Studying learn how to transfer Lightroom to a brand new pc may 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 images workflow.
Since I began utilizing Lightroom, I’ve migrated my Lightroom catalog not less than 4 instances. Immediately, 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 totally different corners of my pc.
Let me clarify.
I hold my Lightroom set up with the grasp catalog, configuration information, and previews on my main SSD (strong 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 picture library (a complete of 5 TB) subsequent to my grasp catalog.
I’ve a traditional onerous drive (8 TB) devoted to my picture library.
Lastly, I hold my Lightroom catalog backups on a separate onerous drive the place I retailer all my archived information and the sources I don’t use frequently.
I deal with the method of migrating Lightroom to a brand new pc as a multistep course of the place I deal with the totally different components of the Lightroom setup individually.
Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Laptop
The method of migrating Lightroom to a brand new pc could be damaged down into 8 steps, two of that are non-obligatory.
- Step 1 – Install Lightroom
- Step 2 – Switch the Photograph Library to a brand new pc
- Step 3 – Transfer Lightroom Catalog from outdated pc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-obligatory step)
- Step 8 – Deliver Catalog Backups (non-obligatory step)
Once you deal with every element individually, the entire course of turns into very logical and uncomplicated.
Step 1: Set up Lightroom
Earlier than putting in Lightroom, you could set up the Artistic Cloud utility 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 utility and navigate to All Apps part.
Subsequent, deploy Lightroom Basic by hitting the Set up button from the Artistic Cloud app.
As you most likely know, Artistic Cloud permits you to set up Lightroom on two totally different computer systems (Mac and PC). If in case you have already put in and activated Lightroom on two computer systems, you could go to the Artistic Cloud net portal (Plans & Fee tab) and disconnect one among your installations.
TIP: Just be sure you don’t disconnect the pc from which you’re presently performing the migration. You will want to entry it a number of instances 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 strategy of switching from PC to Mac). Once 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 throughout the migration.
Step 2: Migrate Your Photograph Library
Earlier than you begin shifting your picture library to a brand new pc, ensure that it’s nicely organized.
I’ve a devoted tutorial the place I define my Lightroom picture group and library construction that I take advantage of in my images. The concept 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 issue managing your library in case your images are scattered throughout totally different drives and directories.
Earlier than beginning the migration, I strongly advocate you conform your picture library to a one-directory construction.
TIP: Be sure to prepare your library from inside Lightroom utilizing the Folders Panel within the Library Module. For those who use Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac) to maneuver your picture information round, Lightroom won’t be able to trace these adjustments.
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 area, use an exterior onerous drive to retailer your complete picture library. Be sure the exterior onerous drive is high-speed and dependable. You will discover a few of my onerous drive suggestions right here: Greatest Exterior Arduous Drives for Photographers
Step 3: Migrate the Lightroom Catalog
The subsequent 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’s not all the time straightforward to find a catalog file as a result of, typically, it’s buried deep inside your pc’s set up folders. Luckily, 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 Common tab and click on the SHOW button. This may take you to the listing the place the Lightroom catalog resides.
The Lightroom catalog has an .lrcat extension.
You will want to repeat the catalog file to your new pc.
I extremely advocate that you just hold 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 below the Lightroom Settings listing.
The listing accommodates a large quantity of knowledge 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 info to your new set up, it will possibly take weeks and even months to recreate it. Importing the listing is a vital step of the migrating course of.
In my case, I take advantage of one catalog group and all my configuration information are positioned subsequent to my catalog file.
You should copy the 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 accomplished the 4 earlier steps, you’re able to launch your imported Lightroom Catalog on a brand new pc.
The prospect that the file construction in your new machine is an identical to your outdated one could be very slim. Which means that Lightroom received’t be capable of discover your images as a result of they’re saved in a unique location.
Associated: My High 15 Lightroom Workflow Ideas
Once you see a query mark subsequent to a folder contained in the Lightroom Library module, which means that it has no thought the place to search out them and that it’s worthwhile to re-link the lacking folders to level them to a brand new picture location.
The excellent news is that you just wouldn’t have to do that for each folder. All you must do is right-click on the high of the dad or mum folder and level to the brand new location the place you positioned the picture library in Step 2. Lightroom will do the remaining by mapping all of the folders to their new places.
Step 6: Migrating Lightroom Preset Library
After Adobe modified the format of Lightroom presets in 2018 from .lrtemplate to .xmp, the placement of develop preset information on a pc onerous drive isn’t all the time apparent.
Since XMP presets are shared between Lightroom and Photoshop, by default, presets are imported to Adobe Artistic RAW (ACR) utility. It is smart as a result of the presets could be accessed by Lightroom and Photoshop from a single location.
However in the event you change the Lightroom settings and verify the field Retailer presets with this catalog (what I do), the imported presets will probably be saved subsequent to the Lightroom catalog.
What it means is that Lightroom presets could be saved somewhere else in your onerous drive. Typically, particular person presets from the identical group (assortment) could be saved in numerous places. It doesn’t have an effect on your workflow once you use preset-based enhancing however will trigger a headache when it’s worthwhile to migrate your complete preset library to a different pc.
Right here is my answer.
Use the brand new Lightroom performance ‘Export Group’ to export the complete preset group. Lightroom collects presets, even when they’re positioned in numerous places, and zip them into one single file.
Once you import them to Lightroom on a unique pc, all of the presets from the identical group will probably be saved in a single location.
It’s a good way to wash up your preset group.
Step 7: Migrate Previews (Non-obligatory Step)
The way in which Lightroom works is that for every picture you import to catalog, it creates a preview file(s) or a JPEG model of your authentic picture. Relying in your preferences, Lightroom may create a full-size JPEG model of your RAW file plus a smaller model in the event you use Sensible 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 authentic preview information to a brand new pc, however I by no means do.
In Lightroom Preferences, you may specify how lengthy you wish to hold full-size previews earlier than they’re discarded. Due to the restricted disk area on my main SSD drive, I take advantage of 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 selection very nicely. Over a interval of months, the preview folder measurement grows uncontrolled and I’ve to manually delete the previews to recuperate priceless disk area.
The migration course of offers me a chance to begin the preview technology 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 want them by utilizing the handbook 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 the complete catalog folder with all its content material to a brand new pc.
Step 8: Transfer Catalog Backups (Non-obligatory Step)
Lightroom has built-in performance to again up the catalog information in case the grasp catalog is corrupt. That is crucial as a result of the catalog information include years of amassed info. For those who lose it, it will likely 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 may configure it to a unique frequency.
By default, Lightroom shops catalog backup information contained in the Catalog folder.
However, it’s extremely really helpful that you just use a unique location out of your grasp drive the place the catalog resides. The logic right here is that in case your grasp drive fails, you should have an intact backup on one other drive.
Whereas importing backup information to a brand new set up is really helpful, it’s not crucial.
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.
Once I full the migration course of and every little thing appears to be like good, I create the primary backup on a brand new pc, which is greater than sufficient for me. Plus, I all the time have a couple of variations of the catalog backup saved on my Backblaze cloud.
FAQ: Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Laptop
What if my new pc has a unique working system?
No worries in case your new pc has a unique 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 programs, so you may simply transfer them with none points.
Simply bear in mind, the Artistic Cloud app and Lightroom set up will not be common. You might want to set up them primarily based on whether or not your pc is a Mac or PC. After that, you may 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 may transfer your present Lightroom catalog, images, and settings to the brand new pc with no need 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, ensure that 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 outdated Lightroom Catalog and the complete picture 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 once you open Lightroom on the brand new pc.
Easy methods to Transfer Lightroom to a New Laptop | Conclusion
Shifting the Lightroom Catalog to a brand new location is a severe enterprise and generally is a disastrous expertise if performed improper. However in the event you observe the outlined steps, the method will probably be painless and could be accomplished very quickly in any respect!
