Can't import images onto lightroom because the "add" button is greyed out

[CameraWiz]

I've been using lightroom fine for a couple of weeks, however recently I can no longer import the images from my SD card onto lightroom through "add" it's greyed out. I'm forced to make a copy of the pictures somewhere so it can add the images to the catalog. This is extremely frustrating and time consuming. I've looked everywhere for a solution but of no avail. Would someone be able to help?

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

The correct behavior of Lightroom Classic is to not allow "Add" when photos are on a camera card. Only "Copy" or "Copy as DNG" are allowed.

If at some time in the past you were able to "Add" photos from a camera card, this is a bug that has appeared from time to time. What you are seeing now is the correct behavior of Lightroom Classic.

[CameraWiz]

But then, what is the purpose of the "add" button? 

[dj_paige]

"Add" leaves the photos exactly where they are, it doesn't move or copy the photos. It is really only useful when the photos are already on one of your hard disks or network drives, and you want to leave them in the folder where they are currently located.

[gary_sc]

CameraWiz,

See my answer below

[Just Shoot Me]

It is for IF You Copy images to your hard drive, in Exactly the Drive & Folder you want them in and then want to import them into the LR Classic Catalog.

The Add option leaves them where you placed them and just Adds them to the catalog file.

The Catalog file is just a Database file that a Record, a Reference, is placed in the database as to what drive and folder they are stored on and any edits you have made to each image.

There are No actual photos in the LR Catalog file.

[gary_sc · Accepted solution]

Hi CameraWiz,

To answer that, let's look at what the four options are for:

-Copy as DNG is only relevant if your original images are raw images. If your original images are JPG images, ignore than.

-Copy means that it will take the images, whereever they are and make a copy of them to a new location, one that you want all your images to be located at.

-Move means that it will take the images from where they are to a location where you want all of your images.

-Add means that it will leave your images where they are but they will still be recorded in your catalog.

The option to Add is great if you do not care where your images are located. This is because LR doesn't care where the images are located, it just needs to know so that it can follow your activities. If you do care where they are located, then you need to Move or Copy them because I keep all of my images together in the same location. 

My guess is that your images might still be on your camera/phone and as such LR thinks that that's not a viable location.

Keep in mind taht if you move your images in the Finder/Explorer, LR doesn't have a clue as to where you've moved them to. You can show LR where they are later on but that's a lot of extra work. It's much better to move images within LR to avoid those complications. That's also why I keep all of my images inside one folder (and many subfoldes).

Let us know if this helps you.

[CameraWiz]

Ohhh that makes a lot of sense actually. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to help me understand!

[Rob_Cullen]

Two video tutorials that illustrate the use of 'Copy' and 'Add'-

http://youtu.be/lYKzz2a5Mts

https://youtu.be/--nEKNEH_1I

[CameraWiz]

Thank you! I'll definitely give those videos a watch so I can further understand the difference. Maybe in the future I'll also be able to help others!