Learn how to fix Lightroom not importing photos with this helpful tutorial. We'll show you step-by-step how to troubleshoot the issue and get your photos imported into Lightroom quickly and easily.

Are you having difficulty getting Lightroom to import your photos? If so, you’re not alone. Many users experience this issue and it can be extremely frustrating. Fortunately, there are a few fixes you can try that should solve the problem. In this blog post, we’ll provide step-by-step instructions to help you fix Lightroom not importing photos. 

No matter how carefully you work with your photos, it can be incredibly frustrating when Lightroom fails to import them. This is especially true when you’ve spent a lot of time and effort setting up your import settings. Fortunately, there are a few fixes you can try that should get Lightroom to recognize and import your photos. 

Fix 1: Turn Off “Don’t Import Suspected Duplicates”

  • Open Lightroom. 
  • Go to the Library module. 
  • In the right-hand side, click on the ‘Import’ button. 
  • Under the ‘File Handling’ section, uncheck the ‘Don’t Import Suspected Duplicates’ option. 
  • Try to import your photos again. 

  • When you try to import the photos, you may get a prompt to upgrade your Lightroom version. 
  • If you’re using Lightroom Classic, you may need to upgrade to the latest version. 

    • Fix 2: Make Sure You are in the Correct Module




  • Open Lightroom. 
  • Make sure you are in the Library module. 
  • In the right-hand side, click on the ‘Import’ button. 
  • Try to import your photos again. 


  • If you’re in the Develop module, Lightroom may not recognize the photos. 

    • Fix 3: Check the File Type



  • Open Lightroom. 
  • Go to the Library module. 
  • In the right-hand side, click on the ‘Import’ button. 
  • Under the ‘File Handling’ section, make sure that the correct file type is selected. 
  • Try to import your photos again. 



  • If the incorrect file type is selected, Lightroom may not recognize the photos. 

    • Fix 4: Check Your Import Settings



  • Open Lightroom. 
  • Go to the Library module. 
  • In the right-hand side, click on the ‘Import’ button. 
  • Under the ‘File Handling’ section, check your import settings. 
  • Try to import your photos again. 



  • If your import settings are incorrect, Lightroom may not recognize the photos. 

    • Fix 5: Update Lightroom



  • Open Lightroom. 
  • Go to the Help menu. 
  • Click on ‘Check for Updates’. 
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to update Lightroom. 
  • Try to import your photos again. 



  • If you’re using an older version of Lightroom, you may need to upgrade to the latest version. 

    • Fix 6: Troubleshoot System Issues



  • Make sure your computer meets the system requirements for Lightroom. 
  • Check for any pending Windows Updates. 
  • Make sure your graphics card and driver are up-to-date. 
  • Make sure your hard drive has enough free space. 
  • Try to import your photos again.



  • If your computer is not up-to-date, Lightroom may not recognize the photos. 


    • If Lightroom is not importing your photos, there are a few fixes you can try. You can turn off “Don’t Import Suspected Duplicates”, make sure you are in the correct module, check the file type, check your import settings, update Lightroom, and troubleshoot system issues. 


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    If you’re having difficulty getting Lightroom to import your photos, check out our other blog posts for more help. We also have an extensive library of tutorials



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