Use this guide to troubleshoot uploading photos. Follow Steps to troubleshoot upload issues. In step 5 of the troubleshooting flow, there are different steps depending on whether you uploaded your photos from a Lightroom Classic catalog or a folder, so make sure you check the issues for your workflow. 

Steps to troubleshoot upload issues

1. Update the relevant DNG converter. 
   Adobe DNG Converter for Mac. First, try using Chrome to download the converter. If Chrome doesn't work, use Safari.
   Adobe DNG Converter for Windows
   
   See RAW file compression errors for more information about errors with DNG files.
    
2. Make sure the latest Imagen version is installed.
    
3. If you have an error code in the message, find it in this list and click the link to open its guide. Each error code guide has steps to help fix the issue.
    
4. (Mac users) Give Imagen file and folder permissions. Mac permissions might be preventing Imagen from accessing an external drive.
    
5. There are different steps depending on whether you uploaded your photos from a Lightroom Classic catalog or a folder. If you uploaded photos from a Lightroom Classic catalog, see these common issues. If you uploaded photos from a folder, see these common issues.
    
6. Files might have been moved after the upload started, or the external drive they are stored on might not be connected to your computer. Move the files back to their original location or connect your external drive.
    
7. Photos are stored in a cloud-synced folder (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) or on an SD Memory Card. Imagen does not recommend sending projects directly from the SD Card.
    
8. Antivirus or firewall software is blocking Imagen. See Check your internet connection for more details.
    
9. Your internet connection might be weak or slow. See Check your internet connection for more details.
    
10. Make sure there is enough free disk space. See Error 2130: Insufficient disk space for ways to free up space.

Check your internet connection 

• Try a different network to verify if the network is causing an internet connection issue. For example, use a mobile phone hotspot to connect to the internet. If the issue happens on both networks, it's not a network issue.
   
• Switch to a wired (Ethernet) connection if you're on WiFi. WiFi instability is a common cause of upload stalls for large projects.
   
• (Windows users) Make sure your firewall isn't blocking Imagen. Include these URLs as exceptions to the firewall:
  
  - imagen-ai-op.com
  - imagen-ai.com
  - amazon.com
  - amazonaws.com

• VPNs or antivirus programs might create network issues. Try disabling them, then try uploading again.

Lightroom Classic catalog issues

These issues are specific to uploading from a catalog.  If you are having issues after uploading from a folder, see Folder upload issues.

Because Lightroom uses a locked database file, even minor misconfigurations, such as having Lightroom open in the background, can block the upload. The good news: most catalog issues have a fast, straightforward fix.

Lightroom Classic is still open

This is the most common catalog upload issue, it accounts for over 40% of all catalog upload issues. When Lightroom Classic is running, it locks your catalog file so nothing else can read it. Imagen needs full access to that file to upload your photos, so as long as Lightroom is open, the upload can't proceed.

Closing the Lightroom window isn't enough. The application must completely quit.

See Error 2040: Cannot read catalog

Try this:

• Fully quit Lightroom Classic. 
  On Mac, press Cmd + Q.  Don't just close the window. 
  On Windows, go to File → Exit . Don't just click the X.
   
• Confirm it's actually closed. 
  On Mac, open the Activity Monitor and search for "Lightroom". If it appears, click Force Quit. 
  On Windows, open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), look for Lightroom.exe under Processes, and click End Task if found.
   
• If the error persists after quitting Lightroom, there may be leftover lock files from a crash or improper shutdown. Navigate to your catalog folder in Finder or File Explorer and delete any files with these extensions: [catalog name].lrcat.lock,.lrcat-wal, or .lrcat-shm. These are safe to delete when Lightroom is closed.
   
• Retry the upload in Imagen.
  

Permission denied (macOS)

See Error 2080: Catalog access denied for upload and Error 1010: No access to catalog

On macOS, Imagen requires explicit permission to access your files and folders. This is part of Apple's privacy and security model, not an issue with Imagen itself. This is especially common after setting up a new Mac, after a MacOS update, or when photos are stored on an external drive.

See this guide for more info.

Corrupted catalog file

See Error 2050: Catalog corrupted on upload

If your Lightroom catalog was corrupted, often caused by a sudden shutdown, power loss, or drive disconnection, Imagen won't be able to read it. 

Try this:

• Try opening the catalog in Lightroom Classic first: go to File → Open Catalog and select the file. If Lightroom shows an error, the catalog is confirmed corrupted.
   
• Run Lightroom's built-in optimization: if the catalog opens, go to File → Optimize Catalog. If it surfaces any errors, continue to the next step.
   
• Repair the catalog: hold Option(Mac) or Alt(Windows) while launching Lightroom Classic, then click Repair Catalog when prompted. This can take 10–30 minutes for large catalogs.
   
• Restore from a backup: Lightroom automatically creates catalog backups. Check the Backups folder inside your catalog folder to find dated backup copies. Open the most recent one in Lightroom to restore your work.
   
• Imagen Catalog backups: before you download any project, Imagen makes a backup of the existing catalog, which can be recovered through the app, in My Account → Catalog Recovery.
   
• Create a new catalog: Even if we do not get a corrupt catalog error, creating a new catalog with just the images you want to edit will often solve the problem. In this case, it is recommended to create this new catalog on your main internal hard drive

Multiple similar-named catalogs

When Lightroom Classic updates, it sometimes creates a new versioned copy of your catalog, like Lightroom Catalog-2.lrcat or Lightroom Catalog-3.lrcat. If you accidentally select an older catalog, you may upload the wrong set of photos, a set that's missing recent work.

Try this:

1. Check which catalog Lightroom is currently using: open Lightroom, then go to Edit → Catalog Settings(Windows) or Lightroom Classic → Catalog Settings(Mac). The Location and File Name fields show the exact catalog in use.
    
2. Note the exact file name (including any numbers at the end), then select that same file in Imagen.
    
3. When in doubt, check the file modification dates in Finder or File Explorer. The most recently modified .lrcatfile is usually the one you want. Imagen usually lists your recent catalogs, starting with the most recent one used, in reverse-chronological order.

Fewer photos uploaded than expected

If the upload completes but you notice fewer photos than expected, active filters in Lightroom and Imagen are usually the culprit. Imagen reads your catalog based on what's currently visible in Lightroom.

If you have filters applied, and they are matched in Imagen, only the filtered set will be uploaded.

1. Check Imagen's filter settings within the app, make sure the filters are what you want.
   
    
2. Close Lightroom and start a new upload in Imagen.

Folder upload issues

These issues are specific to uploading from a folder.  If you are having issues after uploading from a catalog, see Lightroom Classic catalog issues.

Folder moved or missing after upload

See Error 2020: Files not found and Error 2140: Files missing during upload

Imagen reads your photos from their original location throughout the entire upload process. If any files are moved, renamed, or deleted after the upload starts, or if an external drive disconnects, Imagen can no longer find them and the upload fails.

Important: Never move, rename, or delete photo files until your workflow with Imagen, including uploading final edits, is fully complete. This is a common cause of mid-upload failures.

Try this:

1. If you moved photos and their files, move them back to their exact original location. The folder path and file names must match precisely; even moving a parent folder will break the path.
    
2. If using an external drive, make sure it's still connected and mounted. Disconnect and reconnect it, then check that it appears in Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows).
    
3. If the drive letter changes in Windows (for example, from D: to E:), the path will also break. Try reconnecting without other drives plugged in so the letter is assigned consistently.
    
4. If files were permanently moved to a new location, you'll need to start a new upload and select the new location. Partial uploads can't be resumed.

General upload issues

Photos in a cloud-synced folder

When photos are stored in a folder actively synced by Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud, the sync service continuously accesses those files in the background. This creates conflicts with Imagen's upload process. Files may appear present but not be fully available locally, or the sync service may lock files temporarily while Imagen is trying to read them.

See Error 2161: Upload slow since photos in cloud-synced folders

Try this:

• Pause cloud sync before uploading:
  • Dropbox: Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray → Pause syncing
  • OneDrive: Right-click the OneDrive icon → Pause syncing
  • Google Drive: Click the Drive icon → Settings → Pause sync
     
• Alternatively, move your photos to a local folder that isn't inside any cloud-synced directory (like a new folder on your Desktop or Documents that's outside your Dropbox/OneDrive folder).
   
• Upload from the local folder, then resume cloud sync after the upload completes.

How to spot cloud-synced paths: Look for /Dropbox/, /OneDrive/, /Google Drive/, or /iCloud Drive/ in the folder path. If you see any of these, pause sync before uploading.

External drive disconnects during upload

External drives can disconnect during long uploads due to power-saving settings, USB connection issues, or overheating. Large photo uploads can take a while — if your drive goes to sleep or loses connection mid-way, the upload fails.

See Error 2160: Slow file processing

Try this:

• Disable drive sleep during the upload:
  • Mac: System Settings → Energy Saver → enable "Prevent hard disks from sleeping when possible"
  • Windows: Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings → Hard disk → Turn off hard disk after → set to Never
     
• Connect the drive directly to your computer, not through a USB hub. Hubs can cause power limitations and instability.
   
• Try a different USB port or cable. A worn cable is a surprisingly common cause of drops during sustained activity.
   
• For the most reliable uploads: copy your photos from the external drive to your local hard drive first, then upload from there. This also makes the upload faster.

Diagnostic tip: If your upload consistently fails at the same percentage across multiple attempts, that's a strong indicator of a firewall or network restriction, not a file or disk issue.

Antivirus software is blocking the upload

Antivirus software can interfere with Imagen in a few different ways.  It might block Imagen's file compression, which can look like ransomware behavior to some security tools, block outgoing network connections to upload servers, or quarantine compressed files before they're sent. The tricky part is that these failures often look like ordinary upload errors.

Signs the antivirus may be the issue

• The upload works after temporarily disabling your antivirus.
• Specific folders are blocked. Documents, Downloads, and Desktop are common protected locations.
• Files open fine in Lightroom or other apps, but don't in Imagen.

Try this:

• Temporarily disable your antivirus and retry the upload. If it works, your antivirus is the issue. Re-enable it after testing.
   
• Add Imagen to your antivirus exclusions/whitelist so it doesn't interfere in the future. You'll want to add:
  • The Imagen app folder (entire directory)
  • Your photos directory
  • System temp directories
  • Adobe DNG Converter (if using RAW files)
     
• If you use Windows Defender, go to Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Add or remove exclusions, and add Imagen.
   
• For Norton, McAfee, or Kaspersky, look for a Trusted Programs or Application Rules section and add Imagen as a trusted application.

Not enough free disk space

Imagen needs temporary disk space to compress your files before uploading. For RAW files in particular, this compression step can require significant additional space — roughly 20% more than the total size of your project. If your drive doesn't have enough free space, the upload can't complete.

See Error 2130: Insufficient disk space

Try this:

• Check your free disk space on the drive where Imagen is installed. On Mac, go to Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage. On Windows, open File Explorer → This PC.
   
• Free up space if needed: empty your Trash, clear browser downloads, delete old temporary files, or remove applications you no longer use. If not needed, clear old Lightroom catalog backups or previews.
   
• Upload in smaller batches if your project is very large and you can't free up enough space. Split the project into multiple smaller uploads.

Rule of thumb: Make sure you have at least 20% more free space than your total project size. For example, a 100 GB project needs at least 20 GB of additional free space.

RAW file compression errors

Imagen uses Adobe DNG Converter to prepare RAW files for upload. If DNG Converter isn't installed, is outdated, or can't access a specific camera's RAW format, the upload will fail for those files. A very new camera model may also require an updated version of DNG Converter to be supported.

See Error 2150: RAW file processing error and Error 2190: Final upload error

Try this:

• Check whether Adobe DNG Converter is installed on your computer. Search for it in your Applications folder (Mac) or Programs menu (Windows).
   
• If it's not installed, download it for free from Adobe's website and install it to the default location - Download links for Mac or for Windows.
   
• If DNG Converter is installed but you recently got a new camera, update DNG Converter to the latest version. Adobe regularly adds support for new camera models.
   
• Test whether the files themselves are intact by opening them in Lightroom Classic. If Lightroom can't open the files either, they may be corrupted.
   
• As a workaround, you can manually convert your RAW files to DNG using Adobe DNG Converter before uploading, then upload the converted DNG files.

Mac users: In rare cases, a macOS update can cause permission issues with the DNG Converter that prevent Imagen from using it. If you're on Mac and seeing compression errors after an update, please check your MAC permission for the DNG Converter, following the steps in this guide.