Changing location for imported images

[jsmilanicforum]

I know how to export a catalog to another folder on my computer or external hard drive. But I want to change where my photos are currently stored and imported to (Currently: /Users/(myname)/Pictures/2020) to a new folder (/Users/(myname)/Google Drive/Lightroom Catalog). How can I achieve this? Thanks!

Current version of MacOS and Lightroom Classic.

[JohanElzenga]

Do you want to change where the photos are stored, or where the catalog is stored? Photos are not stored in the catalog, and the path of the new folder suggests that perhaps you mean the latter.

Anyway: You can move the photos to another folder by dragging and dropping them in the Lightroom folder panel. Because the new folder will not exist in the folder panel yet, place one photo in that folder and import it (use 'ADD' not 'COPY'!). That will add the folder to the Lightroom folder panel (you can now delete that photo if you want to). Now you can drag and drop images or folders in that new folder. When you import images, select this folder in the Destination panel of the import dialog.

If you want to move the catalog folder into the Google Drive folder (move the entire catalog folder, not just the catalog file), then just do so and then double click the catalog file. That will launch Lightroom and let it know that this is the new location of the catalog.

[jsmilanicforum]

Thank you.

I want to change where the photos are stored.

"When you import images, select this folder in the Destination panel of the import dialog."

Ok, thank you that helps. So it seems like up until this point, Lightroom has been creating destination folders for me, based on the date the photos were taken - I.E. Pictures \ 2020 \ (Date of Photos). If I change the destination folder to a folder in Google Drive, will it, by default, import photos to that same destination in Google Drive next time I import photos? Or do I have to point it to somewhere besides Pictures \ 2020 \ (Date of Photos) each time?

[Jao vdL]

It should remember the destination but you should check. I also use a non-standard destination and it sometimes, usually right after an update to CLassic, forgets. You can always easily reselect the new destination by clicking on the tiny up and down arrows next to the destination in the top right corner of the import pane.

[jsmilanicforum]

Thank you very much for your time!

[Jao vdL]

Basically follow these instructions:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/move-photos-another-hard-drive-leaving-catalog/

but ignore the other hard drive part, just move the images to a new location.

Than just change the location you import your new images to to the new location.