# The destination folder... is not available, using pictures folder instead.



## Virtual Photographer (Jan 19, 2016)

I'm trying to import some photos to a folder I have just been using but get this error meassage

The destination folder ........ is not available. Using “Pictures” folder instead. everything on my mac seems to be working so I have no idea what the problem is.

I'd be grateful for some help.
Thanks


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## Johan Elzenga (Jan 19, 2016)

It simply means that the folder you used to import your pictures to is not available right now. Often it's on an external disk that isn't mounted, but another possibility is that you deleted it or renamed it. Because Lightroom has to pick *a* folder (any folder), it switched to the default folder (your Pictures folder). You can simply select the desired folder again if it's available, or another folder of your choice.


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## Virtual Photographer (Jan 19, 2016)

I hadn't done any of the above but after an hour of messing around it seems happy again.
Thanks


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## Talia (Feb 1, 2017)

*I'm trying to import some photos to a folder I have just been using but get this error message
The destination folder ........ is not available. Using “Pictures” folder instead. everything on my mac seems to be working so I have no idea what the problem is.*

I am getting exactly the same error message. My external hard drive with the destination folder is mounted. The permission is set to Read-Write. I have also rebooted the computer several times.

As a test, I tried to import the images into two different catalogues located on two different external hard drives. Same error message.

(My last import was just a few days ago and everything went smoothly. I have made no changes to my catalogue or external hard drive since then.)

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to solve this rather annoying problem?


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## clee01l (Feb 1, 2017)

Welcome to the forum.
How is the external drive formatted?  HFS+ or something else?
How about a screen shot of the Import panels on the right showing the File Handling panel and the Destination panel (with the destination folderhighlighted).  
Another trigger for this message is the "Make a second copy to.." destination It needs to be mounted and space available on the disk too.


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## Talia (Feb 1, 2017)

Cletus--Your request for a screen shot prompted me to double-check all of the settings, which I should have done before posting. I found that the destination folder was no longer selected. (Not sure how that happened since I did not make any changes there.) Anyway, that clearly appears to have been the cause of the problem. Thank you.


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## clee01l (Feb 2, 2017)

You saved me from having to look for that myself.   FWIW, I always use an Import preset.  It sets all of my parameters in a consistent manner and I only need to check one field on the Import panel to know that everything is correct.


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## Jimmy Thompson (Feb 2, 2019)

I'm having the same issue, but I have a slightly different question.  Where in the Pictures folder does it put the files?  I can't find anything, anywhere that remotely looks like the same folder being re-routed to the Pictures folder.  Thanks in advance.


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## Johan Elzenga (Feb 2, 2019)

The warning tells you what Lightroom will use if you proceed with the import. So did you proceed and are the photos already imported? If so, right-click on a photo and choose 'Show in Finder'. That will bring you right to that folder. If you did not import the photos yet, then obviously they are not in any folder yet.


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