The fastest way to export many photos at once

In Lightroom, you select the photos you want, then use the Export dialog to send them all out in one batch. You do not export them one at a time. The whole process takes about two minutes once you know where the buttons are, and Lightroom can rename them, resize them, add watermarks, and organize them into folders while it works.

The key is selecting your photos first, then telling Lightroom where to put them and what format to use. After that, you click Export and walk away — Lightroom handles the rest in the background.

Key Takeaways

  • Select multiple photos by clicking the first one, holding Shift, and clicking the last one to select a range, or Ctrl+click (Cmd+click on Mac) individual photos scattered through your library.
  • Open the Export dialog from the File menu or by right-clicking the selected photos and choosing Export Photos.
  • Choose your destination folder, file format (usually JPEG for photos), and quality settings before you click Export.
  • Lightroom can rename all your photos using a pattern, resize them to a specific width or height, and add a watermark to every image in the batch.
  • The export runs in the background, so you can keep working in Lightroom while the files are being created.

Selecting the photos you want to export

Start in the Library module — the view where you see your photos in a grid or list. If you are in the Develop module (where you edit individual photos), click the Library button at the top left to switch back.

To select a range of photos in order, click the first photo, then hold Shift and click the last photo. Lightroom highlights all the photos between them. If your photos are scattered and not in a row, click the first one, then hold Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) and click each additional photo you want. A small checkmark appears on each selected photo.

You can also select all photos in a folder by pressing Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac), or use the menu: Library > Select Photos > All Filmstrip Photos. If you have already flagged or rated certain photos, you can select only those by using Library > Select Photos > Flagged Photos or Library > Select Photos > Rated Photos.

Opening the Export dialog

With your photos selected, go to File > Export Photos at the top of the screen. A large dialog box opens with several sections. Do not be overwhelmed — you only need to fill in a few fields to get a working export.

Alternatively, right-click any of your selected photos and choose Export Photos from the menu that appears. This opens the same dialog and is often faster than using the menu bar.

Choosing where your files will go

At the top of the Export dialog, under "Export Location," you see a dropdown that says "Specific folder" or "Same folder as original." Click the dropdown and choose "Specific folder" if you want all your exported photos in one place. Then click the folder icon next to it and navigate to where you want them saved.

If you want Lightroom to create a subfolder inside that location, check the box that says "Put in subfolder" and type a name — for example, "Exports" or "Final Photos." This keeps your exported files organized and separate from your originals.

Below that, you see options for "File Naming." The default is usually "{Filename}" which keeps the original names. If you want to rename all your photos with a pattern, click the dropdown and choose a preset like "Filename – Sequence" (which adds a number to each file) or "Custom Name – Sequence." You can also create your own naming pattern by selecting "Edit" from the dropdown.

Setting the file format and quality

Scroll down to the "File Settings" section. Under "Image Format," choose JPEG for photos you are sharing or posting online, or TIFF if you need a higher-quality file for printing. JPEG is smaller and faster to export; TIFF is larger but preserves more detail.

If you choose JPEG, a "Quality" slider appears below. Set it to 80 or higher for photos that will be viewed on screens; use 90 or higher if you plan to print them. The higher the number, the larger the file, but the better it looks. For web use, 80 is usually enough.

Leave "Color Space" set to sRGB unless you have a specific reason to change it — sRGB is the standard for screens and the web.

Resizing photos and adding a watermark

If you want all your exported photos to be a certain size, scroll down to "Image Sizing" and check the box next to "Resize to Fit." Choose "Width & Height" from the dropdown, then enter the width you want in pixels. For example, 1920 pixels is a common width for web photos. Lightroom automatically adjusts the height to keep the photo's proportions correct.

To add a watermark to every exported photo, scroll to "Watermarking" and check the box. Click the dropdown next to it and choose a watermark you have already created, or click "Edit Watermarks" to create a new one. A watermark is usually your name, website, or logo placed in a corner of the photo. You can position it and adjust its size and opacity before you export.

If you have not created a watermark yet, you can skip this step and add one later. Watermarking is optional.

Starting the export and what happens next

Once you have set your destination folder, file format, and quality, click the Export button at the bottom right of the dialog. Lightroom begins creating your files and saves them to the folder you chose.

A progress bar appears at the top of the Lightroom window showing how many photos have been exported. You can keep working in Lightroom while this happens — the export runs in the background. Depending on how many photos you are exporting and how large they are, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

When the export finishes, you can open your file explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and navigate to the folder you chose to see your exported photos. They are now ready to upload, email, print, or share however you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export photos in different sizes in one batch?

No, the Export dialog resizes all selected photos to the same dimensions. If you need different sizes, export them in separate batches. Select the photos you want at one size, export them, then select different photos and export them again with different sizing.

What if I want to export to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox?

Choose your cloud folder as the destination in the Export Location section, just as you would any other folder on your computer. Lightroom saves the files there, and your cloud service syncs them automatically. This works as long as the cloud folder is mounted on your computer.

Does exporting change my original photos in Lightroom?

No. Exporting creates new copies of your photos in the format and location you choose. Your original files and all your edits in Lightroom remain untouched. You can export the same photos multiple times with different settings.

How do I export photos with my edits applied?

Lightroom automatically applies all your edits from the Develop module when you export. You do not need to do anything special — just export normally, and the edited versions are what get saved.

Can I save my export settings so I do not have to set them up every time?

Yes. After you configure the Export dialog the way you want it, click the "Add" button next to "Export Location" at the top. Name this preset something like "Web Export" or "Print Export." Next time you export, click that preset and all your settings load automatically.