Selecting photos in Adobe Lightroom is straightforward and can be done in several ways depending on whether you need to select a single image, a range of images, or all images in a view.
You can select photos in Lightroom using simple clicks, keyboard shortcuts, or menu commands.
Methods for Selecting Photos
Here are the primary ways to select photos in Lightroom Classic:
Selecting a Single Photo
To select just one photo, simply click on the thumbnail of the photo you want in the Grid view (G) or the Filmstrip. The selected photo will usually have a border around it.
Selecting a Range of Photos
To select multiple photos that are next to each other, you can use the Shift-click method.
- Select the first photo in the range by clicking on its thumbnail.
- Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.
- While holding Shift, click on the last photo in the range.
Reference Information: To select a photo and all photos between it and the active photo, Shift-click a photo. This selects the first photo you clicked, the last photo you Shift-clicked, and every photo in between them.
Selecting Non-Consecutive Photos
If you need to select multiple photos that are not next to each other:
- Select the first photo by clicking on its thumbnail.
- Hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Mac OS) on your keyboard.
- While holding Ctrl/Command, click on each additional photo you want to select.
This method adds individual photos to your selection one by one.
Selecting All Photos
To quickly select every photo currently visible in the Grid view or Filmstrip:
- Go to the Edit menu in the top bar.
- Choose Select All.
Alternatively, you can use a keyboard shortcut:
- Press Ctrl+A on Windows.
- Press Command+A on Mac OS.
Reference Information: To select all photos, choose Edit Select All or press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac OS).
Summary Table of Selection Methods
| Action | Method | Shortcut | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select Single Photo | Click | N/A | Single photo |
| Select Range | Click first, then Shift-click last | Shift-click | Consecutive photos |
| Select Non-Consecutive | Click first, then Ctrl/Command-click others | Ctrl/Command-click | Non-consecutive |
| Select All | Edit > Select All | Ctrl+A (Win), Cmd+A (Mac) | All visible photos |
Understanding these simple selection techniques allows you to efficiently manage and apply actions to multiple photos at once in Lightroom Classic.
