The "Add" option in Lightroom's import dialog is greyed out primarily because Lightroom expects you to be importing from a source where you haven't already copied the photos to their final destination on your hard drive. It's most commonly disabled when importing from an SD card.
Understanding Lightroom's Import Options: Add vs. Copy/Move
Lightroom offers different import options depending on your workflow. Understanding these helps clarify why "Add" might be greyed out:
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Add: This option only adds the photos to your Lightroom Catalog. Lightroom assumes the photos are already in their permanent storage location on your computer. It simply creates a link between the Lightroom catalog and the existing files.
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Copy: This option copies the photos from the source (e.g., SD card) to a new location on your hard drive and then adds them to the Lightroom catalog. Lightroom manages the file transfer.
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Move: This option moves the photos from the source to a new location, removing them from the original source, and then adds them to the Lightroom catalog. Use this with extreme caution, particularly with SD cards, as data loss could occur.
Why "Add" is Greyed Out When Importing from an SD Card
Lightroom typically grays out the "Add" option when it detects you're importing from an SD card or similar removable media because it assumes you haven't already transferred those files to your computer. The standard workflow is to copy the files from the SD card to a designated folder structure on your hard drive.
Lightroom wants to guide you towards a safe and organized workflow, so it encourages copying the files over first rather than directly linking to them from the SD card.
When Should You Use "Add"?
The "Add" option is appropriate if:
- You've already manually copied the RAW files (or other supported image formats) from your SD card to your desired storage location on your computer's hard drive.
- You want to add existing images that are already on your computer to the Lightroom catalog, without moving or copying them.
- You are certain that the image files are in their permanent and secure storage location.
Troubleshooting When "Add" is Unexpectedly Greyed Out
If you're sure your files are already on your hard drive and "Add" is still greyed out:
- Verify the Source: Double-check the "Source" panel in Lightroom's import window. Ensure it's pointing to the correct folder on your hard drive where the photos are located.
- Folder Permissions: Ensure that Lightroom has read access to the folder containing the photos. Operating system permissions can sometimes interfere.
- Catalog Corruption: In rare cases, a corrupted Lightroom catalog can cause unexpected behavior. Try creating a new catalog temporarily to see if the issue persists.
In summary, Lightroom typically disables the "Add" import option when importing from an SD card because it expects users to copy or move files to a permanent location first. Use the "Add" option when you are certain your files are already located in their final destination on your hard drive.
