Storage

[kate2kate]

I just downloaded Lightroom CC. I want to make sure I understand how this works before I set up all my albums and folders.

Do all of my photos and edits stay on the cloud or are they stored on my hard drive? If they are stored in the cloud do I need a backup system or do they provide back up of their servers.  Thanks!

[selondon]

Lightroom CC as a name no longer exists. Can you tell us which release version you are using?

The Cloud Based Lightroom is now called........ Lightroom! And the traditional local disc based Lightroom is called Lightroom Classic.

If it's Cloud Based, then photos and edits are stored in the Cloud (briefly in the local hidden catalog as well until they're replaced in the cache, but that's of no concern). 

Personally,  I occasionally back up my originals somewhere else also (on a mostly disconnected HD) but obviously this doesn't hold the edits.

[kate2kate]

selondon thank you for your reply.

The version says 2.4.1. I just downloaded it last week. 

Is only the app stored on the hard drive? 

How do you back up the originals?

[Jim Wilde]

No, more than just the app is stored locally....there's a "Local Library" which is created when you start using Lightroom, this will contain previews, smart previews and also the information about any edits that you make. Additionally, a copy of any originals that you import will also be stored in the local library, though it is possible to have this element redirected to a separate location, e.g. on a separate drive. Depending on your preference settings, those locally stored originals may be automatically deleted from the local drive in due course. 

One of the preference options is to store a local copy of ALL the cloud-based originals, which is probably what @selondon backs up to another drive.

[kate2kate]

The photos that you import and that are stored locally, do they also get put on the cloud.

[Jim Wilde]

Yes. Any photos that you import into any of the Lightroom cloud apps will automatically be uploaded to the cloud, though they are first copied to the local hard drive designated area (in the case of the Desktop app, or internal app space in the case of phone/tablet apps) from where they are then uploaded to the cloud.

[kate2kate]

Thank you. I think I have got it.