Grouping Lightroom Images into Stacks

This post is part of our Learning Lightroom series.

A handy feature in Lightroom is the ability to group multiple images into one item called a stack by choosing Photos > Stacking > Group into Stack from the menu or using the Command + G keystroke combination if using a Mac or Ctrl + G if using Windows.

When items are grouped in a stack, a badge displaying a number designating the number of images in the stack is displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the image thumbnail. To view the images in the stack, click the number badge or choose Photo > Stacking > Expand Stack from the menu. You can also press the S key on your keyboard.

To browse the images in a stack, move your mouse pointer over the stack until two vertical lines appear on the background of the thumbnail and then click the lines. Using stacks is ideal for keeping track of images in a panorama or comparing various images with different exposure settings.

To ungroup stacked images, click the stack and choose Photo > Stacking > Unstack from the menu.

Quick Guide: To Group Files into Stacks, do this:

1. Select the files you want to include.

2. Select Photo > Stacking > Group into Stack from the menu.
   
   Or
   Press the Command + G keystroke combination if using a Mac OS or Ctrl + G if using Windows.

3. To view the images in a stack, choose Photo > Stacking > Expand Stack from the menu.
   Or
   Click the small number badge on the stack.

   

   Or
   Select the stack and then press the S key on your keyboard.

4. To change the stack cover image, open the stack, select the image you want to display as the cover and choose Photo > Stacking > Move to Top of Stack from the menu.
   
   
5. To remove an image from a stack, expand the stack, select the photo you want to remove and choose Photo > Stacking > Remove from Stack from the menu.

6. To unstack images, select the stack and select Photos > Stacking > Unstack from the menu
   Or
   Press the Command + Shift + G keystroke combination if using a Mac OS or Ctrl + Shift + G if using Windows.

Looking to learn Lightroom CC Classic? Check out our Lightroom Up To Speed ebook guide, available at Amazon, Kobo, Apple iBooks and Barnes and Noble. It’s is also available in PDF format from this website.