Studying how you can transfer Lightroom to a brand new pc would possibly sound like a scary proposition to many photographers. However, since we alter computer systems each three to 5 years, it’s unavoidable. That’s the reason I deal with it as a part of my pictures workflow.
Since I began utilizing Lightroom, I’ve migrated my Lightroom catalog at the very least 4 occasions. At present, I give you my methodical, step-by-step strategy..
First, I don’t deal with my Lightroom setup as a monolith set up; it’s extra like a multi-piece entity with its components scattered throughout completely different corners of my pc.
Let me clarify.
I preserve my Lightroom set up with the grasp catalog, configuration information, and previews on my major SSD (stable state drive) onerous drive. This can be very quick however comparatively small at solely 500 GB. Which means that I can’t retailer my complete photograph library (a complete of 5 TB) subsequent to my grasp catalog.
I’ve a traditional onerous drive (8 TB) devoted to my photograph library.
Lastly, I preserve my Lightroom catalog backups on a separate onerous drive the place I retailer all my archived information and the sources I don’t use regularly.
I deal with the method of migrating Lightroom to a brand new pc as a multistep course of the place I tackle the completely different components of the Lightroom setup individually.
Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Pc
The method of migrating Lightroom to a brand new pc may be damaged down into 8 steps, two of that are non-compulsory.
- Step 1 – Install Lightroom
- Step 2 – Switch the Photograph Library to a brand new pc
- Step 3 – Transfer Lightroom Catalog from previous pc
- Step 4 – Port Configuration and Settings
- Step 5 – Re-link the lacking folders
- Step 6 – Migrate Lightroom Preset Library
- Step 7 – Deliver Preview Recordsdata (non-compulsory step)
- Step 8 – Deliver Catalog Backups (non-compulsory step)
Once you tackle every part individually, the entire course of turns into very logical and uncomplicated.
Step 1: Set up Lightroom
Earlier than putting in Lightroom, it’s essential to set up the Artistic Cloud software in your new pc.
Login to your Adobe Artistic Cloud account utilizing net browser, obtain and set up the Artistic Cloud app.
After putting in the Artistic Cloud app, launch the desktop Artistic Cloud software and navigate to All Apps part.
Subsequent, deploy Lightroom Traditional by hitting the Set up button from the Artistic Cloud app.
As you in all probability know, Artistic Cloud means that you can set up Lightroom on two completely different computer systems (Mac and PC). You probably have already put in and activated Lightroom on two computer systems, it’s essential to go to the Artistic Cloud net portal (Plans & Fee tab) and disconnect one among your installations.
TIP: Just remember to don’t disconnect the pc from which you’re at the moment performing the migration. You’ll need to entry it a number of occasions all through the migration course of.
In my case, I’ve Lightroom activated on my PC desktop and on my Mac laptop computer (I’m in means of switching from PC to Mac). After I begin the migration course of, I deactivate my PC Desktop set up in order that I can use Lightroom on my Mac and new computer systems through the migration.
Step 2: Migrate Your Photograph Library
Earlier than you begin transferring your photograph library to a brand new pc, be certain it’s effectively organized.
I’ve a devoted tutorial the place I define my Lightroom photograph group and library construction that I exploit in my pictures. The thought behind
This organizational model makes it extremely easy to again up your images. It additionally makes it straightforward to maneuver your complete library from one location to a different.
You’ll have problem managing your library in case your images are scattered throughout completely different drives and directories.
Earlier than beginning the migration, I strongly suggest you conform your photograph library to a one-directory construction.
TIP: Be certain to prepare your library from inside Lightroom utilizing the Folders Panel within the Library Module. In the event you use Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac) to maneuver your picture information round, Lightroom will be unable to trace these modifications.
As soon as your library is so as, use an exterior onerous drive to repeat your complete library to your new pc.
If you’re migrating your Lightroom set up to a laptop computer with inadequate onerous drive house, use an exterior onerous drive to retailer your complete photograph library. Be certain the exterior onerous drive is high-speed and dependable. You’ll find a few of my onerous drive suggestions right here: Greatest Exterior Laborious Drives for Photographers
Step 3: Migrate the Lightroom Catalog
The following step is to maneuver the catalog file to a brand new pc. The Lightroom Catalog is a database the place the appliance shops details about the images and their group.
Associated: Easy methods to Export Lightroom Presets
It isn’t at all times straightforward to find a catalog file as a result of, generally, it’s buried deep inside your pc’s set up folders. Thankfully, Lightroom gives us with a shortcut to an lively catalog location.
Easy methods to Discover Lightroom Catalog Location
Listed here are the steps to pinpoint the Lightroom catalog location:
From the highest menu, choose EDIT (Lightroom on Mac) > Catalog Settings… Go to the Basic tab and click on the SHOW button. This can take you to the listing the place the Lightroom catalog resides.
The Lightroom catalog has an .lrcat extension.
You’ll need to repeat the catalog file to your new pc.
I extremely suggest that you simply preserve your catalog file in your quickest drive, ideally on a solid-state drive (SSD).
Step 4: Copy Configuration Settings
Lightroom combines all of the settings, configuration information, and presets underneath the Lightroom Settings listing.
The listing accommodates an enormous quantity of data associated to your Lightroom Catalog. It shops import and export presets, metadata presets, key phrase units, and so forth. If you don’t import all of the configuration data to your new set up, it might take weeks and even months to recreate it. Importing the listing is a vital step of the migrating course of.
In my case, I exploit one catalog group and all my configuration information are situated subsequent to my catalog file.
You should copy your complete Lightroom Settings folder to a brand new pc and place them in a brand new catalog folder.
Step 5: Re-link the New Catalog with the Photograph Library
When you’ve got accomplished the 4 earlier steps, you’re able to launch your imported Lightroom Catalog on a brand new pc.
The possibility that the file construction in your new machine is equivalent to your previous one could be very slim. Which means that Lightroom gained’t be capable of discover your images as a result of they’re saved in a special location.
Associated: My Prime 15 Lightroom Workflow Ideas
Once you see a query mark subsequent to a folder contained in the Lightroom Library module, which means it has no thought the place to search out them and that you could re-link the lacking folders to level them to a brand new picture location.
The excellent news is that you simply would not have to do that for each folder. All it’s a must to do is right-click on the prime of the dad or mum folder and level to the brand new location the place you positioned the photograph library in Step 2. Lightroom will do the remaining by mapping all of the folders to their new areas.
Step 6: Migrating Lightroom Preset Library
After Adobe modified the format of Lightroom presets in 2018 from .lrtemplate to .xmp, the situation of develop preset information on a pc onerous drive is just not at all times apparent.
Since XMP presets are shared between Lightroom and Photoshop, by default, presets are imported to Adobe Artistic RAW (ACR) software. It is smart as a result of the presets may be accessed by Lightroom and Photoshop from a single location.
However in the event you change the Lightroom settings and examine the field Retailer presets with this catalog (what I do), the imported presets shall be saved subsequent to the Lightroom catalog.
What it means is that Lightroom presets may be saved elsewhere in your onerous drive. Generally, particular person presets from the identical group (assortment) may be saved in numerous areas. It doesn’t have an effect on your workflow while you use preset-based modifying however will trigger a headache when you could migrate your complete preset library to a different pc.
Right here is my answer.
Use the brand new Lightroom performance ‘Export Group’ to export your complete preset group. Lightroom collects presets, even when they’re situated in numerous areas, and zip them into one single file.
Once you import them to Lightroom on a special pc, all of the presets from the identical group shall be saved in a single location.
It’s a good way to wash up your preset group.
Step 7: Migrate Previews (Optionally available Step)
The way in which Lightroom works is that for every photograph you import to catalog, it creates a preview file(s) or a JPEG model of your unique picture. Relying in your preferences, Lightroom would possibly create a full-size JPEG model of your RAW file plus a smaller model in the event you use Good Previews performance. The preview information are a vital a part of Lightroom’s non-destructive RAW workflow.
I do know that many photographers copy their unique preview information to a brand new pc, however I by no means do.
In Lightroom Preferences, you’ll be able to specify how lengthy you wish to preserve full-size previews earlier than they’re discarded. Due to the restricted disk house on my major SSD drive, I exploit the 30-day choice. Which means that if I don’t use a selected picture for longer than 30 days, Lightroom discards its preview.
However, I discover that Lightroom doesn’t handle this feature very effectively. Over a interval of months, the preview folder measurement grows uncontrolled and I’ve to manually delete the previews to get well useful disk house.
The migration course of provides me a possibility to begin the preview era course of from scratch with out importing any pointless information.
When I’m completed with the migration, I can start recreating preview information as I would like them through the use of the guide methodology in Library Module.
TIP: Mix Steps 3, 4 and 5 into one
motion
Since Lightroom shops the Catalog, Settingsand Previews contained in the catalog folder, it is smart to mix steps 3, 4 and 5 right into a single transfer by copying your complete catalog folder with all its content material to a brand new pc.
Step 8: Transfer Catalog Backups (Optionally available Step)
Lightroom has built-in performance to again up the catalog information in case the grasp catalog is corrupt. That is vital as a result of the catalog information include years of amassed data. In the event you lose it, it is going to be a catastrophe.
See additionally: Easy methods to Batch Edit in Lightroom
In my case, the backup course of is ready to a weekly schedule. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to configure it to a special frequency.
By default, Lightroom shops catalog backup information contained in the Catalog folder.
However, it’s extremely really useful that you simply use a special location out of your grasp drive the place the catalog resides. The logic right here is that in case your grasp drive fails, you’ll have an intact backup on one other drive.
Whereas importing backup information to a brand new set up is really useful, it isn’t vital.
Within the 12 years that I’ve used Lightroom, I’ve by no means had any points with catalog information so I’m not very paranoid on this regard.
After I full the migration course of and the whole lot seems good, I create the primary backup on a brand new pc, which is greater than sufficient for me. Plus, I at all times have a couple of variations of the catalog backup saved on my Backblaze cloud.
FAQ: Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Pc
What if my new pc has a special working system?
No worries in case your new pc has a special system, like switching from Home windows to Mac. I did it earlier than, and it’s not an enormous deal. The settings in Lightroom (catalog, presets and configuration information) work easily on each techniques, so you’ll be able to simply transfer them with none points.
Simply bear in mind, the Artistic Cloud app and Lightroom set up are usually not common. You’ll want to set up them based mostly on whether or not your pc is a Mac or PC. After that, you’ll be able to transfer your images, catalog, and settings with none issues
Is it attainable to maneuver Lightroom to a brand new pc with out an web connection?
You initially want an web connection to put in the Artistic Cloud and Lightroom purposes from the Adobe web site. Nonetheless, as soon as put in, you’ll be able to transfer your present Lightroom catalog, images, and settings to the brand new pc while not having a relentless web connection.
How do I transfer my images to the brand new pc with out shedding any edits?
To maneuver your images to a brand new pc with out shedding any edits, be certain to grasp the place your edits are saved. Relying in your Lightroom settings, edits are both saved within the Lightroom Catalog or as XMP information subsequent to particular person pictures, utilizing the identical file names.
To protect your edits, switch your previous Lightroom Catalog and the complete photograph library, together with the unique picture information and any related XMP information, to the brand new pc. This ensures that every one edits are maintained while you open Lightroom on the brand new pc.
Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Pc | Conclusion
Transferring the Lightroom Catalog to a brand new location is a severe endeavor and generally is a disastrous expertise if performed fallacious. However in the event you comply with the outlined steps, the method shall be painless and may be accomplished very quickly in any respect!