Editing pictures on the cloud using Lightroom Classic without downloading them

[samrules3]

I dont have a big hard drive on my computer, I do not want any big RAW pictures to be saved on it. That was the reason I bought the cloud space. How do I edit those pictures on the cloud without importing and downloading on my PC? I know the new LR does that but I like the old version.

[JP Hess · Accepted solution]

If you want your images ONLY in the cloud then they must be imported using Lightroom CC (the cloud-based Lightroom). That is the purpose for that program. It is NOT the function of Lightroom Classic CC. You cannot import images directly to the cloud using Classic. The only way Classic can put images in the cloud is through the process of creating collections and then sharing those collections Smart previews.

When you import the images directly into Lightroom CC the full-sized images will also download to Classic, so the full-sized images will be available to both programs. But Lightroom CC is the key program to accomplishing that.

Furthermore, it is not possible to do ANY cloud editing using Lightroom Classic CC. That program only accesses images stored locally on hard drive(s) connected directly to your computer. Classic will enable you to share collections of smart previews, and Lightroom CC will enable you to edit those smart previews. But Lightroom Classic CC will still only enable you to work with the original master images that are on the local hard drive.