Missing Navigator

[jswester]

I recently had to reinstall lightroom CC and when I start it up I don't have the navigator panel.  I saw a post indicating that you can select Window --> and then Navigator but I don't have the Window menu either.  All I have is File, Edit, Phot, View, and help.  This interface doesn't look like what I remembered when I first loaded it.  I'm fairly new to lightroom so maybe I'm starting it wrong. 

[JP Hess]

Judging from your description of your menu options, I suspect you have installed the new Lightroom CC and not Lightroom Classic CC. Confusing, I know. Blame it on Adobe and their confusing naming conventions. Lightroom CC is a new program introduced late last year. It is cloud based storage for your master images and doesn't have all the features that Lightroom Classic CC has. If I'm wrong please set me straight. But I think that is the basis for your confusion.

[dj_paige]

Go to Help->System Info and report on the version of Lightroom shown there in the first line of the box. Do not copy and paste the entire contents of the box.

[jswester]

It is Lightroom CC version 1.2

So that looks to be why but all the training material I'm using to learn is based on Classic I guess.  I'll have to go to my account and see if I can download classic.  I don't really use cloud storage as I back everything up locally on external drives (I'm old fashioned).  Thanks.

[dj_paige]

If you purchased the proper plan (it is called the Photography Plan), you have also a license to install and use Lightroom Classic CC, which can be installed from the Adobe Create Cloud Manager application.

Compare plans | Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan

[jswester]

I'm really sorry this is making me look like a neophyte but I still can't seem to download what my plan says I should have.  I purchased the Creative Cloud Photography plan with 1TB (one year).  When I look at what that includes it does say Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop.  But when I click on the "Download Desktop Apps" link, it comes up with a list of desktop apps that does include Lightroom Classic but it shows a link to download a trial, and the bubble link says Buy Now.  I would expect it to just say Download as I've already purchased it.  In fact when I click on "Buy Now" it comes to the purchase screen and says that I've already bought it.  Can't figure out how to just download and install it again.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

you have also a license to install and use Lightroom Classic CC, which can be installed from the Adobe Create Cloud Manager application.

[jswester]

Do you mean Adobe Creative Cloud Manager?  I've installed this and when I go in this way I get the same list with the same problem.

[jswester]

Oh, so strange.  I downloaded and installed it (Adobe Creative Cloud) and when it was done it said start and so I started it. It just had a white screen and a 3 dot menu which I tried to use to load Lightroom Classic but had the same problem.

However, once I closed it and signed out and then came back in, it suddenly had a full featured interface and I was able to get in and install Lightroom Classic CC.  Yaaaahhhh!.  Thanks so much for your help and patience.

[petergrahamb]

As a NEW Lightroom User I also had the "MISSING NAVIGATOR" problem as per the original poster.

If I might suggest that anyone with the same issue might instead

Take a look at this link....

Missing Navigator when in Develop module ​

...instead, and see if the above doesn't fix the issue

as this was my issue, and it may actually address the same issue, but with a far briefer journey, than won the 'Oscar' above.

Lightroom had seemingly oodles of little 'hidden' panels, toolbars, and buts and pieces to allow the user to minimise the screen overhead dedicated to the stuff that new users may NEED, in order to 'get around'.

So my current version (LR Classic CC 7v4) has tiny mid-grey** 'arrows/triangles' used to expand or hide particular parts of the display. The one on the extreme left of the display, in the middle "top to bottom" displays/hides the navigator. Bingo.

The "Correct Answer" was no doubt absolutely correct, but perhaps multiple approaches might assist.

Best Wishes to all our helpers!

The Colour Choice of 'mid-grey'** might require some further examination?

[James_Schumpert7159]

I just signed up the other day with a 1 year subscription and mine doesn't have the navigator panel either.

[nikunj.m]

Hi, thanks for reaching out!

You've posted on a very old post. Could you share the application version you're using? If you're using Lightroom Classic, did you try the steps suggested in this post to check if that makes a difference? If not, try that and let us know if it helps. 

Thanks,
Nikunj