Switching to different account in LrM

[Netcarlos]

I have created a large collection of photos on my iPad using the "free" Lightroom mobile version.

I have now purchased a Creative Cloud (CC) plan but for a different email account than the one I'm currently logged in with on my iPad.

The question is: Can I safely log out of Lightroom Mobile and log in with my new account without losing the locally stored photos? I haven't seen a clear answer to this yet.

Another question: My locally stored photos exceed the 20GB cloud storage limit that I have purchased. Can I still use the cloud and select particular folders to upload? I would like to sync at least partially to my desktop.

[Charlie.D · Accepted solution]

Each email address you used to sign into Lightroom is a different account, with a different catalog and set of images.

The approach I recommend:

• Lightroom Downloader: save images with edit XMP sidecars for easy Lr Classic import:
  • If cost is not an issue, I could see doing a single month subscription for LR Mobile to get all the images and edits there synced to the cloud.  Then I would use the Lightroom Downloader to save all images with edits down to your computer.  This saves your images and edits onto your computer in a way that Lightroom Classic can import while preserving edits, unlike the iOS File Share process above.  
  • See: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/kb/download-lightroom-photos.html 
  • If you are offered a 7-day free trial, you might be able to do all the uploading from Lr Mobile that's required in time to cancel before being charged.  The Lightroom Downloader will continue to work for your LR Mobile account even after you cancel the subscription.

Other possible approaches:

• Export images from the free LR Mobile app to your camera roll, then copy them to the computer.
  • If you use Export As.. you can specify whether to export original versions of your images, or edited versions.  If you export as DNG, your edits will be stored in metadata so that you can still revert changes later.  However, DNGs are larger files than JPGs etc that are compressed.  Once you're done exporting, then transfer from your device to your computer and then import into LR Classic.
  • the downside: this is cumbersome 
• Use iOS Finder/iTunes File Sharing to quickly copy all images from your Lightroom Mobile app cache to your computer.
  • How: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/kb/recover-lightroom-mobile-photos-itunes-file-sharing.html 
  • Con: you lose your edits.  All your original images will be in the Originals folder, and all your edits will be in a folder called "blobs."  Pointing Lr Classic's importer at these "blob" folders where XMPs are store will NOT automatically reintegrate the edits, because the XMPs are not sitting alongside the original images.  
  • Pro: this is the fastest way to copy all your images out of the Lightroom Mobile app. I would do this process  just to get a nice backup of your LR Mobile original images.  

There is yet another option, which is to use Lightroom CC's Share Albums.  However, this is geared towards non-LR Classic apps, and you already mentioned the plan you're on might now have enough cloud storage space for all your LR Mobile images.  So I won't go into further detail.

I hope something here is helpful

[Netcarlos]

Thanks a lot!

Your first approach (Lightroom Downloader) sounds good. I am interested in keeping the edits (and being able to revert), as well as maintaining the image rating and image flag. I mainly use my iPad to weed out photos. Hopefully that's kept too when using Lightroom Downloader.

[Netcarlos]

I'm currently upgrading my new CC account to 1TB, so using Share Albums would probably be more appropriate as it preserves all the data, including the changes I've made to my photos.

Can I inquire about the Share Album feature?

I will create a shared album on my new CC account to allow my old account to contribute.

Is it possible to upgrade my free LrM account to access cloud storage and then upload all photos directly to the cloud from my iOS device? Or is there another method?

Thank you!

[Charlie.D]

Your paid account can enable sharing on an album, and then invite the free account to join and add photos.  Be sure to grant your free account Can Contribute or Can Edit rights -- your free account does not need to subscribe to upload to another user's paid account.

Here's a page that shows shared albums info: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/web/share-your-work/share-and-invite/share-photos-and-albums-fo.... 

[Netcarlos]

Thanks!

So the shared album should appear in LrM where I'm logged with the old (free) account)?

[Charlie.D]

That is correct