Do one of the following to open the import window:
Last updated on
Sep 25, 2023
When you import photos into Lightroom Classic, you create a link between the photo itself and the record of the photo in the catalog.
When importing, you work from left to right in the import window. First, on the left, identify what files you want to import (the source files). Then, in the middle of the window, choose how you want to import them into the catalog (add, move, or copy them). Finally, on the right, specify where you want to store the files (the destination folder) and other options for the imported files.
New in the October 2025 release:
While importing, you can now use Assisted Culling to automatically select the best photos from a large batch of images. For more details, see Select best photos with Assisted Culling.
Select Library > Import.
Select File > Import Photos And Video.
Choose Select A Source or From, or use the Source panel on the left side of the import window to navigate to the files you want to import.
Note
Connected networks appear in the Source panel. To add a network location, click From or Select A Source, choose Other Source, and navigate to the networked folder. On Windows, click the Plus button to the right of the Source panel name and choose Add Network Volume.
In the top center of the import window, specify how you want to add the photos to the catalog:
Copy As DNG
Copies photos to the folder you choose and converts any camera raw files to the Digital Negative (DNG) format.
Copy
Copies the photo files to the folder you choose, including any sidecar files.
Move
Moves the photo files to the folder you choose, including any sidecar files. Files are removed from their current location.
Add
Keeps the photo files in their current location.
Select the photos that you want to import from the preview area in the center of the import window. A check mark in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail indicates that the photo is selected for import.
To filter photos in the preview, select any of the following:
All Photos
Removes all filters.
New Photos
Excludes suspected duplicates and previously imported photos.
Destination Folders
(Available only when copying or moving photos into a catalog) Groups photos by their destination folder.
- Select the Loupe view button
in the toolbar to zoom in on a single photo. - Select Check All or Uncheck All in the toolbar to globally select or deselect all photos in the folder.
- Select the Sort pop-up menu in the toolbar to sort photos by capture time, checked state, filename, or media type (image or video file).
- Drag the Thumbnails slider to adjust the size of the thumbnails in the grid.
- Select the box in the upper-left corner of a preview to select or deselect specific photos. Or, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) anywhere on the thumbnail to select and deselect photos.
If you're importing photos by moving or copying them, specify where to put them: In the upper-right corner of the window, select To and choose a location for the photos. Or select a location in the Destination panel and specify other options:
Into Subfolder
Copies or moves the imported photos into a new folder. Type the name of the new folder in the text field.
Organize
Organize the photos in the new subfolder in one of three ways: preserve the original folder hierarchy of the source folder; create subfolders by date; or put all photos into one folder.
Date Format
Choose a format for the dates.
Note
Folder names that are italicized in the Destination panel indicate new folders that will be created when you import. Review the Destination panel carefully to help ensure that you are correctly importing the photos to your intended location.
Specify other options for the imported files using the panels on the right side of the window. See Specify import options.
Select Import. If you don't want to import right now but want to save the changes you made to the import settings, then select Done.
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