Adobe Lightroom is a great software for making good photos, great. It allows users to yield amazing creative control.
When using large raw files Adobe Lightroom can run slower. Raw files require almost all your hardware to get your work done.
A great practice is to check if your system meets the minimum requirements outlined by Lightroom System Specifications. Though, an even quicker solution requiring close to zero effort is to sign up to Postudio. Postudio offers all the post-production tools at a fraction of the price. Use Adobe Lightroom and all its amazing features and none of the lag!
How To Make AdobAdobee Lightroom Run Faster
We’ve come up with 6 Ways to make your Adobe Lightroom run faster.
Way #1: Use a Faster Hard Drive
A quick (7200 rpm) internal Serial-ATA drive is sufficient for the most basic operation. Consider a RAID array for workflows that require more processing.
It’s practical to save catalogs, image files, and previews on an external drive if you use the same catalog across multiple computers. However, doing so could hurt Lightroom’s functionality. If you must save your files elsewhere, ensure sure your connection is swift.
Use a Thunderbolt, USB 3.0 (not USB 1.0 or 2.0), or an eSATA connection, for instance. Connect the external drive to a compatible port with the greatest bandwidth limit among all access ports for optimum performance.
Way #2: Update your Graphics Driver
Use a graphics processor that is compatible (also called a graphics card, video card, or GPU). Make sure the graphics driver software is always updated.
Uncheck the Use Graphics Processor check box in Lightroom (macOS)/Edit (Win) > Preferences > Performance if your computer’s graphics processor is incompatible with Lightroom.
Way #3: Enable Lightroom Smart Preview
The “Smart Previews” feature of Lightroom is one of the most beneficial features. In essence, they are lower-quality photos that Lightroom utilizes as a reference for working on your images in the Develop Module rather than the full-res raw file.
Naturally, if you ever zoom in completely in the Develop Module, it will switch to the real raw image preview; however, when you’re zoomed out, you’ll find that simple color correction and tonal control edits go considerably faster. This can make a big, obvious impact, especially with high-megapixel raw files and slower systems.
Way #4: Utilise Low Resolution
To enable Low Resolution on Adobe Lightroom head to the ‘Get Info’ tab’. Once this is open, look for the ‘Open in Low Resolution’ check box. This is usually unselected. Please go ahead and check that box.
Having the Open in Low-Resolution box selected will really help you import your pictures and images quicker with lesser since it’s not loading in its complete image resolution.
Way #5: Catalog Optimisation
The catalog file is constantly being updated by Lightroom Classic (.lrcat). Optimize the Lightroom catalog when performance lags by selecting File > Optimize Catalog from the menu. Lightroom Classic is instructed to evaluate the catalog’s data structure and make sure it is concise when the catalog is optimized.
When you exit Lightroom and back up the catalog, select the choices to further optimize efficiency and increase catalog stability. Before backing up, check for integrity, and after backing up, optimize the catalog. These procedures take some time, but they can keep the catalog running efficiently.
Way #6: RAM Helps!
Adobe Lightroom has a minimum RAM requirement of 4GB. The recommended RAM though is 12GB or more. Having additional RAM allows you to run additional processes and tasks.
Overall, additional RAM helps you improve your system speed. 12 GB or more RAM means that Lightroom can import and export your images that much easier.
Conclusion
Adobe Lightroom can get laggy easily. Depending on the kind of resolution the raw images you’re using and so many other factors that we showed you how to tackle in these 6 Ways.
If you still find your Adobe Lightroom laggy and feel like you can’t do much to improve the system settings you currently have. Then head on over to Postudio where you can use everything post-production related at a fraction of the cost.
