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Flags

A flagged preview often is considered to be a keeper, and a non-flagged or rejected preview is a dud.

You can use flags to:

• Remove the duds from Lightroom.

But, they're still in My Pictures or Pictures.

• Delete the duds from Lightroom and from My Pictures or Pictures.

• Move them to a sub-folder, such as, Others.

Flag in the Folder

You can flag in a collection.

But, if you flag in the folder containing the previews, you can easily create a sub-folder for the duds.

Flag Filter Confusion

We'll be using the flag filter to select only the unflagged or rejected previews.

The settings for the three flag icons below are confusing at first.

Here's a summary of the settings.

Refer back to it as you read below.

Here are the three flag icons.

Flag Icons in the Filter Bar under Attribute

You can click more than one of the flag icons.

Below, we're just clicking one at a time.

Here's what they do.

	1st Flag Icon	Middle Flag Icon	3rd Flag Icon
Off Position
	Unflagged	Unflagged	Unflagged
On Position
	Flagged	Unflagged	Rejected

Three Flagging Methods

The first method uses the Painter tool.

You press p or x in the second method.

The third method allows you to make several passes over your previews, winnowing them down to the very best.

Flagging Method #1 - Painter Tool

Flagging Method #2 - P/X/U

Flagging Method #3 - Refine Photos

Flagging Method #1 - Painter Tool

1) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

2) Click on the folder containing the previews in the Folders panel.

3) In the Tool bar, under the previews, click the Painter tool.

Painter Tool in the Tool Bar

4) On the menu to the right of the painter tool, select Flag.

5) By default, the next menu to the right is set at Flagged.

Change it to Rejected.

6) Click and hold, and drag the cursor on the duds.

Black flags will appear in the upper-left corner of the cells.

7) Click Done in the tool bar.

Four Options

You have four options for the duds.

You can sort, remove, delete, or move, the duds.

Option #1 - Sort	Option #2 - Remove	Option #3 - Delete	Option #4 - Move
You can keep the duds where they are. But, you can sort them. In the Tool bar below the previews, do the following. 1) Look for the Sort icon. Sort Icon 2) On the menu to the right of the Sort icon, select Pick. The rejected previews are now the last previews to appear in the work area.	You can remove the rejected previews from Lightroom. They're not deleted from My Pictures or Pictures. Do the following. 1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews. 2) Click the last flag icon. Last Flag Icon You'll see only the rejected previews. The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only. 3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews. 4) Right click on one of the previews, and select Delete Photo. 5) Click Remove. Don't click Delete from Disk. The rejected previews are: • Removed from Lightroom. • Still in My Pictures or Pictures. 6) Click None in the Filter bar.	You can remove the rejected previews from Lightroom—and—from My Pictures or Pictures. Do the following. 1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews. 2) Click the last flag icon. Last Flag Icon You'll see only the rejected previews. The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only. 3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews. 4) Right click on one of the previews, and select Delete Photo. 5) After a pause to double check yourself, click Delete from Disk. The rejected previews are: • Removed from Lightroom. • Deleted from My Pictures or Pictures. 6) Click None in the Filter bar.	Let's say your previews are in a folder called 2010_12_20. You'll create two subfolders, Best and Duds. 2010_12_20 Best Duds Do the following. Best Subfolder 1) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it. 2) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder. 3) Name the subfolder as Best. Duds Subfolder 4) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it. 5) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder. 6) Name the subfolder as Duds. Move the Rejects to the Duds Subfolder 7) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews. 8) Click the last flag icon. Last Flag Icon You'll see only the rejected previews. The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only. 9) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Duds subfolder. 10) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews. 11) Click on one of the previews and hold, and drag the previews onto the Duds subfolder. Move the Keepers to the Best Subfolder 12) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews. 13) Click the middle flag icon. Middle Flag Icon You'll see only the unflagged previews. The middle flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Unflagged Photos Only. *If you used the second flagging method below, click the first flag icon to show the flagged* previews.** 14) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Best subfolder. 15) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the previews. 16) Click on one of the previews and hold, and drag the previews onto the Best subfolder. 17) Click None in the Filter bar. If you click on: • 2010_12_20, you'll see all of the previews. • Best, you'll see your best previews. • Duds, you'll see your duds.

Option #1 - Sort

Option #2 - Remove

Option #3 - Delete

Option #4 - Move

You can keep the duds where they are.

But, you can sort them.

In the Tool bar below the previews, do the following.

1) Look for the Sort icon.

Sort Icon

2) On the menu to the right of the Sort icon, select Pick.

The rejected previews are now the last previews to appear in the work area.

You can remove the rejected previews from Lightroom.

They're not deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

Do the following.

1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews.

2) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected previews.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews.

4) Right click on one of the previews, and select Delete Photo.

5) Click Remove.

Don't click Delete from Disk.

The rejected previews are:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Still in My Pictures or Pictures.

6) Click None in the Filter bar.

You can remove the rejected previews from Lightroom—and—from My Pictures or Pictures.

Do the following.

1) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews.

2) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected previews.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

3) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews.

4) Right click on one of the previews, and select Delete Photo.

5) After a pause to double check yourself, click Delete from Disk.

The rejected previews are:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

6) Click None in the Filter bar.

Let's say your previews are in a folder called 2010_12_20.

You'll create two subfolders, Best and Duds.

2010_12_20

Best

Duds

Do the following.

Best Subfolder

1) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it.

2) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder.

3) Name the subfolder as Best.

Duds Subfolder

4) In the Folders panel, click on the folder 2010_12_20 to select it.

5) Click the + icon in the Folders panel, and select Add Subfolder.

6) Name the subfolder as Duds.

Move the Rejects to the Duds Subfolder

7) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews.

8) Click the last flag icon.

Last Flag Icon

You'll see only the rejected previews.

The last flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Rejected Photos Only.

9) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Duds subfolder.

10) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the rejected previews.

11) Click on one of the previews and hold, and drag the previews onto the Duds subfolder.

Move the Keepers to the Best Subfolder

12) Click Attribute in the Filter bar above the previews.

13) Click the middle flag icon.

Middle Flag Icon

You'll see only the unflagged previews.

The middle flag icon toggles between showing Any Flag Status and Unflagged Photos Only.

If you used the second flagging method below, click the first flag icon to show the flagged previews.

14) Click the black triangle to the left of the 2010_12_20 folder, to show the Best subfolder.

15) Press Ctrl + a to select all of the previews.

16) Click on one of the previews and hold, and drag the previews onto the Best subfolder.

17) Click None in the Filter bar.

If you click on:

• 2010_12_20, you'll see all of the previews.

• Best, you'll see your best previews.

• Duds, you'll see your duds.

Flagging Method #2 - P/X/U

You press p or x with this method.

Step #1 - Flagging

1) Press g to make sure you're in the Library module.

2) Click on the folder containing the previews in the Folders panel.

3) Press the Caps Lock key to engage Auto Advance.

Auto Advance automatically clicks the next preview for you, speeding your travel through the previews.

4) Click the first preview.

5) Press p or x.

p = Flag (Keeper)

x = Reject

Press u to undo p or x.

6) Continue flagging or rejecting your previews.

7) When you're finished, press the Caps Lock to turn it off!

Step #2 - Ctrl + Backspace or Cmd + Delete

You can remove or delete the duds easily.

Press Ctrl + Backspace (Windows) or Cmd + Delete (Mac).

If you click Remove in the Confirm window, the rejected previews will be:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Still in My Pictures or Pictures.

If you click Delete from Disk, in the Confirm window, all of the rejected previews will be:

• Removed from Lightroom.

• Deleted from My Pictures or Pictures.

You can also sort or move the duds, as described above.

Flagging Method #3 - Refine Photos

This method allows you to make repeated passes over your previews.

Pass #1

Flag your previews with the Painter tool or by pressing p.

Then, go to Library > Refine Photos.

If you click Refine:

• The unmarked previews are changed to rejected.

• The flagged previews are changed to unmarked.

Pass #2

The duds from the first pass are now marked as rejected.

The best previews, flagged during the first pass, are now back to being unmarked.

You can now go through them again to flag the best-of-the-best.

Flag Chart

On Tool Bar?	Yes
Keyboard Shortcuts	p = Flag x = Reject u = Unflag ` = Toggle between flagged & unflagged (The key is located above the Tab key.)
Right Click Menu	Yes
Menu on Top of the Screen	Photo > Set Flag
On Preview Cell (Border)?	Yes
Other & Related Methods	• Press Ctrl + Up Arrow & Press Ctrl + Down Arrow to change the flagging. • Press the Caps-lock key to engage Auto Advance. • To delete the rejected previews, press Ctrl + Backspace (Mac: Delete). • Go to Library > Refine Photos to change all unflagged previews to rejects, and all flagged previews to unflagged.