Adobe Lightroom Classic 2024 133 Best Fix May 2026

What's New in Adobe Lightroom Classic 2024 (13.3):

Pro Tip

: For the best results, use "Object Aware" mode to let the AI automatically detect the edges of the subject you want to remove. Lens Blur: Out of Beta

  1. Smart Previews are your SSD’s best friend: Always build Smart Previews (1:1 not required). You can edit a 100MP image on a laptop with 8GB of RAM if you use Smart Previews.
  2. The 2024 Catalog Split: Don’t keep a 10-year catalog. For 2024, create a new catalog named 2024_133Best.lrcat for this year’s work.
  3. Store Previews separately: In Catalog Settings, set your Previews folder to a fast external SSD, but keep the actual catalog on your internal drive.
  4. Synchronize Folder (The Right Way): In 2024, right-click the parent folder and hit "Synchronize Folder" – check only "Show import dialog before importing." Never blindly sync.
  5. Purge the 1:1 Previews: Go to File > Optimize Catalog monthly. Then Edit > Preferences > File Handling – set "Remove 1:1 Previews" to "After 7 Days."
  6. The Backup Naming Convention: Name your backups YYYY_MM_DD_LRCAT_Backup. Adobe’s default naming is chaos.
  7. Import Presets: Save your import metadata and renaming settings as a User Preset. Call it "133_Best_Import."
  8. Masking Data save location: In 2024, masking data (people/object masks) is huge. Go to Catalog Settings > "Store Presets with Catalog" – keep masking data portable.
  9. Use "Import while Backup": In the import window, check "Make a Second Copy To" – point this to a completely separate physical drive, not a folder on the same drive.
  10. Pause Synchronization: If you use Adobe Cloud, pause syncing (Lightroom > Preferences > Lightroom Sync tab) during heavy editing to save RAM.
  11. Never "Eject" without Optimizing: Always File > Optimize Catalog before shutting down if you imported more than 500 images.
  12. The "133" Folder Rule: Don't exceed 133 folders in a single parent directory inside Lightroom. It slows down browsing.
  13. Face Recognition Scheduling: Turn off continuous face scanning. Go to Metadata > Enable Face Recognition only when you sleep.
  14. Show Parent Folder: In the Library Grid, right-click the top folder name and select "Show Parent Folder" to navigate faster.
  15. Snapshot Backup: Before a massive edit run (C:MD+Shift+S) create a Snapshot called "PRE_133_EDIT" to roll back instantly.

2. Apply "Develop Settings" on Import

  • Implementing the 133 practices yields measurable gains in speed, reliability, and consistent output. Adoption should be staged: start with critical items, then iterate through recommended and optional practices tailored to project needs.

3.8 Performance Tuning (15 practices)