Many users who have upgraded to Lightroom Classic have encountered this error: The catalog named X is too new to be used by this version of Lightroom. Would you like to select a different catalog?

Lightroom Classic: Catalog Too New to Be Used by This Version of Lightroom

This happens when you accidentally open your Lightroom Classic catalog using Lightroom 6 or CC 2015 and this old version can’t read your newer Lightroom Classic catalog.

To resolve this, choose Quit and then open Lightroom Classic.

Making this mistake is so easy because the program icons are the same for both programs:

Lightroom 6 / CC 2015

“Adobe Lightroom”
(Lightroom 6, CC 2015)

Lightroom Classic

“Adobe Lightroom Classic CC”

I would recommend uninstalling Lightroom 6 or CC 2015 and/or deleting the program icon from your desktop or dock.

  • To delete the “Adobe Lightroom” (6/CC 2015) icon from your desktop, drag it to the Recycle Bin (PC) or Trash (Mac).
  • If it’s in your Windows taskbar, right-click on it, verify that it says “Adobe Lightroom” and not “Adobe Lightroom Classic CC”, and choose to unpin it from the taskbar.
  • To remove it from your Mac dock, right-click on it, verify that it says “Adobe Lightroom” and not “Adobe Lightroom Classic CC”, and choose Options>Remove from Dock.