Will Adobe Lightroom Version 6.14 work properly with an iMac with with OS Ventura?

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Will Adobe Lightroom Version 6.14 work properly with an iMac with with OS Ventura?

Someone asked this question a few months ago.

Recently, I converted a Mac mini (2018) to run as a media server. I had earlier installed Lightroom V6.14 using macOS Mojave. I upgraded macOS through successive releases until Monterey 12.2.1. Lightroom V6.14 is still mostly working (modules that run in 32-bit mode will not work).

After upgrading to macOS Ventura, LR 6.14 would barely function so I suggest that you stop at macOS Monterey.

- Pie Lover

Mac mini (2018)

Posted on Dec 29, 2024 12:25 PM

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Answer 1

BlueberryLover Author

Level 4

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Dec 30, 2024 6:57 PM in response to BlueberryLover

After struggling, I was finally able to recover a working version of Lightroom from a Time Machine backup. I reinstalled macOS Monterey 12.2.1 using its installer application and used the Migration Assistant to restore my user account. As mentioned, this only works because I originally installed Lightroom 6.14 using Mojave before 32-bit application support was removed in Catalina.

The installation did not go smoothly. I had trouble with restoring my AppleID (Apple Account) and iCloud. Also, for some unknown reason, I had to reset and reconfigure the Apple TV HD before it would recognize the media server.

This is not for the faint-hearted. :-)

- Pie Lover

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Answer 2

Dec 29, 2024 3:38 PM in response to BlueberryLover

My understanding is that the installation and activation code for Lightroom 6.14 and Photoshop CS6 contains 32-bit code that will not run on Catalina and later. So even if you get very lucky and can upgrade macOS in place, and get these applications to run, if you ever are forced to do a clean reinstall, you will be up the creek without a paddle.

If you ever lose your copy of Lightroom 6.14, you won't even be able to re-download it from Adobe.

Adobe – End of Support | Lightroom 6 Downloads and Syncing

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Answer 3

BlueberryLover Author

Level 4

1,130 points

Dec 29, 2024 5:22 PM in response to Servant of Cats

As far I am aware, your statement is correct.

I'm one of the lucky ones because I kept a snapshot of Monterey 12.2.1 with a functioning Lightroom on an external SSD. I am using this version of Monterey to run a media server on a Mac min (2018). This allows me to occasionally use Lightroom for photo editing (I currently use macOS Sequoia Photos for editing).

I use the built-in screen sharing feature (based on VNC) along with Spaces on my Mac mini M2 to maintain separate desktops for each machine. The Mac mini and the media server each use a wired GigE connection to a common router. This set-up seems to work very well.

BTW, although I haven't tried this myself, there may be a way to coax Lightroom to run on 64-bit machines. See GitHub llghtroom6-on-macOS-64bit (https://github.com/krema/lightroom6-on-macOS-64bit).

- Pie Lover

P.S. I made a Time Machine backup of the (initial) media server setup so I'm hoping that I could recover Lightroom 6.14 if needed.

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