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Adobe Lightroom is a must-have when you need to add a finishing touch to your images. It enables you to import, organize, and manage your images quickly, providing you with essential editing tools. Perhaps you’ve asked, how many computers can I install Lightroom 6 on? Let’s discuss that below:
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How Many Computers Can I Install Lightroom 6 On?
You can install Lightroom 6 on as many computers as you want. However, according to the license agreement, you can only activate your Lightroom 6 license on two computers at the same license and cannot run them simultaneously.
As a beginner-friendly tool, Lightroom 6 has a basic interface, and its settings are straightforward. Most users find it versatile and super easy to use. It is effective for reducing background noise and making photographs pop out. How can you activate it on multiple computers without any hassle?
Using Lightroom 6 on Two Computers
Since it’s possible to use Lightroom on two computers, how do you manage your files and catalogs between them? There are a couple of ways to use Lightroom on two computers. Let’s talk details:
Method 1: Using an External Drive
This is the simplest way to use Lightroom on multiple devices. You need to get an external drive specifically for your Lightroom files. Then, copy all your photos and Lightroom Catalog on it. When you want to use Lightroom on the second computer, simply connect the drive to it.
Although using an external drive for your Lightroom files is easy, it’s not all roses. Carrying an external drive around before you can work is quite frustrating. If you’re not a fan of having an external drive around, you might want to consider other methods.
Method 2: Duplicating Lightroom Catalogs
To use this method effectively, you need to duplicate your entire Lightroom catalog to the new computer as is. It’s pretty safe and provides an extra backup for your files. Besides, it gives you access to your files from anywhere as long as you have your computer.
How do you use Lightroom on multiple devices by duplicating your Lightroom catalog? Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing that:
- Store your photos on both computers using the same file format
- Then, copy your entire Lightroom Catalog files from one computer to another
- Lastly, copy your Lightroom photos from the old computer to the new one.
Note: to avoid losing your files, it is important to always back them up before copying from one computer to another.
Method 3: Importing and Exporting Your Files
This method is the most effective way to use lightroom on multiple computers. It involves using a feature on Lightroom 6 titled “Export as a catalog” to transfer your lightroom catalog files in small or large chunks and integrate them to a new computer.
How can you implement this method quickly? Below is a step-by-step guide on how to use Lightroom on multiple computers by simply importing and exporting your catalog files:
- Create a lightroom catalog containing all the files you want to transfer between both computers
- Navigate to the library module and locate the folder containing all your images on the left-hand panel
- Right-click the folder and select “Export this folder as a catalog,” then name the folder
- Check the box titled “Export negative files” and “Include available preview,” then select “Export as Catalog”
- Go to the location where you stored the catalog folder and copy it to the second computer
- Save the catalog folder to the parent folder where you store all your pictures on the second computer to make importing easier
- Open lightroom on the second computer, then go to files and click “Import from another catalog”
- Locate the catalog folder and click on the catalog file titled ‘lrcat” then, it displays a pop-up menu
- On the menu, go to the box that says “file handling” and “select copy photos to new location and import”
- Go to the box titled “copy to” and ensure that you select a location that is one folder above the catalog file’s location
- Click on “import file”
Related Questions
How Do I Sync Lightroom to Another Computer?
You simply need to select all the images you want to upload to the cloud and add them to a collection. Then, go to the collection panel and check the box on the left side to enable sync. Wait for a while for the images to upload.
How Many Users Can Use a Single Lightroom License?
According to the license agreement, “No more than one user can use a single-license Adobe product.” This means that the primary user is the only person legally allowed to use it at any given time, even though it can be installed on a secondary computer.
Conclusion
Lightroom 6 is an essential editing tool worth giving a try. It offers all the basic features you need to drastically improve the quality of your images without trying too hard. Besides, it can be installed on multiple computers to make your work easier and faster.
