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SBGPhoto
Participant
July 12, 2025
Answered

Lightroom Classic 14.4 won't start in Windows 11 Pro

  • July 12, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 306 views

I used LR Classic 14.4 yesterday, no problem, now it won't start.  I tried uninstalling, reboot, reinstalling and it still won't start.  I have the latest version of Win 11 Pro on my PC.   Any ideas?

Correct answer KR Seals

Then I suspect a corrupt catalog. Try your most recent backup. Unzip, then copy that to the LrC folder. Rename your current catalog so LrC doesn't try to load it. You can get LrC to start the unzipped backup by double clicking on it.

 

5 replies

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drtonyb
Legend
July 12, 2025

@SBGPhoto 

 

In task manager, End Task for all the Adobe Lightroom Classic background tasks.

KR Seals
Community Expert
KR SealsCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
July 12, 2025

Then I suspect a corrupt catalog. Try your most recent backup. Unzip, then copy that to the LrC folder. Rename your current catalog so LrC doesn't try to load it. You can get LrC to start the unzipped backup by double clicking on it.

 

Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-14700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.
    S
    SBGPhotoAuthor
    Participant
    July 12, 2025

    I don't see a lock file in the LRC folder.  

    John B. | Fujifilm X-T4 | XF80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR | Pc Win 11 Pro | AMD Ryzen™ 9 8945HS | 64GB | AMD Radeon™ 780M | All Adobe Photography Apps
    S
    SBGPhotoAuthor
    Participant
    July 12, 2025

    I just noticed that after a few tries of getting it to start, this is Task Manager under Background Processes. 

     

     

    John B. | Fujifilm X-T4 | XF80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR | Pc Win 11 Pro | AMD Ryzen™ 9 8945HS | 64GB | AMD Radeon™ 780M | All Adobe Photography Apps
    KR Seals
    Community Expert
    KR SealsCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 12, 2025

    Check the Lightroom Classic folder for a ".lock" file. That file is created when LrC starts up to prevent other copies of LrC from running at the same time. If you find it, delete ONLY that file which will be "your catalog name.lock".

    The lock file is normally deleted when LrC shuts down, but if it does not shut down normally, like a computer crash, the .lock file is left in place.

    The other possibility is a corrupt catalog. If you don't find a .lock file, try a backup catalog.

     

    Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-14700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.
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