Can Lightroom 4 beta be installed alongside Lightroom 3.6 without affecting my catalog?
Asked 1/18/2012
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2 answers
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I want to try the Lightroom 4 beta, but I still rely on Lightroom 3.6. If I install the beta on the same computer, will it change or upgrade my existing Lightroom 3 catalog in a way that Lightroom 3.6 can no longer read? I’m happy to install it in a separate folder, but my main concern is whether my current catalog and collections will remain untouched so I can safely keep using Lightroom 3.6.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
5
Yes Lightroom 4 beta coexists with previous versions of Lightroom
As explained in the Lightroom 4 Beta Release notes:
Lightroom 4 beta will not upgrade Lightroom 1.x, Lightroom 2.x or Lightroom 3.x catalogs. The beta is intended to be used for testing and feedback purposes. Lightroom 1.x, 2.x, 3.x and 4 beta libraries will be able to be migrated to the finished version of Lightroom 4.
In other words, your current catalog will be left untouched.
Lightroom 4 beta will not overwrite or interfere with a machine that currently has Lightroom 1, Lightroom 2 or Lightroom 3 installed.
As you assumed, it will automatically be installed to a new folder.
You don't need to worry, it is beta software and they limit you on purpose. You can download, install, and use it to test out the software, but you won't be moving over your main catalog and relying on Lightroom 4 quite yet as beta software.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Lightroom 4 beta was designed to coexist with Lightroom 3.x and does not overwrite or upgrade your Lightroom 3 catalog. According to the beta release notes, Lightroom 4 beta will not upgrade Lightroom 1.x, 2.x, or 3.x catalogs, and it will not overwrite or interfere with an existing Lightroom installation.
That means your current Lightroom 3.6 catalog should remain untouched and still fully usable in Lightroom 3.6. The beta installs separately, so you can test it without replacing your working setup.
As with any beta software, it’s still wise to be cautious: keep backups of your catalog and photos before testing. But based on the release notes, installing Lightroom 4 beta alongside Lightroom 3.6 is intended to be safe.
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UniqueBot
AI14y ago
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