How to import Smart Previews only to IPad using Lightroom CC

[mark_14]

Lightroom Version Number

Latest Lightroom CC

Operating System

1. iOS

I am trying to set up a work flow as follows. I have set Lightroom CC to import Smart Previews only and back up my photos to an external SSD. When I try to add images from the SSD directly to Lightroom using import from files it won’t import and I get the spinning wheel and nothing happens. If I add the images to Camera Roll and then import into Lightroom I get the RAW image not the Smart Preview. Does anyone know how to import Smart Previews only into Lightroom as I am trying to save space. Many thanks

 

[Jim Wilde]

I am trying to set up a work flow as follows. I have set Lightroom CC to import Smart Previews only

How do you think that you've done that? I ask because it's not possible to IMPORT Smart Previews into any of the Lightroom apps. The original files are always imported and then synced to the cloud. However, once they have been uploaded to the cloud it should be possible to use the "Clear Cache" command in LrMobile, which should remove the locally stored originals, and which would subsequently be replaced for editing purposes by a Smart Preview (if you have checked the option to "Only Download Smart Previews" in the Settings>Cloud Storage & Sync tab). Note, however, that if subsequently exporting from LrMobile at a pixel dimension greater than the Smart Preview size (2560 px on the long edge), the original file would temporarily be required locally, though again the "Clear Cache" command should subsequently remove it.

If you import into LrClassic and sync from there to the cloud, only Smart Previews are created and uploaded, so as the original does not exist in the cloud that Smart Preview is all that could be used in LrMobile.

 

[mark_14]

Fabulous, Many thanks

 

[dkinpgh1]

How do you think that you've done that? I ask because it's not possible to IMPORT Smart Previews into any of the Lightroom apps. The original files are always imported and then synced to the cloud. However, once they have been uploaded to the cloud it should be possible to use the "Clear Cache" command in LrMobile, which should remove the locally stored originals, and which would subsequently be replaced for editing purposes by a Smart Preview (if you have checked the option to "Only Download Smart Previews" in the Settings>Cloud Storage & Sync tab). Note, however, that if subsequently exporting from LrMobile at a pixel dimension greater than the Smart Preview size (2560 px on the long edge), the original file would temporarily be required locally, though again the "Clear Cache" command should subsequently remove it.

If you import into LrClassic and sync from there to the cloud, only Smart Previews are created and uploaded, so as the original does not exist in the cloud that Smart Preview is all that could be used in LrMobile.

I thought I had this figured out, but...
I loaded pictures from an SD card onto my iPad Pro while traveling which loaded them into the Adobe Lightroom Cloud.
Then, when I got home, I downloaded the pictures into Lightroom Classic and onto an EHD.
Cleared out the All Synced Photos folder
When I went to put one recent picture back into that folder, I expected that a smart preview would be uploaded so that I could edit the picture on my iPad.
However, when I went t LR Web, the picture was the original at 12.3MB and that same picture was synced to my iPad, at that size. Hopefully, the attached screen shot will show the size of the file sitting on the web.
(The same picture on my iPhone is a smart preview using LR Mobile)
Did I miss a step to turn on uploading smart previews to the web and then to the iPad?

Thanks,

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Don't worry. Lightroom web shows you the details of the original image, regardless of the fact that the online version is a smart preview.

 

[dkinpgh1]

Don't worry. Lightroom web shows you the details of the original image, regardless of the fact that the online version is a smart preview.

I was wondering since the photos on the iPad still have the RAW tag on them as they did when I initially uploaded them from the SD card onto the iPad.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Yes, both LrMobile and LrWeb tag the images showing the filetype of the original file. LrMobile will show the actual filetype if you tap on the cloud icon when you have an image selected.....it tells you what is in the cloud, and what is stored locally on the device. The Lightroom desktop app, however, clearly shows you if you only have a smart preview in the cloud (by the circular hatched icon on the thumbnail in the Square Grid). It also has a dedicated filter option for images "Synced from LrClassic".