Migrating to a new Mac Pro Laptop with Lightroom Classic? How make sure edited photos are all there

[Andi98BC]

I purchased a new laptop (Mac Pro).  I want to continue using Lightroom Classic (have no interest to use the Cloud version).  How do I make sure that when I install Lightroom Classic on my new laptop I will see all my folders and edited photos.

[Michael J. Hoffman]

Ideally you would want to prepare things on the old machine first before decommissioning. Here is a really good summary of how to move to a new computer:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/how-move-lightroom-to-new-computer/

[JohanElzenga]

If your previous computer was a Mac too, then I recommend using Apple Migration Assistent.

[Jao vdL]

I used to give the same advice before but you don't want to only use migration assistant to move from an intel Mac to a Apple silicon Mac. The Adobe installation will be non-functional an you will end up with lots of intel binary apps that you will need to cleanup. The Adobe installation is easily fixed by nuking the entire Adobe install and reinstalling but this is something to be aware off. You're typically best off using migration assistant to only move the user directories (or just do this manually) and installing all the apps you need manually. It's probably going to be better going forward but the intel->M1 transition caused some headaches with this.

[JohanElzenga]

I moved to my MBP M1 Max this way and had very little issues. Same for my wife, who did the same move. Everything was solved much faster than the time it would have taken to completely start again on the MBP and have to install dozens of apps and register them. Mind you, you'll have a lot more on your computer than just some Adobe apps.

[Jao vdL]

Migrated two machines this way when the M1 machines came out and on both the Adobe install was borked (extremely slow and hanging up Lightroom) and had to nuke creative cloud and all adobe apps using creative cloud cleaner and all apps to get it to work really well. Worked perfectly after that. Also took some time to reinstall apps that only had intel binaries installed like the Topaz apps at the time. Not a big deal but something to watch out for. Especially if you have been carrying forward your Macs over decades a lot of crud can build up by only doing migrations. 

[nsoltz]

About to be in the same situation. Have a 2025 Mac Studio M3 Ultra on order and migrating from 2019 MacPro. While I have a full CC subscription, I primarily use Lightroom CC, Photoshop, Bridge, PremierePro and to a lesser extent After Effects and Audition. I fear that nuking the entire CC installation on the 2019 MacPro will lose preferences and settings I've customized for years. So I'll attempt to migrate the entire MacPro from my TimeMachine backup and then, if need be, reinstall any problematic CC apps. Probabaly not the best solution and I'll report after it's done.

Of course welcome any other thoughts from the group.

[Jao vdL]

This is an old thread and better to make a new one but quick answer is that if you use the cloud based Lightroom (the cc moniker hasn't been used for years as the name), all your prefs and presets sync over the cloud, so they'll just be there when you go to another machine. That assumes you are using the latest version of cloud based Lightroom.

[nsoltz]

Thanks. Using Classic but decided anyway it is best not to migrate Adobe apps and just reinstall CC and my plug ins. Since my catalog and all my images are on an external drive, should be no problem just opening the Library file and everything should be there.