Should I store my Lightroom catalog on a cloud storage service like iCloud Drive or Dropbox?

[AlexBlondek]

I have just started using Lightroom after years of using photoshop. I work on both a iMac and MB Pro. I have moved my catalog into iCloud Drive but just need to ensure that my photos are there too as my MB Pro says photos are missing (but gives me a preview and allows me to edit).

I will locate where it imports my raws but does anyone see an issue with this aside from drives not being in sync?

Thanks.

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi ALudB,

Please check the below discussions related to use iCloud with Lightroom also, we don't recommend to use the network drive for storing images or Lightroom catalog.

best cloud backup solution for lightroom

Storing my pictures on iCloud Drive

Do let us know if you have questions.

Regards,

Mohit

[AlexBlondek]

Hi Mohit,

Both of those don't really answer the same query. iCloud Drive is a folder on a computer that syncs. Essentially it is like any other folder on a computer, but in the background it syncs the contents of that folder on the hard drive to the cloud. If I have both Lightroom's catalogues set to iCloud drive they should act like any other folder on my hard drive.

Ok, what do you suggest to properly keep both Lightrooms in sync if not this approach? It said external drives are not recommended which makes sense so what alternatives are there?

[JP Hess]

Where did you read that external drives are not recommended? Would you please quote the article that so stated that you should not use external drives?

[CAlyanak]

I'd like to bump this question. Why can't we use iCloud Drive, which acts like a local folder on both macs, to store a catalog? The images themselves (in my case stored on a network drive) won't know the difference so long as the two catalogs are in perfect sync. Adobe??

[Jao vdL · Accepted solution]

You can use iCloud Drive, Dropbox, creative cloud drive, etc. to sync your catalog and images between computers. It will work. The caveat is that there is a significant opportunity for catalog corruptions loss of edits when the catalog is open on both ends Or the catalog file is opened on another computer before syncing has finished ( which takes a long time of you’re dealing with a catalog that is 100’s of GB). That is why they recommend against it. The other solution, just storing the catalog and the images on an external drive on the other hand will work flawlessly.

p.s. Because Adobe got pestered so much on this syncing between computers, they came out with the Lightroom cc app which does the syncing but is much less full featured than classic. You can sync from classic to cc and theN do edits on another computer or a tablet and the edits will sync back to classic.

[jcraiglad]

To be clear, I just want to perform a "one-way" secure back up of the original files (minus edits if needed).  I would do this on a regular basis and would only retrieve thos image files/catelogues if there were a distaster; however, I would like to use my considerable icloud drive storage space for this purpose.  I would then say weekly push a copy of my photos (not previews etc, the original image file) to the folder/file on icloud drive as though it was an external drive sitting on my desk.  Does that work?

Many Thanks

  - Craig

[Morten Jensen]

You can do the following steps:

1. From within LR create a folder in your Documents folder, that should hold your images

2. From within LR select all your existing photos and drag them to the folder you just created

3. From within LR right-click on the folder you just created and select "Import to this folder..."

That way you photos will be backed up via iCloud

[johnl25642152]

I would also like to know why Adobe is advising against storing the catalog on iCloud. It there a technical reason?

[dj_paige]

This has already been explained in this thread.

[DdeGannes]

Deleted.

[Luis Martell]

This has been answered but I'd like to clarify one of the essential problems with any "sync solution" contrasted to a "backup solution".  
most Sync solutions like iCloud and Dropbox watch for a "file change" to trigger coping/updating a file. 

The Lightroom Catalog is a database. These types of files stay open or "live" during your use of the program and often make change as you use of the software. To copy a "live" requires software that understand and can contol that file, locking it if needed, while writing/updating the copy of the file/database.  iCloud and Dropbox DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. You will likely create corrupted copy's of the Lightroom Catalog. 

Back up on the other hand, is copying a closed file, not live.  The back up does not get updated in the sense of synchronizing. What I mean is if you delete the file on the local computer it will not be deleted from the back up typically. Or if you make another back up you will have two copies, one for each version of the file. This can be very beneficial if unintentionally you backed up a corrupt version of the file, as you could then recover the older version that's in good condition.

One of the responses explained that with Lightroom (non-Classic), which is designed for  online use and on multiple devices, the catalog is saved to Adobe Cloud constantly.  These live backups are made by the software to the cloud safely and intelligently. This is because Adobe programmed it that way by design.  If you are a Lightroom Classic user the programs can share catalogs and avoid corruption. But even that setup most be done exactly as Adobe designed it. You can't just do your one thing. 

So if you want is to use your iCloud or dropbox space, simply use the program normally and close out of it completely and then move a copy to your Sing folder and allow it to synchronize but not while it is live. The other option is to put photos into those services but keep the catalog synchronized through Lightroom (non-Classic).