only able to open LrC using the shift + Control keys in Windows 11 since reinstalling Windows 11.

Report · Oct 30, 2025

Since rebuilding my computer and reinstalling Windows 11 (now on version 25H2) and moving the entire Lightroom folder containing the catalog, backups, etc. to the C drive (Photos stored on an external drive) I get a message stating that the catalog is corrupt and needs to be repaired before LrC can open if I attempt to open LrC. after a short period of time, the message - and progress bar - go away and nothing else happens, i.e. LrC does not open although it shows it is running in the Task Manager. I then need to end the task using Task Manager.

I have found that by pressing the Shift + Control keys while opening LrC seems to work ok with LrC using the current/latest catalog. Everything works just fine with all my edits, etc. still in place. any additional edits are saved ok when I exit and are available when I reopen LrC using the Shift + Control keys.

I have attempted to fix the problem using all the recommendations on this site as well as Google, YouTube, ChatGPT, etc.

Report · Oct 31, 2025

Hey, @trevorw2560870. Welcome to the Lightroom Community. I'll help you figure this out.

Lightroom may be pointing to a corrupt catalog, and when you use the CTRL + Shift launch, you're pointing it to the correct catalog, or it could be a permissions issue, as when you launch with the CTRL + Shift method on Windows, the UAC permission is required, and that isn't the case when you launch normally, in most cases.

Here are a primary steps you can try:

Reset Lightroom Classic following the second (manual) method from this article: https://adobe.ly/4fOPxm4
After reset, head to your current catalog & double-click on the <catalog name>.LRCAT file to launch it directly in Lightroom Classic.

Let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

Report · Oct 31, 2025

@Sameer K

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it as described, but with the same results.

As an additional bit of info, if I start LrC after completing the second manual method - NOT from the *.lrcat file - LrC starts up ok, but with a default, clean catalog. if I then try to open the 'correct' catalog from the File menu I get the same result. i.e. LrC tries to restart using the correct catalog and I get the same results, i.e. corupt catalog and then nothing although LrC is running in Task Manager.