Regular catalog backup in Lightroom Classic CC made easy

Main Insights

• The catalog is the central component of Lightroom where all image information is stored.
• There are different ways to create a backup, including automatically saving to XMP files and regular catalog backups.
• You can customize the backup intervals and choose your backup directory.

Step-by-step guide

1. Open catalog settings

To establish your backup system, we start with the catalog settings. You can do this by clicking on the title at the top left in Lightroom and selecting the catalog settings there.

2. Activate XMP saving

An important step is to activate automatic saving to XMP files. In the catalog settings, you will find the option "Save changes automatically to XMP". Make sure this box is checked. This way, Lightroom saves the edits and metadata for each image in a separate XMP file.

3. Set backup frequency

Next, go to the "General" tab in the catalog settings. Here you will find the option "Back up catalog". It is advisable to make this backup once a week when exiting Lightroom. However, you can adjust the frequency to your needs: once a day, once a month, or on each exit.

4. Check current catalog status

Before performing your backup, it is useful to check the current status of your catalog. In the "General" tab, you can view information such as the last optimization date and the date of the last backup. This gives you a good overview of the security of your catalog.

5. Delete unnecessary temporary files

Before backup, it may be useful to remove temporary files. These are often found in the same folder as your catalog and can take up a lot of storage space. Deleting these files can improve Lightroom's performance.

6. View and manage backups

In Lightroom, there is a special folder for backups. This folder shows you all your backups, including older backups dating back to 2017. You can view the backup files as ZIP files. Each backup can be easily extracted for future use if needed.

7. Perform backup

To perform a backup, close Lightroom. You will be asked if you want to make a backup. Choose the option to ensure the catalog is backed up before closing. Make sure to also enable the option to check the catalog integrity before backup.

8. Complete backup

Once the backup is complete, you can view the duration. Compared to potential data losses, it is always better to regularly back up your catalog data. You can see that this only takes a few minutes and is very worthwhile.

Delete old backups

To save storage space, you should regularly check and delete old backups if necessary. Consider how many old versions you actually need. Deleting unnecessary backups cannot be automated in Lightroom, so you have to perform these steps manually.

Summary

In this guide, I have explained step by step how to back up your catalog in Lightroom Classic CC. Regular backup and enabling XMP storage are simple yet effective ways to protect your valuable data.