Can I use Lightroom without the Cloud?

[Patrick27995085f19u]

I am being forced by my company to use Lightroom. I want to keep all my photos on my harddrive. 

Can I use lightroom without uploading my photos to the cloud? If so, how do I do it?

Thanks. I appreciate all input.

[Jim Wilde · Accepted solution]

Are they forcing you to use the cloud-centric Lightroom, or do they also allow the use of the Lightroom Classic app? Lightroom Classic works with locally-stored images, so would probably suit you better.

However, if you are having to use the cloud-centric version, what's the problem with uploading the images to the cloud? Yes, you can pause cloud syncing so that all the images you add will remain on a local hard drive waiting for cloud sync to be resumed in order to upload them to the cloud....so if you don't resume syncing, they'll sit there on the local disk. However, doing that is rather silly as it means you have no backup for any of the edits that you do, and it also cuts you off from using LrMobile on your phones/tablets. It's just not a good idea in my opinion.

[Timothy.Spear]

Also many functions are disabled without the cloud, such as the search tool.

As @Jim Wilde said, if you want nothing in the cloud, use Classic instead.

Tim

[Patrick27995085f19u]

The company gave me both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom cloud...neither of which I know how to use.

Here's the scoop: I've used ACDSee as my photo organizer for years and years. I know it like the back of my hand. However the company won't let me installl it...I have to use Adobe.

With ACDSee, I worked directly with photos on my hard drive. I didn't have to upload them to new albums or folders...open ACDSee and there they were. NO cloud, which is fine.

I want to be able to access my photos without having to connect to the cloud, such as when I'm somewhere with no internet connection.

I don't care about cloud backups...once I finish editing my photo, I save it, post it to the publication I'm creating, then delete it. No will I ever need to access my photos from another device.

From what I've been able to figure out, Lightroom is NOT what I need and is a much bigger pain in the neck than what I need. Unfortunately, some IT geek that doesn't do my job has decided it's what I must use.

[Jim Wilde]

So use Lightroom Classic.....all images are referenced from local disk storage, the cloud is optional but isn't used by default.

[Patrick27995085f19u]

I'll give it a shot...thanks.

Quick question, though: Do I need to manually create folders and albums, or will Classic just read the file structure I already have in My Pictures?

Thanks.

[Jim Wilde]

When you import the images, if you use the "Add" import option the LrC will retain the existing folder structure, though I can't say what will happen about any albums you may have created (though I don't see how they would be preserved if they're not actual folders).

[Patrick27995085f19u]

Great. Thanks for the reply...I really appreciate the help.

Sorry, but I'm not an Adobe guy and trying to learn their stuff is pretty confusing.

[Jim Wilde]

No worries. You can get a copy of Victoria Bampton's free Quick Start Guide to Lightroom Classic from here: https://www.lightroomqueen.com/shop/classic-quickstart/

You just need to register for her web-site (which has one of the best Lightroom forums on the web). Registration is also free.