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Participating Frequently
December 11, 2020
Answered

Split Library

  • December 11, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 686 views

I have a large library of work and home photos, mostly work, and would like to split them into two libraries.  Can I do this?

 

-=Tim=-

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Correct answer JohanElzenga

Between different accounts, home and work.


That is something you can do. You can use export as 'original + settings'. That will export the original image with the edits in an XMP sidecar file. When you import that image in Lightroom running in another account, the settings will be read and so your edits will come over. Adobe has also created a special downloader app to download an entire account, but I am not sure in what format the download takes place.

 

4 replies

selondon
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 12, 2020

It's a shame that you cannot have multiple Libraries as the Cloud Based Lightroom's predecessor (Revel) had such a feature.

 

I still think this would be a great feature and created a request quite a while ago if you want to add comments to that:

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-desktop-cloudbased/lightroom-desktop-multiple-collaborative-catalogslibraries/5f5f45d24b561a3d42615e49

 

For what it's worth, even though Adobe say this feature won't ever be coming, there's always hope!

Participating Frequently
December 11, 2020

So my only choice is to export the current versions of the smaller library (its MUCH smaller) and then import them into a new Lightroom library that I'd have to setup.  I'd lose my originals and edits on those exports right?

 

If it is what it is that's OK, I'll live with it.

 

Thanks!

 

-=Tim=-

Theresa J
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 11, 2020

It is NOT possible to have two Lightroom Libraries if you are using the cloud version of Lightroom.

Participating Frequently
December 11, 2020

Not with two different accounts?

 

-=Tim=-

Theresa J
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 11, 2020

I assume you are using Lightroom (the cloud version), not Lightroom Classic. If so then the answer is no. You can only have one Lightroom library per user account. If you are using Lightroom Classic, you could create separate catalogs, but only one of those catalogs can be synced to the Lightroom cloud.

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 11, 2020

No, Lightroom desktop has a single library. You split by using albums and 'folders' which are album sets. So create a work folder and a private folder and create albums inside these folders.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga