Not syncing and no storage used

[ImagoDeiAcademyTX]

I have selected to sync certain collections into Lightroom from Lightroom Classic.  These collections basically match my entire collection, but they're nice and organized once they get into Lightroom.  All looks fine until you look over into the Lightroom cloud version and realize that after DAYS of "syncing" it still says over 18k photos need to be synced and no space in my cloud has been used.  However, it does say I have x amount of photos in x amount of albums within the cloud.  So are they backed up or not?  And how can I get it to finish up this syncing process?  It has sat there for days and sometimes it'll manage to get down to about 16k photos and then when I open it back up, it will be back up to 18k.  I have included screenshots.

Thank you!

[JP Hess]

I cannot tell you why the synchronization will not complete. It may take more DAYS for that process to finish. Perhaps it would be in your best interest to try to synchronize smaller batches rather than try to do so many all at once.

Synchronizing collections from Lightroom Classic will never use any of your allocated 1 TB of cloud space. Lightroom Classic synchronizes smart previews to the cloud, and those do not impact your cloud allotment. The only time that will happen is when/if you download images directly to Lightroom for the cloud. In that case the full-sized images will be in the cloud, and those full-sized images DO impact your 1 TB cloud allotment.

[ImagoDeiAcademyTX]

Ok.  It doesn't make sense though that the number will go down and then go right back up.  I've left it up for over a week now and we never get down past 16k and it'll bounce back up.  Anyway, my intent was to never do this many at once.  I was doing only about 2k and it had completed and then all the sudden it acted like I hadn't done anything.

Also, I'm interested in CC backing up my photos.  That was the whole reason I set it up this way.  I didn't understand that it would just give you a view of it.  I wanted a backup on the cloud, that's what it seems to be advertised as doing.  Do you know how to set it up that way?

[JP Hess]

I cannot help you resolve your sync issue. Someone else will have to do that. I only sync a few collections, don't play around a lot with Lightroom for the cloud.

If you are looking at Lightroom for the cloud as a backup system, that isn't the intent for that program. Particularly if you are using it with Lightroom Classic, it only synchronizes smart previews. In that case it is necessary for you to have some other backup system for your master images.

If you choose to use Lightroom for the cloud as your primary program, Lightroom will take your master images to the cloud and you can optionally store a backup of your images on a local hard drive. But if you want a backup of those images in addition to that it is your responsibility to create that backup. Also, if you choose Lightroom for cloud the as your primary Lightroom program you would choose to migrate your entire catalog and from that point forward you would be doing your importing in Lightroom. Lightroom Classic would become somewhat secondary in your workflow. It is not recommended that you try to use both versions on the same computer. Some try to do it, but it doesn't usually function as they expect it to.

Lightroom for the cloud is designed for those who want access to their images not only on their computer but on all their other devices (phones, tablets, etc.) and be able to edit those images on all of those devices and have those adjustments impact the images on all devices. It isn't intended to merely be a backup system. If you truly want a secure backup of your images that is your responsibility.

[99jon]

If you want all of your originals in the cloud you need to use the menu in LR 3.1

File >> Migration from Lightroom Classic.

For a large catalog its best to use an external hard drive as lots of temp space will be required which can be recovered later.

Is the intention to stop using Classic and import everything directly into the cloud version going forward.

[Theresa J]

Did you set up Collections in Lightroom Classic, and then sync those. Or, did you migrate your catalog? I don't recommend the migrate method. This copies everything to the cloud and does not retain any reference back to the originals in Lightroom Classic.

[JP Hess]

I completely agree with that observation. Unless one is determined to totally commit to Lightroom for the cloud and pretty much abandon Lightroom Classic, I don't think migrating the catalog is a very good choice.