How To Move Photos From One Lightroom Catalog To Another.

In this video you will learn how to copy and move photos from one Lightroom catalog to another by exporting a group of photos as a catalog and then importing from a catalog. The process is fairly straight forward and this short video tutorial will demonstrate the entire process.

Where there are many reasons to move photos from one LR catalog to another, some of the most common reasons are when you are starting a new catalog due to hard drive space or speed issues. If you are already using a large drive you may only want to export and import a selection of photos such as your favorites or the images that you print often.

[CLIVESTILLERMAN]

Hi Mike brilliant tutorial thanks, eventhough I only use windows, it taught me a different way of looking at catalogues, after a lifetime of Lightroom.
Best from South Africa, Clive Stillerman

[SanfordLloyd]

Hi Mike, what I was hoping to find here was a simple drag & drop of previous imported images into an existing catalogue. For some reason, that process isn't available;able in LR basic right now, The goal is importing new images into LR and then simply drag and dropping them into existing catalogues. Or simply creating a new catalog and doing the same.

[MowglisWorks]

Hi Mike,

Once I move the selected file from one catlog to another catalog properly, can I delete the folder off the original catalong I no longer wanted it in? I accidently added a clients work to my personal project light room and I don't want the photos to stay in my personal project catalog so I am hoping I can delete after transfer without causing any issues ?

[kennethgnielsen]

How do I simple import all photos with filters into a new catalog? The old catalog seems to be corrupted but I can still see everything. I simply want to bring everything the same as it was in the old catalog into the fresh new empty catalog. Its that possible and how would you do that? Can I just select them as hey show on the left hand of the screen and drag and drop?

[Franzzzz]

Hi Mike, I was able to import the catalog, but the thing is i can't use the denoise option on the lightroom where i imported it,
Is there a mistake on how i import the catalog that i exported on my other pc?

[nonexman]

Hi Mike, At 4:25 in your video, you show you can move the photos to the new catalog. I do not have that option in my drop-down. Do you know what secret handshake will allow that option to display and be selected? Thanks!

[SimonBastin]

It seems you exported the photos to a new catalogue called Gallery Selects, and then later you imported these photos from Gallery Selects catalogue to one called Mikes New Catalogue (or something similar). Can I ask why you did this? Why not just export directly to the catalogue you wanted to export to? Does Export to catalogue always create a new catalogue or something?

[jamesstanley]

Will this work if transferring from a catalogue on one Adobe CC account to another? I want to transfer photos from my work PC to my personal one without losing any edits

[dhigun]

is this will copy the adjustment in develop setting?