Sharing a Lightroom catalog between your desktop and laptop can be a great way to ensure that you always have access to your photos, no matter where you are working. There are a few different ways to do this, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. In other situations a NAS (Network Attached Storage) would be used, but Lightroom catalogs can’t be on a network drive-they simply corrupt. This means finding other solutions.

One way to share a Lightroom catalog between your desktop and laptop is to put the catalog, along with your photos, on an external hard drive. This can be a great solution if you require a lot of storage space, and if you need to access to all your photos on both machinew. The downside to this method is that you will need to physically move the external hard drive between your desktop and laptop, which can be time-consuming and may increase the risk of data loss. If the drive is a spinning disk rather than an SSD, catalog access will be slower than the internal drive. Always close Lightroom before disconnecting the drive. This is the method I use.

Another way to share a Lightroom catalog between your desktop and laptop is to selectively sync images to Lightroom (as in the ecosystem Desktop app) from the Classic catalog on your computer. This method allows you to only sync the images that you need, which can save you time and storage space. You can then use the Lightroom app on your laptop to access the synced images. This method is great if you only need access to a specific set of images, and if you don't need the full catalog on your laptop. The files you’re accessing on the laptop are Smart Previews, so only 2560 pixels long. This is fine for general edits, but may not be enough for detailed masking. One major plus with syncing from Classic is the synced smart previews don’t count against your account total. Great news for those on the 20GB plan with Lightroom Classic and Photoshop.

A third option is to put all of your images in Lightroom and not use Lightroom Classic. This method allows you to access your images and catalog on your desktop and laptop, without having to sync or transfer any files (except the initial import). You can even work in a browser by logging in at https://lightroom.adobe.com However, this method requires a good internet connection and your cost increases per Terabyte of images uploaded. I’ve about 12TB, so the €120 a month this would cost me is prohibitive.

Ultimately, the best method for sharing a Lightroom catalog between your desktop and laptop will depend on your specific needs and workflow. Consider the size of your catalog, and how often you need to access your images on your laptop when choosing the best method for you.