why 2 Lightrooms? How to sync them

How to make Lightroom Classic sync with Lightroom. Colin Smith shows you how to sync and edit your images from Lightroom Classic to all devices on the Lightroom eco system.
0:00 What you will learn
0:28 Why 2 versions of Lightroom? Quick story.
01:05 4 parts of Lightroom
01:27 Syncing in the cloud
01:58 Where does Lightroom Classic fit in?
02:09 Building a bridge between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic
04:14 Syncing adjustments
05:32 mobile versions
06:42 How to automatically upload photos to entire system by just dropping into a folder
07:57 Auto Import in action
08:32 Getting Photos from Lightroom Cloud to Lightroom Classic
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#Lightroom #lightroom Classic #sync #mobile

[@photoshopcafe]

Written steps: photoshopcafe.com/how-to-properly-sync-lightroom-classic-with-lightroom-mobile-apps/

[@bobkillen8396]

Got it thanks

[@b.s.photography]

I do something similar to keep full-sized images on both LR & LRC and sync changes from both. Here is my flow. - In LR, import photos and allow them to all upload - In LRC, use Lightroom sync to download all photos from the cloud - In LRC, create a folder using the naming structure of your choice - In LRC, right-click on the folder you created and select "create collection" & sync that with LR - In LR, you will see the collection appear. You can move it wherever you want it for organization purposes Using this method ensure that you have full-size images on both LR & LRC and that changes you make using either one will be synced. You can also export from either and it will export the full-size image. I also store everything on an external drive that I can just move from my Mac or PC as needed. I've considered making a video to cover since I don't see my exact use case shown anywhere else.

[@bobmeeks4033]

Thanks, Colin. One caveat to point out. If you import into LR (cloud) the full size image is sync'd down to your LRC catalog. At that point you have two copies of the full sized photo (local catalog and adobe cloud). But if you go the other way around and import a photo into LRC, then only a smart preview is sync'd UP to the cloud. You can still do everything you described on the smart preview, but some people may think they now have a cloud backup of the original file which is incorrect. The cloud contains a smaller version of the original file. In other words, syncing UP to LR from LRC is not a valid backup strategy if you want to archive your photos at full resolution.

[@juanvelez1090]

Bob, yes that is my understanding. The question I have, and I have posted here, is if I make changes to the smart preview, will those sync to the LRC files? I have done many changes to a group of photos, but none have sync to LRC from LR CC.

[@bobmeeks4033]

@@juanvelez1090 Hi Juan, yes that is how it is supposed to work. Any edits you make in LR or LR Mobile to the smart preview should sync and be applied to the original file in your local LR catalog. That said, I struggle all the time with synching in general. I recently had to rebuild a new LR catalog because nothing was synching down to LRC. It feels like an area Adobe could shore up.

[@AlanZuckerPhoto]

This is what infuriates me about Adobe.

[@rogalaphotography]

I mentioned this to another KZbinr who introduced me to Lightroom sync and I do not have the option when creating a new collection to Sync to Lightroom? It’s left out of the option window. Do you know how to get that option like you have?

[@KaseeSmith]

For some reason I don't have the option to sync with LR when in "Create a Collection" dialogue

[@tpmarkham]

When creating a new collection, I don't have the Sync with Lightroom option.

[@felixp8140]

same problem Have you found a solution jet?

[@MrGroovemann]

Same problem!!

[@jtinoco9859]

You’ve read my mind. I’ve been looking for a simple straight to the point tutorial on how to sync my photos in LRC and LR. Thank you!!

[@richardsanderson6075]

Thanks for some more Lightroom tips and tricks. Having more Lightroom Cafe topics get my vote

[@peterc2248]

Very useful. I've always avoided the mobile versions of Lightroom but now I'll take a better look. Cheers

[@alanevans9246]

Very helpful indeed! I will be giving this a try now. Thank you !

[@BobbyVillela]

Super useful tutorial as always, Colin. You’re so appreciated!!

[@dianeris]

HI!! And if I don't have the options to activate Sync with Lightroom?

[@ianbraithwaite9563]

Thanks for the tutorial is great information to sync the photos you want and not everything. Cheers!

[@kaushalkumar875]

Very simple and concise explanation 👏🏻👏🏻

[@nfrey58]

Brilliant. Thanks for a clear understandable method!

[@30PercentNET]

A great video for my purposes! Really helped to explain the Adobe sync experience. The one thing I found with syncing issues is keep restarting Lightroom and eventually it will sort it out. probably.

[@spegal08]

Thanks for this. Exactly what I needed.

[@theockle]

Thanks, this is exactly what I've been looking for!

[@LesFenter]

I’ve been looking for a way to do this for a long time. Very helpful!

[@DougBardwell]

Great tutorial - can't wait to give it a try. Thanks!!!! LR Classic for me.

[@SinaFarhat]

Thanks for the great tip!

[@TomStrazulla]

Great tutorial. I would like to see more especially how to incorporate the sync process incorporating it with travel and maintaining a singular catalog. Currently on the LrC/Ps subscription you only get 20gb of storage which would be quite limiting with the increasing file sizes. Adding the 1T storage is somewhat prohibitive for hobbyist users as it double the cost.

[@wxyz237]

Good. I would definitely like to see more videos on the entire LR ecosystem as I use LRC on my Mac Studio but want to be able to carry on editing on my MacBook Air when I'm not in my home office.

[@it2rickrivera]

Thank you.

[@bengtcarlsson6361]

Hello Colin! I think you are missing the best and smartest thing with combining LR and LRC. If you're traveling a lot, as I do, I use LR to load up all files during the trip. That's obvious. But as I come home and start my desktop computer, all files are synchronizing to my desktop - as original files! In my book that is genius! I secure my photos while on the road but also have the benefits of Lightroom Classic when I come home. No fumbling with external disks or what has you? It has changed my photographic life. In fact, in a while I will do a hike where weight will be crucial. I'll bring my camera but will not bring any computer. What'll do is I load up my files from my dslr to Lightroom cloud through my phone. That's it. I can do light editing on the hike, but I have everything saved in the cloud so when I come home, I can do more proper editing on my desktop. In my view that's the best selling point for Lightroom. Absolutely genius!

[@photoshopcafe]

Yup, thats a great use case

[@steventhompson558]

This is exactly what I’m trying to do. However, I have maxed out my 20GB of Adobe cloud storage, and I’m struggling to figure out how I can easily take the photos I have imported and edited in LR (on my iPad) and get them into LR Classic on my laptop. I can airdrop the original raw photos, but then I loose my edits. Any suggestions?

[@bengtcarlsson6361]

You have to get more storage, 20 gb is not enough. I have double plans, both Lightroom Classic and then 1tb extra storage.

[@longboardfella5306]

I just used it that way on a trip and it worked very well. I wish there was a way to rename files in LR mobile with more customisable flexibility like in LRC - then I could get my naming convention done before the sync back to LRC happens. I use multiple cameras so this would help me a lot.

[@billyyoung234]

Fantastic Tutorial Colin, It answered many of my problems trying to understand the Eco-System of the 4 LR Apps, which has caused me much head scratching in the few months I have been Subscribed to Adobe Photography Package. One area I am really having problems with, and maybe you'd consider a Tutorial about having the 5th option of using Apple Photos included in the workflow. iI have an iPhone, and I have tried to understand the workflow of syncing my Apple Photos App to Creative Cloud, but, I seem to have messed up somehow, and have many Apple Photos duplicated a few times in the Creative Cloud, and the Duplicates have new file names which are different from my originals, renamed "Copy.jpg" for example, I also think I have not grasped the concept of Virtual copies, which may be a bigger problem for me, I believe the latest LR release makes it easier to delete virtual copies because they also seem to be Duplicates, I think My Brain is also messed up, after watching many KZbins, which have not been as explicit as your Tutorials.

[@ChristianRouLund]

Nice tip🙏

[@brianloeffler6551]

Great video, Colin! Yes, I am relatively new to Adobe. I would love to see more videos on Lightroom as I enjoy the look and feel of it compared to Lightroom Classic.

[@longboardfella5306]

Brian Matiash channel is solely focussed on LR rather than LRC. That may help you. I use both but prefer LRC. To each his own I guess

[@ArminSteiner]

Great Tutorial, I am still deabting on wich version I am going to use :) So since only Collections can be synced are you using the catalog strictly for organizing your images and do all the edits in a collection? Would be interesting to see your import workflow.

[@JMVIBES24]

Thank you

[@MuhammadZahid-mk7ys]

Very nice and well explained tutorial. I not sure if you did any video on how to share photos from lightroom classic on facebook and Instagram?

[@ricardoramirez1727]

Hello. I tried doing this yesterday on LRCC on my desktop but I don’t have the options to sync. How can i reset this feature?

[@philipphackenberg1234]

Very interesting and insightful. The information I had originally been looking for starts at 8:33. If I do that, ie move an image to the Sync folder in LR W, then it will end up in that same folder on LRC. But how do I then get it from there to my usual storage location on the hard drive?

[@marioplus321]

Lo! This is 1of the best tricks I have ever got from you,lad ! How did you get2know it??? It is gr8!!! Thank Y O U !

[@mikshibainu1534]

Please more: Light room Classic sent to Photoshop. My M1 chip was not working when I purchased the new Apple M1; had to install Rosetta but now with up dates; it works but I need lessons! Thanks mauijade

[@bobkillen8396]

I'm a big fan of all your tutorials and recommend them to everyone. But after watching this one 3 times I was still confused. I'm able to sync Lightroom Classic with my phone sometimes but that is about it. I'd like to see a tutorial where we just link phone and desktop and then maybe work with the other devices in subsequent tutorials. Thanks, Sir.

[@photoshopcafe]

See the written steps to see if they help, also make sure you login with the same account rather than having 2 accounts

[@markgarrett2971]

This is a great video in exactly what I was looking for. If I put Lightroom on my wife's phone which is an iPhone, and set up the Lightroom account using my credentials can any of the photos that she takes we added to this Lightroom sink and if so how? Do you have a video on that?

[@andieagle]

Finally makes sense.

[@virjaysonfrancisco3453]

Hi! How can I sync or import the photos that were edited in LR CC/ Mobile to LR Classic?

[@vc6218]

I don't have that sync option in the collections box?

[@mikshibainu1534]

Thanks!

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks for the super thanks :)

[@cubapawlac]

Tell me please one thing. How to sync snapshots in LRC and versions in LR cloud/mobile? I develop photographs in both apps.

[@alex3785a]

Hi, i use all 4 versions but now i need to reorganize the structure and what i dont understand: if i delete one folder on ipad, it doesnt delete it on the the other versions, right? Pls reply

[@MyLittleRedWagon]

Colin, I like to keep Lightroom “light” - not too many photos in it at any one time. As I sync collections from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom (on my laptop and iPad) they are added properly. However when I stop syncing a collection, the collection is removed fro Lightroom, but the individual images are still in “all photos” and therefore all still in the cloud. As I do this with each shoot - syncing and eventually un- syncing, my collections are removed in Lightroom but my “all photos” keeps building up. Is there any way to remove those images from “all photos” at same time as when I stop syncing the collection. Doing it manually image by image is an unsatisfactory solution. Any help will be appreciated.

[@howardgluckman999]

If I use LRC only and want to send all my photos to the cloud is it possible by just syncing with Lr

[@brucedenzil]

How does this impact on the storage. Is it true to say it won't effect storage if you share from Lightroom classic through "all synced photos" or "collections" as they only create smart previews? Please advise.

[@Jack-qn6vy]

Thanks for this - I THINK I get it, lol. If I move a photo from Lightroom Classic to the Lr Sync collection, and it gets shared across mobile devices, can I then use Lightroom on iPad to go to that folder and move the photo elsewhere on the iPad, such as to another folder that thematically makes sense, like “nature photos”? And if I can do that, will the photo still be in the sync location as well?

[@branchau]

I generally prefer Lightroom Classic. That leaves me with complete control of what, when and how much is selected to sync with other versions. However I find using the camera available in the Lightroom app on my iPhone useful for its immediate and automatic sync feature (when connected to the internet).

[@photoshopcafe]

Yeah, I like the camera too. That’s why I have a small select number of photos I share on Lightroom mobile, usually ones I’m already dating publicly

[@kenpics]

This is just what I need but cannot get it to work. I use Lrc on desktop (Windows) and want to sync a few photos to my iPad to edit and add keywords. I had to add Lr for iPad then found I had to purchase cloud storage to allow sharing option. I followed your vid and made collection, has lightning bolt etc but iPad does not see collection at all. On iPad added a photo but cannot see this on Lrc. It is as though the two are not linked yet on your vid they just showed up. I really would like to use this sharing so would appreciate any help in fixing it. *** update, problem was two different Adobe accounts, got it working but big pitfall you all should be aware of KEYWORDING DOES NOT SYNC ironically the only reason I wanted to link to iPad!

[@life_in_gen]

I love it thank you for this! I supposed the only thing you didnt mentioned is when you remove photos :) Nevertheless thank you 10000x times :)

[@UofETV]

I too am wondering this

[@ChrisSgaraglino]

I have tried this and for some reason, Keywords are not syncing in either direction.

[@juanvelez1090]

Hello, I have a question and have not been able to find an answer in the web! So, I created a folder in LRC and created a collection under my "From Lightroom CC" collection. It originally sync my photos to LR CC with the changes I had made; however, I made more changes using LR CC and those are not sync'ing with LRC. Is it possible to sync from LR CC to LRC when the source files reside in LRC?

[@IanGarriques]

Really helpful tutorial. I got lost on the part about setting up a watch folder through. I made a folder on the desktop, LR sync. But I can't find "auto import" under the file tab. Help!

[@IanGarriques]

ah, just figured it out, in LR classic (not the apple file menu) under the file menu, open auto import. 🙂

[@shellewood]

Great information! I don't use LR as much as LRC but I do a lot of mobile photography and it is very helpful to be able to share the images across both programs. I've had an issue with a collection that I've used since the beginning of the year which has stopped syncing. I've tried the "rebuild" option several times but that hasn't worked. Any suggestions?

[@photoshopcafe]

Did you try turning sync off and back on in both the collection and pausing and resuming Lightroom syncing on the top right?

[@shellewood]

@@photoshopcafe I updated this week and, along with rebooting the sync, it seems to be fixed now! Thanks!!

[@marianodemiguel3442]

I still have a problem: I followed your instructions LRC to LR (mobil). My new collection "title" sync with my Mac power book lab top in LR but there are NO PHOTOS!! : Empty album??!!. Curiously my iPhone Lightroom edits all appear on LR !!??

[@SaraWC72]

How do you get the option to sync to Lightroom & how do you get the symbol next to an existing collection?

[@MrGroovemann]

Same here! I don’t have the sync with Lightroom option

[@andrejtelus2402]

The problem is in a different area: when you upload 1000 photos to iPad, all those RAW files start downloading in Classic once you open it if Sync is activated. This is insane, it fills the SSD so quick that annoys me a lot. If you stop syncing, then no way to share the photos between two. Drives me insane.

[@jasonwilkinson8755]

If only Lightroom Classic and LR working seamlessly like that. I have lots of problems over the years with sync errors. It’s so buggy. I think it’s the original light room classic that doesn’t always sync well with Lightroom

[@joetagg1961]

I have a problem. When I click to add a collection, there is no option to Sync with Lightroom Classic. I can set it as a target collection, but there is nothing there to link it to Lightroom Classic. Am I missing something?

[@Mac40581]

Why not combine the two?

[@jardanecas]

Great video, BUT. Is it possible to sync Lightroom classic with Lightroom classic? I have a desktop and laptop and I want one collection in both machines...

[@longboardfella5306]

Pretty much no. I have tried that many times - the issue is you can have only one Catalog.

[@lok.1190]

i think i accidentally sync all of my photos in lightroom (like over 800 images - some are even RAW yike), how can I undo them? cause now I cannot sync the edited images from my other device to my laptop, because its out of storage. mind you that most syncing images are still pending due to not enough storage. how can I fix that ? thank youu (also, amazing photographs!!)

[@photoshopcafe]

When you sync, it creates a smaller preview, it doesn’t upload the full size raw unless you request it. To unsync, just click the lightning bolt to the left in the collection

[@warrennelson7949]

Arrghh...You can only sync collections. Why can't I just sync a folder? Am I wrong, I hope?

[@jimjwitt]

Rather than create/maintain a separate/new collection, why not just drag the photos to be synced to the "All Synced Photographs" heading under "Catalog" in the left-hand panel of LRC?

[@photoshopcafe]

Because you would create multiple synced collections and keep them better organized. I sync, and unsync collections all the time.

[@margueritewhite3038]

This would be fantastic if it actually worked. My sync ALWAYS gets hung up. For no apparent reason I'll be syncing several 1000 photos when I'm trying to only sync one collection with new additions. As I sit here now, LRC is trying to "sync" 5000 images when all I've added to the catalog is 150. Of those, only about 30 were added to a collection that I wanted to sync. I have tried reloading the program, leaving it on etc. but it is still trying to "sync" those photos. I get that Adobe is trying to become more technological but before they continue to add these "great" ideas, they need to make sure they work seamlessly and not be so confusing/frustrating. I love the idea of the share capabilities where you can share with clients, they can pick their favs and make comments on them. Unfortunately, it isn't reliable and everytime I use it, even though I have the settings set where the photo can't be downloaded, I find that it has in fact been downloaded! Very frustrating.

[@CiiRE]

Dont know if this will get answered but im very new to Lightroom. I find tutorials for lightroom but its all Lightroom lassic. I bought Lightroom mobile and the lightroom on adobe for thr 9.99 a month. Im guessing this doesnt include Lightroom Classic? unless i get the Photographer bundle with Photoshop as well?

[@photoshopcafe]

There are 2 photography plans, Lightroom with 1 TB storage or Lightroom, PS and Lightroom Classic with 20BG storage for the same price

[@r90travel]

I can't see cloud on my Lightroom classic

[@thomashackett284]

Speaking as an old curmudgeon, I am really only interested in LrC. I use L as a simple way to get photos to my phone to show others.

[@freddyacosta2358]

Lightroom Classic hands down. Way more options to edit ams create folders, etc. On top that, it is very to work on a bigger screen than a tablet of even laptop. A 24” screen or bigger is the way to go.

[@HectorRiveraPhotography]

didn’t work i wish u would of made trouble shooting

[@ron95754]

Too bad I don't use Light Room. Just feel Adobe Makes Far Far too much money off of their products.

[@nacho710oninstagram2]

This is so good. You saved me from having a lot of head aches 😅