What to do if you see The file couldn’t be found
in Lightroom
Have you ever seen a “File cannot be found” message in Lightroom or noticed a folder with an issue mark or a photograph thumbnail with an exclamation mark? These symbols indicate that Lightroom has lost control of your files.
These icons appear since the files have been disconnected from Lightroom. If you notice these symbols, it implies that your folders or photos are NO LONGER ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIGHTROOM DIRECTORY.
Understanding why this happens is important to solving the issue. There can be several aspects causing the disconnection, but first it is vital to understand how Lightroom interacts along with your files.
Understanding the Lightroom catalog
The Lightroom catalog maintains a singular relationship along with your photos. Although your images should not physically stored in Lightroom, the catalog tracks their location and records any changes you make to them.
This necessary information, including changes and organizational details, is stored in the Lightroom catalog.
How do folders and photos change into disconnected from Lightroom?
Folders and photos can change into disconnected from Lightroom for several reasons:
- When you move folders or photos when you should not in Lightroom
- When you rename a folder when you’re not in Lightroom
- The harddisk where you store these folders or photos is disabled, moved, or damaged
When any of those actions occur, Lightroom loses control of your files and displays “question mark” icons in folders or “exclamation mark” icons next to photo thumbnails to alert you to the issue. This implies that the connection between Lightroom and your files has been broken.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the photos have been deleted or permanently lost – unless you actually deleted the files.
How to relink missing folders and photos
To fix missing or offline photos, you’ll need to reconnect Lightroom to your images. This can be done in two ways:
- Move the folder or photo back to its original location: Simply move the folder or photo back to where it was and where Lightroom expects it. Lightroom will mechanically detect the folders and every part will return to normal.
- Relink the folders to their latest location: If you moved folders to a brand new location, you can reconnect them to your Lightroom catalog. Right-click on the Lightroom folder with an issue mark and choose “Find Missing Folder…”. This will open a window allowing you to manually navigate to your current file location. If the folder has just been renamed, Lightroom will update the name and restore the connection.
- Turn on the external harddisk or reconnect it: If your folder got disconnected due to your external harddisk being turned off or moved, simply turn it back on or reconnect it. Lightroom will detect the files and the query marks will disappear. It’s that straightforward
Repair deleted photos
If a photograph has been permanently deleted out of your computer, it cannot be recovered in Lightroom. However, if you delete a photograph outside of Lightroom, the thumbnail will still appear in Lightroom with an issue mark next to it since the Lightroom catalog shouldn’t be aware of the deletion.
To fix this, select the thumbnail in Lightroom and press Delete. When prompted, select Delete. This will remove the thumbnail from the directory and fix the issue.
How to prevent Lightroom from disconnecting out of your photos
To save time and frustration, be sure that all file operations comparable to moving, renaming, and deleting have been accomplished in Lightroom.
Renaming a file is easy: right-click and choose “Rename.” Moving a folder is just as easy: drag and drop the folder into Lightroom. By managing your files this fashion, you can prevent Lightroom from losing your photos.
If you have a tough time remembering these steps, keep in mind that sometimes you might have to repair broken relationships. And now that you know the way to do it, you will be able to handle it with ease.
What to do if Lightroom says “File cannot be found” – video tutorial
If you’re a visible learner, be sure to watch our short video tutorial below:
Do you have questions or comments about how to find and recombine missing photos in Lightroom? Leave us a comment below – we would love to hear from you! AND PLEASE SHARE our guide to using social sharing buttons (we actually appreciate it)
