Docs
Libraries
Adding libraries
A library is any place an imported file could end up. Add as many as you want with Add library:
- A folder, such as your Pictures directory, a NAS share or a backup drive.
-
A Lightroom Classic catalog (
.lrcat). The catalog knows a photo was imported even if it was later renamed, converted to DNG, moved or deleted from disk. A folder scan can't see any of that.
Each library gets a short key, such as main, backup or
offsite. You use these keys in rules. The key is
shown next to the library's name.
Each library row has these buttons:
- Index now or Re-index reads the library's file list again. Only changed folders are re-read.
- Disable leaves the library out of checks without deleting it.
- Remove removes the library from the app. The files themselves are not touched.
Lightroom catalogs
- The catalog is copied before it's read, so Lightroom can stay open. But a catalog is read as of its last save, so newly imported photos only appear after Lightroom saves it.
- Files the catalog lists that aren't on this computer still count. A catalog can tell you what was imported even when the drive is unplugged. That's the main reason to add one.
- A catalog doesn't record file sizes, so catalog matches rely mainly on capture time and camera.
If a catalog doesn't match anything, you can see what's in it from the source code.
Cloud folders
A library in OneDrive, Dropbox or iCloud Drive works like any other folder. Cloud folders appear as shortcuts in the folder picker. Indexing only reads file names and sizes, so files that are only stored in the cloud aren't downloaded.