Can't access photos and presets

When photos and presets go missing in Adobe Lightroom on mobile, the issue typically relates to account authentication, sync status, or app data management. This most commonly occurs after uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

After reinstalling the Lightroom app, you open the app and discover that photos or presets you previously had are no longer visible. The app may show an empty library or display only a subset of the content you expect. Locally stored presets you created or installed don’t appear in your preset list.

The following solutions address the most common causes of missing photos and presets, listed in order of likelihood:

You’re logged in with a different Adobe ID than the one associated with your synced photos and active Creative Cloud membership. If you have trouble signing in, see solve Adobe account sign-in issues.

Understanding sync behavior

To prevent future content loss, understand how Lightroom on mobile handles your photos and presets:

• Synced content is safe: Photos and presets that have synced to the cloud remain accessible after reinstalling the app or switching devices. Check sync status by opening the app and selecting the cloud icon in the upper-right corner.
• Presets don't sync to Lightroom Classic: While photos sync between Lightroom on mobile and Lightroom Classic, presets don’t. To transfer presets to Lightroom Classic, sync them to Lightroom desktop (requires an active subscription), then export and install them in Lightroom Classic.
• Logging out preserves data: If you sign out and sign back in with the same Adobe ID, your synced data remains available in Adobe Lightroom on mobile.
• App data vs. app cache: Clearing app data deletes photos and presets from your device. Clearing only the app cache removes image previews and temporary data but preserves your content. On iOS, use Offload Unused Apps to free storage without losing data.

For help transferring data to a new iOS device, see Use Quick Start to transfer data or Transfer data from your previous iOS device.