Importing on Lightroom Classic Slows Down Desktop Dramatically

[alexl59839128]

Hey All,

I'm using the most current 2020 OS on my iMac with i7 Core processor and 32GB RAM. It's a decently fast dekstop. When I import photos into Lightroom, I am creating previews, because you have to, but also Smart Previews, which is nothing new for my workflow. Lately, I find every aspect of my computer slowing down when I import - my Wacom tablet pen mouse either drags or just freezes, I can't use search engines because pages move so slowly, and every generally just lags majorly. Importing also CRASHES Lightoom from time to time, which is also a new problem. Is this Lightroom using up all 32GB of my RAM plus all my processing power in the latest version? I've never had such slowness before. And even working with Smart Previews I find there to be major slowness and drag in operations such as healing tool and working with an image once a preset has been applied. Any help to speed things up would be awesome.

[dj_paige]

It's not using up RAM. It is the CPU that is working hard. In recent years, Adobe has modified the programming in Lightroom to use more and more of the CPU during Import and Export. Other than importing in smaller batches, I'm not sure there's anything you can do.

[GoldingD]

Also, consider what is more important to you

Getting the photos into a folder, getting them onto that computer, before any adding to a LRC catalog

Getting them into the LRC catalog, but ignoring creating any previews for now

Getting them in the LRC catalog, creating all previews, running some presets, etc.

Might want to consider

1. Just use your file manager to COPY the photos from the SD card into the folder you want them in on the computer hard drive, or ext hard drive. Not importing at all. Just get them to that hard drive

2. Import them (ADD), with no previews created, no presets, no rename. And Face Detection, Address Lookup, paused.

3. Create previews, rename them, run your go to preset, Run any go to edits (batch)

The above is generally what I do when on a photo trip, First I want to get them onto the computer, so I have them on the SD AND the computer. Go to dinner while this occurs. Then I want to do some fundamental work to see just how well I did.