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Table of Contents
Introduction
A Quick Intro to this eBook
The eBook Format
Windows or Mac?
The Database Concept
Database vs Browser
A Quick Intro to Lightroom
What’s the difference between the Database, the Catalog and the Library?
Why a database rather than a browser?
Do I have to import my photos? Can’t I just browse to view them?
Do I have to export my photos? Why can’t I just save them?
Catalog Facts
Is there a maximum number of photos that Lightroom can hold?
Is there a maximum number of photos before Lightroom’s performance starts to degrade?
Is there a maximum file size that Lightroom can import?
Working with Catalogs
Why do I have 2 different files for my catalog?
Can I rename my catalog?
How do I create a new catalog and then switch between catalogs?
How do I set or change my default catalog?
I have Lightroom set to prompt me when I start Lightroom, but how do I change the catalog that’s automatically selected in the list?
Single or Multiple Catalogs
How does Import from Catalog work?
How does Export from Catalog work?
Should I use one big catalog, or multiple smaller catalogs?
I don’t want to use Lightroom as an asset management program, just as a raw converter. Can I use a separate catalog per job?
I’ve decided I’m going to have my photos in one large working catalog, but then I’d like to archive the job off into an individual catalog for archival storage. How do I export to a small catalog?
I’ve decided to use a smaller working catalog, but then import into a large searchable archive catalog when I’ve finished working with them. How do I transfer them from one catalog to another?
I seem to have 2 catalogs. I only use 1, so can I delete the other?
When I used ACR I only kept the XMP files archived – can’t I just do that?
Multiple Machines
I need to work on my photos on my desktop and my laptop – what are my options?
I work on a single laptop and my photos are on an external hard drive – when I take my laptop out, but leave the external hard drive at home, can I continue working on the files?
I primarily work on my desktop, but I’d like to be able to temporarily transfer part of my catalog to my laptop and then merge the changes back later. Is that possible?
I like to upload into a catalog on my laptop when I’m out shooting and start editing – how can I move those files into my main desktop catalog when I return home, without losing the settings?
Why haven’t my presets copied over with the catalog?
Network
Can one catalog be opened simultaneously by several workstations across a network?
Is it possible to have the catalog stored on a Network Accessible Storage unit (NAS) but open it on a single machine?
Is it possible to have the catalog on a local drive, but the files on a network drive?
Is it possible to use XMP files to allow some degree of sharing across the network?
Backup
Does Lightroom back up the photos as well as the catalog?
I run my own backup system – do I have to let Lightroom run backups too?
Is it safe to have Time Machine back up the catalog?
Can I delete the oldest backups?
I haven’t got time to back up now – can I postpone the backup?
How can I make it back up on exit instead of when starting?
How do I change the backup location?
Moving to a new computer
I need to wipe my computer – how do I back up and retain all of my Lightroom adjustments, preferences, presets etc.?
How do I move my catalog & photos to another hard drive manually or using Export as Catalog?
How do I move only my catalog to another hard drive?
How do I move only my photos to another hard drive?
How do I move my catalog & photos from Windows to Mac or vice versa?
Upgrading from version 1
Which versions will upgrade to 2.0?
If I upgrade, can I go back to version 1?
How do I upgrade my catalog from version 1 to version 2?
Do I have to upgrade a catalog before I can import it into version 2 using Import from Catalog?
What happens if I try to upgrade a catalog that I’ve already upgraded?
Import
Raw vs. JPEG vs. DNG
Can I use Lightroom on JPEG files as well as raw files?
If I can use all of Lightroom’s controls on JPEG files, why would I still want to shoot in my camera’s raw file format?
Should I convert to DNG on import?
Initial Import
How do I bring up the Import Photos dialog where I set the Import options? I just get an Open dialog?
How do I import multiple folders in one go?
How do I select only certain photos to import?
How do I stop Lightroom from launching or opening the Import dialog every time I insert a memory card?
Can I set Lightroom to delete the photos from the memory card once they’ve uploaded?
Is it possible to import from multiple cards at the same time?
Import Options
What’s the difference between ‘Add photos to catalog without moving’, ‘Copy’, ‘Move’, and ‘Copy as DNG’?
I’ve chosen ‘Copy’ or ‘Move’ – how do I organize the photos into a folder structure that will suit me?
What does the Backup option do?
How do I set up the File Naming to my chosen format?
What does ‘Do not import suspected duplicates’ do?
What Develop settings, metadata, keywords and previews settings should I apply in the Import dialog?
Tethered Shooting & Watched Folders
How do I set up Lightroom for Tethered Capture?
Why isn’t my watched folder working?
Solving Import Problems
I shot Raw+JPEG in camera – why have the JPEGs not imported?
I can’t see thumbnails in the Import dialog, I just see grey squares. How do I fix it?
Lightroom can’t find my camera to import the photos. How can I import?
Lightroom can’t import the photos from my brand new camera – why?
Is there a limit to the number of photos that can be imported in a single import?
Can I import CMYK files into Lightroom?
Lightroom appears to be corrupting my photos – how do I stop it?
Lightroom is changing the colors of my photos… what could be happening?
Import Error Messages
It says “Some import operations were not performed. The files appear to be unsupported or damaged.”
It says “The following photos will not be imported because they are already present in the catalog.”
It says “Some import operations were not performed. The files already exist in the catalog.” What does this mean?
It says “Some import operations were not performed. The files are too big.”
It says “Some import operations were not performed. The files could not be read. Please reopen the file and save with ‘Maximize Compatibility’ preference enabled.”
It says “Some import operations were not performed. The files use an unsupported color mode.”
Library Module
Appearance & View Options
How can I choose the information I see in the thumbnail cells?
What are Badges and why can’t I see them on my photos?
I can see Badges in Grid view, but not in my Filmstrip. Where have they gone?
What do the different metadata icons on the thumbnails mean?
How do I turn off the overlay which says Loading… or Rendering…?
What is the difference between the solid white arrows and the opaque ones in Folders panel, Collections panel and Keyword List panel?
How do I zoom in on a photo quickly?
How do I change the zoom percentage?
Is it possible to change the fonts and other interface details?
Dual Displays / Dual Monitors
How do I use the new Dual Display setup?
Which views are available on the Secondary Display? How are they useful?
How can I make use of Dual Displays if I work on a single screen?
What does ‘Show Second Monitor Preview’ do?
How do I move the Library Filter bar to the Secondary Display?
Why does the Secondary Display switch from Grid to Loupe when I change the Main Screen to Grid?
Can I detach the panels and rearrange them?
Folders
How do the folders in Lightroom’s Folder panels relate to the folders on my hard drive?
What’s this new Volume Browser?
I have a long list of folders – can I change it to show the folder hierarchy?
When I look at a parent folder in Grid view, I see the photos in the subfolders as well. Can I turn it off so I can only see the contents of the selected folder?
Lightroom thinks my photos are missing – how do I fix it?
Where has the Missing Files collection gone? How do I find all of the missing files in my catalog now?
I need to move some or all of my photos to a new hard drive – how can I do so without confusing Lightroom?
How does the Synchronize Folder command work?
Is there a way of seeing the photos and their duplicates so that I can sort through them?
How can I find the original file on my hard drive?
Selections
How do I go quickly from having a number of photos selected, to having just one of those photos selected?
What’s the difference between the selection shades of grey?
Why don’t the rest of my photos deselect when I click on a single image?
Is there a quick way of selecting all photos with a specific flag, color label or rating?
I’ve got multiple photos selected – why is my action only applying to a single photo?
Renaming
How do I rename photos?
How do I pad the numbers to get Img001.jpg instead of Img1.jpg?
What’s the difference between Import#, Photo# and Sequence#?
Can I have more than 5 digit sequence numbers?
Is it possible to revert to the original filename?
Deleting
When I delete photos, am I deleting them from Lightroom only, or from the hard drive too?
Why can’t I delete photos when I’m viewing a collection?
I’m deleting photos in Lightroom, set to send to Recycle Bin/Trash, so why isn’t it deleting them?
It’s taking forever to delete photos – should it really take this long?
Rotating
I turned off auto rotate in the camera by accident – how can I rotate photos easily?
My photos have imported incorrectly rotated and distorted – how do I fix it?
Rating & Labeling
Are there any shortcuts to make rating and labeling quicker?
I’ve flagged my photos, but the flags disappear when I view these photos in another folder or collection – why?
Why would I want flags to be local instead of global?
I gave my photos color labels in Lightroom – why can’t I see them in Bridge?
I gave my photos different color labels in Lightroom – why are they all white in Bridge? I labelled my photos in Bridge – why isn’t Lightroom showing my color labels?
Is it possible to view flag/rating/color labels status when in other modules?
Lightroom’s not quick enough to do the initial culling on a large shoot – is there anything I can do to speed it up?
Keywording
How do I import my keywords from Bridge?
If I can import keywords from Bridge using a text file, does that mean I can create my keywords manually using a text file and then import them into Lightroom?
How many keywords can I have?
What does the plus symbol to the right of the keyword mean?
What do the minus symbol, check mark, and box to the left of the keyword arrow mean?
What is the small arrow after the selected keyword?
How do I change my long list of keywords into a hierarchy? Or change the existing hierarchy?
How can I keep certain keywords at the top of the list?
Is there a quick way of finding a particular keyword in my long list?
Is there any easier way to apply lots of keywords in one go, other than typing or dragging them all?
I mistyped a keyword and now Lightroom keeps suggesting it – how can I clear the autofill?
I use multiple catalogs, but I’d like to keep my keyword list identical and current across all of the catalogs – is there an easy way?
Painter Tool
What is the Painter tool useful for?
Editing the Capture Time
The time on my camera was incorrect – how do I change it?
What do the different options in the Edit Capture Time dialog do?
How do I sync the times on two or more cameras?
Viewing & Editing Metadata
How do I add my copyright information to the metadata?
How do I add metadata to multiple photos at once?
How do I create a Metadata preset?
How do I select which metadata to view in the Metadata panel?
I renamed my photos within Lightroom – is it possible to see the original filename without renaming it?
Why can’t I see the file size in the Metadata panel?
What’s this WAV file in the Metadata panel?
Why do some files say CR2+JPEG and some just say CR2?
Some of my lenses are listed twice in the Metadata filters, for example 24.0-105.0 mm and also as EF24-105 IS USM. Why?
Virtual Copies
Why would I want to use virtual copies?
I’ve just created a virtual copy, but an empty screen appears with “no photo selected” and no copy is made – what’s wrong?
Can I rename my virtual copies?
Stacking
Why are the stacking menu options disabled?
How do I move a photo to the top of the stack?
I’ve moved raw photos and their resulting JPEGs into the same folder, and I’d like to Auto-Stack just like they would if they imported as Raw+JPEG together. Is it possible?
When I create a virtual copy, it should automatically stack them, but it doesn’t – why not?
Sorting, Filtering & Finding Photos
Where have my photos gone?!
Can I set a default filter or sort order regardless of folder?
How do I choose a different sort order?
Can I reverse my current sort order?
Why can’t I drag and drop into a custom sort order or ‘User Order’?
Is it possible to sort by camera?
How do I sort my entire catalog from earliest to latest or vice versa, regardless of which folders the photos are in?
How do I filter my photos to show photos fitting certain criteria?
How do I filter my photos to show… just one flag/color label/rating?
How do I filter my photos to show… photos with no color label?
How can I use the Text filters to do AND or OR filters?
How do I change the Metadata filter columns?
How do I select multiple options within the Metadata filter columns?
Can I combine Text filters, Attribute filters, and Metadata filters?
How do I search for a specific filename?
How can I view all of the photos tagged with a specific keyword or keyword combination?
Is it possible to display all of the photos in a catalog that are not already keyworded?
Can I save the filters I use regularly as presets?
Can I delete the filter preset I created accidentally?
Collections
How are Collections different from Folders?
What are the different icons for Collections?
What is the Quick Collection?
Is there a shortcut key to add to a collection?
Can I add to a collection from another module?
What are Smart Collections?
How do I transfer Smart Collection criteria between catalogs?
Can I have a hierarchy of collections?
What will happen to my existing hierarchical collections when I upgrade my catalog from version 1?
Why won’t it delete the photo?
Is there any way to tell which collections a photo is in?
Is there an easy way to see which photos in a catalog do not belong to any collection?
Quick Develop
Why is the Quick Develop panel so useful?
Can I adjust Sharpening or Saturation using Quick Develop?
Why am I missing some Quick Develop buttons?
Errors
Why won’t my thumbnails display? I only get grey boxes in Grid view?
Develop Module
Working with Sliders
The slider movements are too coarse – how can I adjust them?
How do I get individual Auto checkboxes back, like ACR had in CS2?
Adjusting Multiple Photos
How do I copy or synchronize my settings with other photos?
What does ‘Match Total Exposure’ in the Settings menu do?
Before / After Views
Can I toggle a Before / After view, like the Preview checkbox in ACR?
Can I see a Before / After view side-by-side?
Can I change the ‘Before’ state to something other than the Import state?
Can I turn off the effect of a whole panel’s settings, to see the preview with and without those settings?
File Information & Panel Views
Is it possible to see camera setting information while in Develop module, rather than constantly switching back to the Metadata panel?
Histogram & RGB Values
Why does the Histogram look different when I open the exported sRGB photo in Photoshop? Why are my highlights clipping in Photoshop but not in Lightroom?
Can I see RGB values as I hover over the photo?
Can I change the RGB values from percentages to a normal 0-255 scale?
Is it possible to see clipping warnings?
Presets
How do I install Develop presets?
How do I create my own Develop Presets?
How can I organize my presets into folders or groups?
How do I rename Develop presets?
How do I remove the default Develop presets?
How do I uninstall Develop presets?
Where does Lightroom store presets? Why are they not in the default location?
Where can I download Develop presets?
How do I apply a preset to multiple photos in one go?
Can I apply multiple presets to the same photo, layering the effects?
I have some Develop presets that I use in ACR in CS3 – can I use them in Lightroom?
Why do my presets look wrong when used on JPEG/TIFF/PSD files, even though they work on raw files?
Is there a way to add a keyboard shortcut to a preset?
Defaults
Why would I change the default settings instead of using a preset?
How do I change the default settings?
Why would I want different defaults for each ISO and serial number combination?
Does changing the default settings in Lightroom affect ACR?
Snapshots
When would I use a snapshot instead of a virtual copy?
History & Reset
How do I reset a single slider to its default setting?
How do I reset a panel to its default setting?
How do I reset an image back to default settings?
How do I reset multiple photos back to default settings? The Reset in Develop only works on one photo?
If I don’t like the last adjustment I made, can I just undo that step, rather than using Reset?
Can I undo multiple steps?
How long do the adjustments stay in the History panel?
Is the history saved in a sidecar XMP file?
White Balance
Where should I be clicking with the White Balance Eyedropper?
The White Balance Eyedropper disappears every time I click anything – how do I keep it turned on?
Why don’t the Temp and Tint sliders have the proper white balance scale when I’m working on JPEGs?
Where have the other White Balance presets gone, such as Cloudy and Flash?
Why is Lightroom showing different Kelvin values than I set in my camera custom white balance?
Other Sliders
What’s the difference between Exposure and Brightness?
Fill Light drops the contrast too far – is there an easy solution?
What’s the difference between Vibrance and Saturation?
Why are Contrast & Brightness set to 25 & 50 by default, instead of 0?
What does the Clarity slider do?
Why doesn’t the Vignette adjust to the Crop boundaries?
How do the Post-Crop Vignette sliders interact?
I want to use a Point Curve, but only Parametric Curves are available in Lightroom. Is it possible?
What do the three triangular sliders docked at the base of the Tone Curve display do?
There are some hot pixels on my sensor in other programs, but I can’t see them in Lightroom. Where have they gone?
Sharpening & Noise Reduction
I’ve turned sharpening right up to the maximum, but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything – why not?
Why isn’t Lightroom’s Develop module sharpening very strong?
Why can’t I view sharpening in Fit to Screen mode?
How do the sharpening sliders interact?
Why can’t I see the effects of the noise reduction?
Is it possible to use plug-ins such as Noise Ninja or Neat Image to reduce noise?
TAT tool (Targeted Adjustment Tool)
How do I use the TAT tool?
How do I turn off the TAT tool when I’ve finished using it?
What can the TAT tool be used for?
Cropping
Where did the Crop options go?
Why does the crop go in the wrong direction when I try and move the grid around?
How do I crop a vertical portion from a horizontal photo?
How can I change the default crop ratio?
How do I set a custom crop aspect ratio?
How do I delete a custom crop aspect ratio?
How do I set my crop grid back to thirds or bring the Crop Overlay back when it goes missing?
Is it possible to change the Crop Overlay color?
How do I straighten a photo?
Can a crop be saved in a preset?
Is there a way to see what the new pixel dimensions are (without interpolation) of a cropped photo before it’s exported?
Red Eye Reduction Tool
How do I work the Red-Eye Reduction tool?
Lightroom’s Red Eye Reduction tool can’t lock on to the red eye – is there anything I can do to help it?
Why doesn’t the Red Eye Reduction tool work properly on my dog’s red eye?
Spot Removal – Clone/Heal Tools
How do I adjust the cursor/brush size?
How do I adjust the size of an existing spot?
How do I adjust the opacity of an existing spot?
How do I move an existing spot?
How do I delete a spot?
Can I copy or synchronize the clone/heal spots?
Local Adjustments – Graduated Filter & Adjustment Brush
How are the Local Adjustments different from Lightroom’s other controls?
What effects are available in the Local Adjustments?
Why would I use the Graduated Filter & Adjustment Brush rather than editing a photo in Photoshop?
What does the Amount slider do?
How are the buttons different from the sliders?
How do I create a new brush mask?
What do Size and Feather do?
What’s the difference between Flow & Density?
Is the Adjustment Brush pressure sensitive when used with a graphics pen tablet?
What does Auto Mask do?
How do I reselect an existing mask?
Where have my mask pins gone?
How do I add to an existing brushed mask?
How do I erase from an existing brushed mask?
How can I tell whether I’m creating a new mask or editing an existing mask?
How do I create a new gradient mask?
How do I adjust an existing gradient?
How do I show the mask I’ve created?
Can I change the color of the mask overlay?
Can I fade the effect of an existing mask?
Can I layer the effect of multiple masks?
Can I invert the mask?
Can I synchronize my settings with other photos?
Troubleshooting
I’ve somehow removed the toolbar with the Crop/Red Eye Reduction/Spot Removal tools from the Develop module and can’t find a way to get them back where they should be. Help?
Raw File Rendering & DNG Profile Editor
Raw File Rendering
Why do my photos change color? When the first preview appears, it looks just like it did on the camera, and then that disappears and it applies other settings. How do I turn that off?
I set my camera to black and white. Why is Lightroom changing them back to color?
How do other programs like iView, PhotoMechanic, Apple’s Preview, Windows Explorer, Breezebrowser etc. get it right?
My Canon raw files exhibit an odd shift particularly in the red tones – can I fix this?
New Adobe Standard & Camera Style Profiles
What do the new profiles do?
Where do I download the profiles?
How do I install the profiles?
How do I use the profiles?
DNG Profile Editor
What’s the purpose of the DNG Profile Editor?
Why is this DNG Profile Editor better than the Calibration sliders?
Can I use the profiles on proprietary raw files, not just DNG?
Why doesn’t it use ICC profiles?
What does the DNG Profile Editor look like?
Where do I download the DNG Profile Editor?
How do I use the DNG Profile Editor? It looks complicated!
Calibration
I have old calibration settings in ACR which I’d like to use in Lightroom. How do I import them?
The ACR version number in the Calibration section is an old version – how do I update it?
XMP & ACR Compatibility
XMP
What is XMP?
How do XMP files relate to the catalog?
Why would I want these settings written to XMP?
Which data is not stored in XMP?
Where does Lightroom store the XMP sidecar files?
Where are the XMP files for my JPEG/TIFF/PSD/DNG files?
How do I write settings to XMP?
Should I turn on ‘Automatically write changes into XMP’?
What’s the difference between ‘Write Metadata to Files’ and ‘Update DNG Preview & Metadata’?
While updating the DNG Preview, can I change the size?
Should I check or uncheck “Include Develop settings in metadata inside JPEG, TIFF, and PSD files”?
Can I view the content of my XMP sidecar files?
XMP has been updated on another program or computer. Why don’t the changes show in Lightroom?
Does that mean it’s possible to share settings between computers using XMP?
ACR
What is ACR?
If I use ACR to convert, having created XMP files, will the result be identical to Lightroom?
Which ACR version do I need for the settings to be fully compatible?
Which settings are not backwards compatible for CS2?
Errors
Lightroom throws an error saying it can’t write to XMP – how do I fix it?
I deleted the XMP sidecar files and now Lightroom won’t write new ones – how do I force it to write them?
Export & Editing in Other Programs
Editing in Other Programs
What’s the difference between Export and Edit in…?
How do I change my Edit in… file settings?
Can I have more than two External Editors?
What do the new options in the Edit in… menu do?
Why can’t I access the new options in the Edit in… menu?
Can I open a raw file directly into ACR without creating an interim file. Is it possible?
I’d prefer to let Bridge run the conversion to JPEG using Image Processor. Is it possible?
Why is Bridge not seeing the raw adjustments I’ve made in Lightroom?
File Type
What’s the equivalent of a JPEG quality….
How do I set Lightroom to a JPEG level 0-12 so that Photoshop doesn’t ask me every time I save?
If a photo is imported as a JPEG, and it’s not edited it any way, is what I am exporting identical to what I imported?
In the Edit in… options, should I choose TIFF or PSD?
Why won’t Photoshop allow me to save my Lightroom file as a JPEG?
Should I choose 8-bit or 16-bit?
I am a high volume photographer (weddings etc.) – do I HAVE to convert to PSD or TIFF for light retouching, or can I use JPEG?
Color Space
Why do my photos look different in Photoshop?
Why do my photographs look different in Windows Explorer or on the Web?
Can I export with a custom ICC profile?
Which color space should I use?
Sizing & Resolution
What’s the difference between Width & Height, Dimensions, Longest Edge & Shortest Edge?
When I enter 4×6 as my output size, why do the vertical photos become 4×6 but the horizontal photos become 2.5×4?
What does the ‘Don’t Enlarge’ checkbox do?
What PPI setting should I enter in the Export dialog?
I set the export PPI to 300 – why is it 72ppi when I open it in Photoshop?
How do I change the PPI setting for Edit in Photoshop?
When I crop to 8×10 in Lightroom and then open in Photoshop, why is it not 8”x10”?
Is it better to upsize in Lightroom or in Photoshop?
Can I export to multiple sizes in one go?
Save Locations
Can I set Lightroom to automatically export back to the same folder as the original, or a subfolder of the original folder?
Can I set Lightroom to overwrite the original when exporting?
How do I change the filename while exporting?
Can I stop Lightroom asking me what to do when it finds an existing file with the same name?
Export Sharpening
Can you ‘Apply sharpening to preview photos only’ like you can in ACR?
Why does the Export Sharpening only have a few options? How can I control it?
Which Export Sharpening setting applies more sharpening – screen, matte or glossy?
Export Actions
Can I set Lightroom to automatically re-import the exported files?
How do I get Lightroom to attach the exported files to an email?
Can I run a Photoshop Action from Lightroom?
The droplet runs, but it doesn’t save – what have I done wrong?
The droplet runs, but it keeps asking what JPEG compression to use – what have I done wrong?
The droplet doesn’t run at all – why not?
The droplet only works on some of the photos and then stops – what’s wrong?
In my droplet I used a Save for Web instead of a standard Save As – why won’t it overwrite the original file?
Export Plug-ins
How do I install Export Plug-ins?
Why can’t I remove this Export Plug-in?
What Export Plug-ins are currently available?
How do I use Export Plug-ins?
Copyright & Watermarking
How do I enter the details for the copyright watermark?
How do I change the font or size for the copyright watermark, or use a graphical watermark instead?
Other Export Questions
Why does Lightroom move my Edit in… photo to the end of the sort order?
Can I strip the metadata from my files, like Save for Web in Photoshop?
Do I have to wait for Lightroom to finish updating the previews before I can export?
Can I save my Export Settings as a Preset?
Do I have to use the Export dialog every time I export?
Why is Lightroom flattening my layered file?
Why does my Edit with… PSD file not have a preview when it’s returned from Photoshop to Lightroom?
Export Troubleshooting
Lightroom can’t find Photoshop to use Edit in Photoshop – how do I fix it?
It gives an error message – “Some export operations were not performed. File does not exist.” What went wrong?
The files appear in the export folder and then disappear again. Why is Lightroom deleting them?
Slideshow Module
Styles & Settings
How do I save my settings as a template for use on other photos?
Can I save my settings for a specific slideshow?
Can I add Intro and Ending slides?
How do I add captions to the slides?
Why can’t Lightroom find all of my music?
Can I advance the slides manually, but still have them fade from one to the next?
Can I rate photos while a slideshow is running?
Export
Can I export my slideshow to run in a DVD player?
Can I export my slideshow for viewing on the web?
Can I export with my choice of music?
I exported to PDF, but it doesn’t automatically start the slideshow when I open it. Why not?
Errors
Why does it get part way through the slideshow and then start back at the beginning?
Why is my Noise Reduction not applied to the slideshow?
Everything appears to be running correctly, then the screen just goes plain grey or black when I try to running the slideshow.
Print Module
Contact Sheet/Grid
How can I change the order of contact sheet photos?
Picture Package
How is Picture Package different from Contact Sheet/Grid?
How do I use Picture Package?
Can I use Picture Package to design albums and books?
Styles & Settings
How do I put the filenames and a copyright watermark on my photos?
How can I overlay a graphic such as a border onto my print?
With 1 photo on a sheet, I can place the ID plate anywhere on the photo. Is that possible for multiple photos?
I have the Rulers and Grid checked in the Rulers, Grid & Guides panel – why can’t I see them?
How can I save my print settings for later?
Printing
Why do Page Setup, Print Settings and Print buttons show the same dialog?
Which Print Sharpening option do I choose?
How do I print to a file such as a JPEG to send to my lab?
How do I set up my printer to match the preview I see on screen?
Why are Lightroom’s prints too dark?
How do I get Lightroom to see my custom print profile?
Why does my custom ICC printer profile not show in Lightroom’s list of profiles?
Web Module
Styles & Settings
How do I install new web galleries?
The default flash gallery appears to be capped at 500 photos, but I need to include more – how can I change the default?
Is it possible to add music to the galleries?
How can I change a web gallery I’ve already created?
How can I save certain settings to a default gallery template, such as identity plates and color settings?
Uploading
How do I upload my gallery?
Why doesn’t the FTP upload work – it says “Remote Disc Error”?
Can I have multiple galleries on my website?
Additional Galleries
Where can I download additional web galleries?
General Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Steps
I have a problem with Lightroom – are there any troubleshooting steps I can try?
What is deleted when I delete my Preferences file?
Interface & Toolbar
My toolbar’s disappeared – where’s it gone?
How do I change the tools that are shown in the toolbar?
Where’s the Close Window button gone?
It’s all gone black! How do I change the view back to normal?
Where have my panels gone?
Can I change the panel auto hide options?
Identity Plates
How do I create identity plates?
Where has my Identity Plate gone?
Previews & Speed
What is the difference between Minimal previews, Standard previews and 1:1 previews?
What size and quality should I set for Standard-Sized Previews?
When I choose Render 1:1 Previews from the Library menu, does it apply to the entire catalog or just the selected photos?
Is there any way to make Lightroom render thumbnails quicker when I’m scrolling through Grid view?
Lightroom’s slow in moving from one photo to the next in Library module – is there anything I can do to speed it up?
Lightroom’s slow in moving from one photo to the next in Develop module – is there anything I can do to speed it up?
The previews file is huge – can I delete it?
Can I move the previews onto another drive?
If I delete the file, is the preview deleted too?
Why do I have to create previews? Why can’t I just look at the files?
The preview in Library module is slightly different from the preview in Develop module – why is that?
Lightroom appears to be creating Cache*.dat files in ACR’s cache as well as its own previews – why?
Error Messages
I uninstalled the program, but now I want to reinstall and it won’t let me as it says “A newer version already exists”. How do I uninstall cleanly to be able to reinstall?
I installed Lightroom, but it says “An error occurred while attempting to change modules”. How do I fix it?
There’s a question mark in the corner of my thumbnail cell, and when I try to open the photo in Develop module it says “The file cannot be opened”. Why not?
“Lightroom encountered an error and needs to quit”
I tried to open my catalog but it says “The Lightroom Catalog at *** cannot be used because the folder does not allow files to be created within it.” How do I open my catalog?
It says “There was an error working with the photo” or an exclamation mark in the corner of the thumbnail and a small fuzzy preview. What’s wrong?
When I use the Browse dialog to locate a folder, the Windows Live Login dialog pops up. If I don’t log in, Lightroom stops responding and I have to restart. How can I stop this?
Catalog Problems
My catalog appears to be corrupted – how do I rescue it?
I’ve renamed the files outside of Lightroom and now Lightroom thinks they’re missing. I’ve lost all of my changes! Is it possible to recover them?
I renamed my photos inside of Lightroom, but I’ve accidentally deleted those renamed files from the hard drive. I do have copies of the files on DVD, but they have the original filenames, so Lightroom won’t recognize them. Is it possible re-link them?
Preview Problems
Everything in Lightroom is a funny color, but the original photos look perfect in other programs, and the exported photos don’t look like they do in Lightroom either. What could be wrong?
How do I change my monitor profile to check whether it’s corrupted?
Lightroom doesn’t show me a preview of my PSD file in Grid view – why not?
Other Problems
I have a huge problem! I accidentally deleted my photos from my hard drive and I don’t have backups! There are 1:1 previews in Lightroom’s catalog – is there any way of creating JPEGs from the previews?
Lightroom has slowed to a crawl – how can I speed it up?
How do I change Lightroom’s memory management?
Does Lightroom use multiple cores?
I’ve heard of incompatibilities with nVidia graphics cards and software – is there anything I can do, other than using a different graphics card?
Leopard Finder crashes when I try to view previews of photos which have Develop settings embedded. How do I fix it?
Useful Information
Preferences & Settings
Lightroom Preferences are…
Lightroom Catalog Settings are…
Photoshop Preferences are…
Photoshop Color Settings are…
Default File Locations
The default location of the Lightroom catalog is…
The default location of the Preferences is…
The default location of the Presets is…
The default location of all of the Camera Raw Cache is…
The default location of the Adobe Camera Raw Profiles is…
Your custom Camera Raw Profiles can also be installed to the User folders…
Hidden Files
How do I show hidden files?
64-bit
I’ve heard Lightroom 2.0 is now 64-bit. How is that beneficial?
How do I install the 64-bit version?
My Mac version doesn’t have an ‘Open as 32-bit’ checkbox. Why not?
Licensing Information
I’m switching from PC to Mac – how do I switch my Lightroom license?
How many machines can I install Lightroom on?
How do I deactivate Lightroom to move it to another machine?
Trials & Downloads
Is the download on Adobe’s website the full program or just an update?
I’m having problems accessing the Adobe website to download the update – can I download it elsewhere?
I’m Still Stuck!
Where else can I go to find solutions to my problems that aren’t covered here?