Local storage

Report · Jul 19, 2023

I'm new here so appreciate the advice. I understand LR classic is local hard drive storage and Lightroom CC is cloud based. I see the option in LR CC for storing orignials on local hard drive? Does this mean I can keep my 4TB photos library on a local drive and use LR CC without needing to upgrade the cloud storage past standard 1TB? The UI with LR classic vs LR CC is night and day different and would prefer Lightroom CC.

Report · Jul 20, 2023

Does this mean I can keep my 4TB photos library on a local drive and use LR CC without needing to upgrade the cloud storage past standard 1TB?

By @Jay31187398h7qg

Not really. The Lightroom desktop app (not called "CC" for several years now) is designed to store all images in the cloud. Yes, it is possible to keep cloud syncing paused in the Lightroom app so that new imports are only stored locally in the designated location, BUT I'm not sure that the app would allow you to import more than what can be stored in the current allocated cloud storage space.

Even if it did, it's a bad idea as you would have no backup of any work that you do with those images (adding metadata, editing etc.) unless you resort to continually exporting each image (as original + settings) whenever you make a change. Furthermore, you would miss out on the ability to share images via the cloud, view your images on when not at home, and you'd also miss out on the AI search capability which is only done on the cloud servers.