

Application folder: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: D:\Pictures\Andy\Lightroom\Lightroom Catalog-v13-3.lrcat
Settings Folder: C:\Users\iaman\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Flickr
3) Helicon Focus Export
4) LRT Export 7
5) Nikon Tether Plugin

[GoldingD]

I have created a 7 minute video of what I see when I do an edit that I consider reasonably straightforward. The video is 257MB, but I can upload it as chunks, if it is helpful.

How about a shorter video of just attempting to open LrC. starting with mouse click on startup shortcut, and ending just after the catalog is finally ready to edit. Interested in seeing anything going odd in the splash screen. I suspect a long time reading the preference file.

[Andy S H]

Thanks. As suggested, here's a video from cliking on the Lr icon to Lightroom being ready to use.

[GoldingD · Accepted solution]

A bit long reading the preference file, but a whole lot longer after that. At first I was thinking, maybe a corrupt preferences file. THe lag after reading the preferences file makes me wonder about the catalog, or perhaps reading the camera RAW CACHE (as you are opening to a Develop Module)

A couple of diagnostic steps

• In that catalog, select the Library Module. Close LrC. Restart LrC. Does it speed up if you did not leave it in the Develop Module?
• Use a alternate method of staring LrC via a Catalog Prompt screen. Hold down on the ALT key and click (double click) on your LrC startup shortcut icon. When the catalog prompt screen appears, select a new catalog.  How long till you can edit/mod?
• Consider resetting the preferences file. Some links below on that

_____________________________________________________________________

Resetting the Preference file

From the links below

"One way to troubleshoot issues in Lightroom Classic is to reset preferences. By resetting preferences, you start Lightroom with a clean slate, which can often resolve various issues or simply give you a fresh start with your settings."

"If you find you’re having odd problems with Lightroom, resetting Lightroom’s Preferences file can solve all sorts of ‘weirdness,’ so it’s a good early step in troubleshooting. Let’s take a look at how to simply reset Preferences, and also how to find and take a backup of the file(s) so you can check resetting helps."

• Reset Preferences | Adobe
• How do I reset Lightroom’s Preferences? | The Lightroom Queen

The preferences file contains all sorts of settings and information required by LrC to run. If the preference file gets corrupted, all sorts of odd behaviour can occur. One of the things in the preferences file is in fact the settings in LrC Preferences, and resetting the preference file can/will revert those to defaults. But that is not all of what is in the preferences file.

[Andy S H]

Thanks again.

Opening in Library mode is quicker.

With a new catalog, Lightroom seemed to open quicker then I had the hour glass for quite a while. So no quicker to get to start work.

Resetting preferences has made it slightly quicker again. So small steps forward in opening time.

The next test is the impact on repsonsiveness when editing.

[GoldingD]

Graphics Processor Info:
DirectX: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti (32.0.15.6070)
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: Auto

GPU driver v560.70. This has noting to do with your issue, but your GPU drive is a couple of days out of date. v560.81 was released two days ago. Probably will not improve anything. I think the update fixed exactly one bug for a game.

Just saying.

[GoldingD]

One additional item to consider, tour Camera RAW CACHE size limit and location. Can you share a scrennshot of LrC /Preferences/Performance/

example: deleted to save scroll space

[Andy S H]

Here you go.

[GoldingD · Accepted solution]

15 GB not so bad, you may want to experiment, see if increasing that helps. Note that it will only help in the Develop Module.

[Andy S H]

Thanks for all your help. Performance is much better. I'll have an experiment with the Camera Raw cache to see how it improves performance in Develop mode.

[Andy S H]

All the above fixes have really improved load time and performance in Library mode, but I'm still facing performance issues in Develop mode, which are making it almost usuable.

I think it's when I use masking but button presses or moving sliders can take 8 - 30s to respond, and I'm still able to watch each of the UI components being repainted one after another. I just went from 100% zoom to FIT, and Lightroom took 7s to respond, which doesn't seem right. I'm wondering whether I should do all local adjustments and anything related to masking in PhotoShop, but the masking in Lightroom is so easy.
Any suggestions as to what might be the cause?

[Andy S H]

Now it's stuck on the import screen. There's nothing to import. Every time I cancel the import, the dialog shuts then immediately re-opens.

It took me 10 minutes to write the first two sentences, as the import dialog kept re-opening over the top of my browser.

Any suggestions beyond re-installing Lightroom, doing everything in PhotoShop or finding another application to process my images? I'm fgeeling deeply frustrated!

[Andy S H]

It's taken an hour to do some basic edits to one image.

[Andy S H]

Having calmed down and had some sleep, I think the issue is linked to my (perhaps overuse) of the AI masking. I'm think that I should not rely on it so much, and, if I do need to use it, do such local adjustments in PhotoShop. I'll keep experimenting. 
It's just a shame I can't delete posts on this forum!

[UliP]

I had a similar performance problem with lightroom classic on my Windows 11 PC. After I completely deleted the virus scanner (Avast) from the system, Lightroom is running again at the usual and desired speed! Maybe that will help you too.

[UliP]

Deactivating it was not enough! I actually had to delete the virus scanner completely!

[Andy S H]

Interesting. I use Avast as well, and I had a sense something was running in the background hogging resources, but nothing showed in task manager. I'll try that.

What anti-virus do you use instead of Avast?

[UliP]

I currently only use Microsoft Defender. It offers sufficient protection for my workstation.

[UliP]

Hi, did you try in the  meantime uninstalling the Virus Scanner?

[Andy S H]

I did, and so far it seems to be making a big difference. I wanted to do a bit more testing before I confidently said it had solved my issue: I haven't done any heavy processing this week, as work has been hectic. But it's looking very promising.

[UliP]

That sounds good already. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

[Andy S H]

It was definitely Avast killing performance in Develop mode

[UliP]

I'm glad that your Lightroom Classic is now running well again!