Opening PSD and/or TIF in LR5

I am using Windows 7 and am having trouble figuring out how to open TIF and/or PSD files in Lightroom 5. I thought I set my Vista computer to open TIF files in LR4, but I have not been able to set it on this computer.

I clicked on Default Programs→Associate a File Type or Protocol with a Specific Program, but when I try to set LR5 to open TIF files, it switches it to Photoshop CC. And when I try to associate LR5 to open PSD, it simply won't take it. Is there some other way to allow me the option to open TIF and/or PSD to be opened with Lightroom 5? Thanks!

Try shift + right mouse click, it should give you a open with dialog option. At least it used to do that.

Easiest way I see is to simply add the folder or files to the LR5 Library and open from inside LR5.

If you want to be able to double-click a file in explorer and it open in LR5, then:

Using Explorer:

- right click the image file, left click "Open with", left click "Choose default program"

- If LR5 is not in list click "Browse" and navigate to the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.5 directory and choose "lightroom.exe"

Might be an easier way and lightroom.exe may be in a different location.

I couldn't figure out how to right click an image and select LR5 as the program to open the file, but I am able to open LR5 and import the image no matter whether it is a jpeg, PSD, or TIFF so I'm a happy camper.

I was able to to do as Eyelight said. I had to dig to find the .exe file. Once I did, it stayed on my rt click 'open with' menu. Opening the file this way goes right to the import page with the file selected.

Hark, have you played with the auto import folder in LR? It might work for you. I keep the auto import folder on my desktop and just drag oddball image files into it. Open LR and they are there. I set the import destination folder to be a subfolder of this folder so I always know exactly where the import is. If it's a keeper, I'll move it within LR to be with my other photos. But in most cases, I'm just doing a quick edit for my wife and delete it after I'm done.

Eyelight said:

Easiest way I see is to simply add the folder or files to the LR5 Library and open from inside LR5.

If you want to be able to double-click a file in explorer and it open in LR5, then:

Using Explorer:

- right click the image file, left click "Open with", left click "Choose default program"

- If LR5 is not in list click "Browse" and navigate to the C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.5 directory and choose "lightroom.exe"

Might be an easier way and lightroom.exe may be in a different location.

Click to expand...

I found this Adobe link to find file locations (Windows 7 and 8) which states to click show hidden files (which I did). I still can't find lightroom.exe. I dug around in those folders, too.

nickt said:

I was able to to do as Eyelight said. I had to dig to find the .exe file. Once I did, it stayed on my rt click 'open with' menu. Opening the file this way goes right to the import page with the file selected.

Hark, have you played with the auto import folder in LR? It might work for you. I keep the auto import folder on my desktop and just drag oddball image files into it. Open LR and they are there. I set the import destination folder to be a subfolder of this folder so I always know exactly where the import is. If it's a keeper, I'll move it within LR to be with my other photos. But in most cases, I'm just doing a quick edit for my wife and delete it after I'm done.

Click to expand...

I haven't yet tried this but will. Thanks for the help, Eyelight and nickt.

You want to uncheck "hide file extentions for known types". Its a few items under the show hidden files. In your picture, I think you want the lightroom file with the logo, labeled as application. When you turn on the full view you should see the .exe If you set up the 'open with', I would not go for "always". I rather have a viewer open when I simply double click and use rt click to open with for special occasions only.

I'm not sure you can use LR purely as an editor. I believe the image must be imported into the Library first, and only then can you do anything with the image.

When I try to "Open With..." and choose LR5 on my Mac it brings up the import dialogue pointing to the folder containing my image, but I still have to physically import it.

nickt said:

You want to uncheck "hide file extentions for known types". Its a few items under the show hidden files. In your picture, I think you want the lightroom file with the logo, labeled as application. When you turn on the full view you should see the .exe If you set up the 'open with', I would not go for "always". I rather have a viewer open when I simply double click and use rt click to open with for special occasions only.

Click to expand...

I did all of this and was able to find lightroom.exe but it still couldn't be listed as a program to open the file. When I tried to assign LR5 to be able to open jpegs, it wasn't even an option which is why I think it won't work.

BackdoorHippie said:

I'm not sure you can use LR purely as an editor. I believe the image must be imported into the Library first, and only then can you do anything with the image.

When I try to "Open With..." and choose LR5 on my Mac it brings up the import dialogue pointing to the folder containing my image, but I still have to physically import it.

Click to expand...

The only way I can get LR to open jpegs or tiffs is to open LR first then import the photo or folder. Hey, as long as it works (which it does), I'm okay!

Thanks nick and Jake!

hark said:

The only way I can get LR to open jpegs or tiffs is to open LR first then import the photo or folder. Hey, as long as it works (which it does), I'm okay!

Click to expand...

This is the way LR is supposed to be used. Everything is based around the catalog, so if you want to use it on a photo you need to add it to the catalog, regardless of file type.

The best you can hope for is to find a smooth import method that you like for images that aren't part of a regular camera import. After going through the exercise above, selecting LR to open a TIFF (but not always), LR has stayed as a rt click choice to 'open with' on my computer. The chosen file is selected on the import screen when LR opens. I probably won't use that though because I still have to deal with the import screen choices. I have gotten to like the monitored auto import folder on my desktop. I either drag stuff in there or save a file directly to the monitored folder and its waiting for me when I open LR. I find a regular import awkward for single loose files that I want to work with and possibly not keep. Too much thinking to open the import dialog ... add or ...copy or ... move. Auto import folder is working nicely for me, no thinking. (I'm sorry, when I find something I like and I try to push it on everybody, lol.)