Can't find photos

[gmagnusson]

Lightroom Version Number

15.5

Operating System

1. Windows 11

I've been using LRC for a few years, now. After I import photos, I process them in PS. I shoot in both .RAW & .JPEG
so I have two files for each photo. I store them in my PC. LR has always filed them in my PC, by year so I could
easily go into my file in the PC , and find them. They are filed by year, and when I click on the year, they show up
by date.
My issue is that LR has stopped doing that. A new 2026 file was never set up and now I can't find any of this years
photos.
Am I missing a command in LR that tells it where to put them ?
Sorry if I sound a bit vague. I'm not overly computer savvy, but I've never had issues finding my files before.
Any suggestions would sure help.
Gary Magnusson

 

[Ron-Alexander]

I've been using LRC for a few years, now. After I import photos, I process them in PS. I shoot in both .RAW & .JPEG
so I have two files for each photo. I store them in my PC. LR has always filed them in my PC, by year so I could
easily go into my file in the PC , and find them. They are filed by year, and when I click on the year, they show up
by date.
My issue is that LR has stopped doing that. A new 2026 file was never set up and now I can't find any of this years
photos.
Am I missing a command in LR that tells it where to put them ?
Sorry if I sound a bit vague. I'm not overly computer savvy, but I've never had issues finding my files before.
Any suggestions would sure help.
Gary Magnusson

If you are not computer savy it might be difficult. I am enclosing 3 screen grabs. The first is of the Import preset. Mine are organized by camera. Are you selecting the same preset each time? The second is the file naming format, the third is the destination. If you connect the camera or SD card you will see in that last window where the files are going. We can discuss the jpeg issue later.

 

[Califdan]

Please open the import dialog as if you were going to import new images. Dont change anything. Then in the righ panel, take a screen shot of the entire "Destinaiton Panel" - or at least from the top down to the folder that is highlighted and post it in this forum. Also at the bottom assure the Import Dialog, under the images, make see if you have "None" selected. If there is a preset selected, we will need to see what's it contains.

 

[gmagnusson]

Thanks, Guys ... I'm off until end of day tomorrow. I'll do as suggested and be in contact.

 

[gmagnusson]

Ron & Dan.... Screenshot of the right panel in LR.

 

[Califdan]

In the screen shot you have month 10 selected (highlighted) which is under 2024. With "By Date" selected in the upper section, it will build the selected date structure underneath whatever folder is selected. So, in this case, you will get a 2026 folder underneath Users->User->2024>10. What you want to do is in this destination panel, select (highlight) folder "User" instead.

This will put images in future imports into the proper place but does not fix ones already in the incorrect place. You will have to that manually in the Folders Panel (not in Import Dialog).

If a year folder only appears once in an incorrect place, just drag it to the right place

If a year folder appears more than once (as is shown for 2024) you will have to drag the month folders from the year which is in the wrong place to the year which is in the right place. Then the year folder in the wrong place should show 0 imagesn and can be removed

 

[Califdan]

PS, you may want to check all of the year folders to assure that they don't have other year folders inside them

 

[gmagnusson]

Thanks so much. That seemed to work. Still a bit baffled, but it seems clearer, now.

 

[Ron-Alexander]

Thanks so much. That seemed to work. Still a bit baffled, but it seems clearer, now.

Mark as solved so others will know.

 

[gmagnusson]

You mean, just as a comment ?

 

[Ron-Alexander]

You mean, just as a comment ?

No, there is a button or something, maybe this?

 

[gmagnusson]

Done ..... Thanks