# How to delete multiple virtual copies



## CameraCarl (Apr 6, 2018)

I recently replaced a computer which failed. I was able to recover my Lightroom Classic CC 7 catalog, but many virtual copies of images have appeared in my catalog.  I'm not sure how they got there (and am not going to try to figure out how). Is there some easy way to flag all the virtual copies so I can easily delete them?  In the first folder where I discovered the problem,  I simply flagged them for deletion one image at a time, but now that I have more folders where this occurred, I would like to find a more efficient way to do so.  Any suggestions?


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## Dan Marchant (Apr 6, 2018)

1. In Library module Grid view Select your top level Lightroom folder (EG Pictures).
2. Make sure that_ *Library > Show Photos in Subfolders*_ is ticked
3. In the filter bar at the top of the grid select *Text > Copy Name > Contains all* and type *Copy* in the search box. 

All the VCs in your catalog will be displayed. 

Warning: If you created/used VCs then they will also be displayed so you need to check to make sure you don't delete those.


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## Ian.B (Apr 6, 2018)

maybe this way -- I had to look it up so now I know too 
Remove accidental Virtual Copies


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## CameraCarl (Apr 6, 2018)

Thank you both! This is going to save me a significant amount of time.


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## Victoria Bampton (Apr 7, 2018)

Dan Marchant said:


> All the VCs in your catalog will be displayed.



Being slightly pedantic... not necessarily.  If you'd changed the copy name, it might not include the word copy. But that's ok, in the Attribute Filter bar, there's a Masters/VC's/Videos button set.


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## CameraCarl (Apr 7, 2018)

Yes, the Virtual Copy button in the Attribute Filter bar was a real time saver.  I never even noticed it (and I hesitate to say I've been using Lightroom since v1.!)


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## rvenneman (Oct 23, 2020)

Thank you for all you do, Ms. Victoria.


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