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Participant
May 14, 2025
Answered

Moving a file in Lightroom

  • May 14, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 1362 views

I just moved lightroom from windows to a macbook. I installed lightroom on the mac.  I exported the catalog in windows and moved the exported catalog to the mac.  I moved all of my photos to the mac.  In lightroom I opened the exported catalog and linked the catalog to all of the moved files.  Everything looked greate and I could navigate to each photo.  However, when I try to move a photo to a new folder I get the message.      file could not be moved to the selected destination. (1).   I checked all the file and directory permissions  and everything lookled fine.  I used finder to move the file to the new directory and it worked perfectly.  I removed the photo from the lightroom catalog and imported the photo in the new directory.  That allowed me to move the file around in lightroom to any directory.  However, moving any other photo gave me the same error message.  On the mac I granted Lightroom permission for full disk access.  Nothing changed.  I still can not move a file.  Any answers or suggestions?

Correct answer JamesInAustin

Hi @JamesInAustin, Thank you for the additional information. This is interesting, so let's try a few more things. Thank you, @Conrad_C, for clarifying the steps.

1. Check Permissions for Specific Folders: While the MacBook HD and Users folders have read access at the everyone level, it's important to check the specific folders where the photos are stored. Ensure that these folders have read and write permissions for your user account.

2. Repair Disk Permissions: Sometimes, repairing disk permissions can resolve issues related to file access. To do this, Open the Disk Utility app. Selecting the startup disk. Clicking on "First Aid" and then "Run" to repair disk permissions.

3. Disable Plugins: Sometimes, plugins can interfere with Lightroom's functionality. To see if the issue continues, please try turning off all plugins. You can do this by going to File > Plug-in Manager and unchecking the plugins.

4. Create a New Catalog: If the issue persists, try creating a new catalog and importing the photos into the new catalog. This can help determine if the problem is related to the catalog itself.

5. Check for Conflicting Software: Ensure that no other applications or background processes might interfere with Lightroom's ability to move files. Temporarily turning off antivirus software or other security applications might help identify if they are causing the issue.

 

I hope these additional steps help resolve the issue. We will keep trying to get this resolved! ^CH


First, let me give a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone that has responded to my plea for help. I have reviewed all of them and tried 99% of the suggestions. Unfortunately, nothing I did fixed the problem.

However, I have found a work around that seems to be fixing the problem. It’s just slow and painful.

My setup is rather simple. I have some of my active photographic sessions stored locally, with each session is in its own folder. Most of my photographs are saved on a removable SSD drive. I discovered (somewhat late because I don’t keep the SSD connected all of the time) that I did not have any problems moving files on the SSD. I only had problems moving files on the local drive.

My solution is to move a local folder and files to the removable SSD using LightRoom. I then created a subfolder called MoveTest. I would move a couple of files into the test folder. So far, this has always worked. I then moved the files back and deleted the test folder. I would then move the folder and files back to the local drive. I went through the same test process as described above. AND IT WORKS! I could move files without any loss of edits to my photos.

I have tested this process with 3 different folders/files. So far the process is working. Now I need to repeat the process on the remaining folders/files. There is lots of GB worth of folders/files, so I will be busy this evening.

I wish I could tell you why this works, but I can’t. My only answer is voodoo magic!

Again a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone!

4 replies

Legend
May 16, 2025

Where is this new folder located? Are your photos on your internal drive or elsewhere? And are you using cloud storage such as iCloud or Dropbox?

kentl2170309
Participant
July 12, 2025

Hi,

I struggle with an equal issue, move LrC from Windows to Mac. I keep my images on a NAS and lrcat local. It did not work to copy lrcat and the other admin files to my mac and re-link the image catalouges. I was directed to the import. I rebuild LrC on Win and used a SSD connected to my PC. I was up and running after move of lrcat etc and the SSD connected to my mac. But, when I moved the images to my NAS inside LrC I got the error message 'Could not complete the folder move...Unknown error...' The images were moved to my NAS and expected shared folder. Even if it seem to work Ok with editing images etc is the error message to risky to ignore. My question to the forum is if the SSD and the NTFS format can be the problem? Just found it and I'm a new with mac.

BR Kent

Participant
July 16, 2025
My experience tells me that the problem is with the Lightroom catalog.

Try.

1. Move all of our files to the Mac.
2. Make a backup of your Lightroom catalog on your windows machine.
3. Move the backed up catalog to your Mac.
4. Open Lightroom and point it to the backup catalog you just moved to the Mac.
5. Connect an SSD to the Mac as an external device.
6. Using Lightroom, move some files to the ssd. You will probably get the error message that the files could not be moved, Ignore the error message. Using Finder look at the SSD - you should see the files that you tried to see. Using Finder look at you Mac and probably will see the files you tried to move. Delete the files on the Mac that you tried to move. ( I think the error message is because there is corruption in the Lightroom catalog causing a problem with deleting the files that were moved!)
7, You can now move the files from the SSD back to the Mac (using Lightroom) without getting the error message.

Hope this works for you. It worked for me.

___________
James
dj_paige
Legend
May 16, 2025

Another thought: the error message "file could not be moved to the selected destination. (1)" may not be a permissions issue. It may indicate that a file by the same name exists in the destination folder, and so LrC will not do the move in that case. This is something you should check.

Noel Orridge
Community Manager
Community Manager
May 16, 2025

Hi @JamesInAustin I see you have tried reinstalling and installing. Did you try it with Creative Cloud Cleaner tool? Reading this might help: https://adobe.ly/4kqyw3b

Noel
dj_paige
Legend
May 16, 2025

I'm not a Mac expert, but reading in this forum there is (or used to be) a global setting to allow LrC to have certain "rights" to access the hard disk(s). Maybe some Mac user can point @JamesInAustin to the right setting.

Claire H.
Community Manager
Community Manager
May 14, 2025

Hi @JamesInAustin, Welcome to the Lightroom Classic forums! I'd like to try a few things to see if it works to fix your issue.

 

1. Check Folder Permissions: Even though you have already checked permissions, it's worth double-checking. Ensure the folders where the photos are being moved have read and write permissions.

2. Check for Updates: Ensure that both macOS and Lightroom are up to date. Sometimes, updates can fix bugs and compatibility issues.

3. Re-link Folders: If the issue persists, try re-linking the folders in Lightroom. Remove the folders from Lightroom and then re-import them. This can sometimes resolve issues with file paths and permissions.

4. Use Lightroom's Built-in Tools: Lightroom has a built-in tool to fix permissions. Go to Library > Find All Missing Photos and follow the prompts to re-link any missing files.

5. Check Disk Space: Ensure that there is enough disk space on the Mac. Insufficient disk space can sometimes cause issues with moving files.

6. Reset Lightroom Preferences: Sometimes, resetting Lightroom's preferences can resolve unexpected behavior. To reset preferences, hold down the Option and Shift keys (Mac) while starting Lightroom. You will be prompted to reset the preferences.

7. Reinstall Lightroom: As a last resort, try uninstalling and reinstalling Lightroom. This can sometimes resolve issues that other troubleshooting steps do not.

 

If none of these steps work for you, please send your system info so we can try to troubleshoot further. You can find this by going to Help > System Info, copying and pasting it into a text file, and attaching it here. Thanks! ^CH

Participant
May 15, 2025
Thanks for the quick reply.

I did the checks that you suggested, except #3. Everything checked out. I did not know how to remove folders and then reimport them without losing all of my photo edits. Finally, I did uninstall Lightroom and reinstall it. It is using the same catalog that the previous installation.

Maybe some additional information. In the macbook setting, Lightroom has full disk access. The MacBook HD and Users folders only have read access at the everyone level.. I am new to the mac, but I think this is probably correct. I do not have permissions that allows me to change access. I edited a couple of photos and Lightroom seemed to save the changes. The modified date of the catalog showed the new modified date and time that corresponds to the time I edited the photos.

I still can not move a photo.


Per your request, this is the system info.

Lightroom Classic version: 14.3.1 [ 202505061331-b063faef ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-US
Operating system: Mac OS 15
Version: 15.4.1 [24E263]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 14
Processor speed: NA
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Power Source: Plugged In, 100%
Built-in memory: 49,152.0 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 195.8MB / 36,864.0MB (0%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 49,152.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 2,513.8 MB (5.1%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 413,046.9 MB
Memory cache size: 812.9MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 17.3.1 [ 2227 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 22MB / 24575MB (0%)
Camera Raw real memory: 24MB / 49152MB (0%)

Cache1:
NT- RAM:0.0MB, VRAM:0.0MB, Combined:0.0MB

Cache2:
m:812.9MB, n:0.0MB

U-main: 108.0MB

Standard Preview Size: 1440 pixels
Displays: 1) 3024x1964

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M4 Pro
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: Auto
Enable HDR in Library: OFF

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/James/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom Catalog-v13-3.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/James/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Flickr

Config.lua flags: