Use File > Import Photos… to pick files, or File > Import from Folder… to scan a whole folder. Both open the Import Photos window, where you choose what to bring in and how.

Steps

1. Open the File menu and choose Import Photos… or Import from Folder…, then pick the files or the folder.
2. Look at the thumbnails. Every photo that can be imported has a checkbox. Click a photo to check or uncheck it. Shift-click sets a range. Check All and Uncheck All change every photo at once.
3. Photos already in your library are marked Duplicate or In library and start unchecked. A file Imago cannot read is marked Unreadable. A photo you deleted that is still in Recently Deleted is marked Will be restored. In Recently Deleted sets what happens to those: Restore them (the default) brings the photos back with their edits, ratings and albums, Import as new deletes the old record first, and Leave them skips them.
4. Under Transfer, choose how the files get into the library:
   • Add in place keeps the files where they are. The library only points to them. Nothing is copied or moved.
   • Copy copies the files into the library's Originals folder, or into a folder you pick with Choose… next to Copy to.
   • Move does the same, then removes each original from its source once the copy is verified and catalogued.
5. With Copy or Move, set Folders to sort the copies By day (YYYY/YYYY-MM-DD), By month (YYYY/YYYY-MM), Into one folder, or with a Custom template…. Use Rename to give the files new names, for example {date}_{seq:3}. Leave it empty to keep the names. With Copy, Copy as DNG converts raw files to DNG.
6. Optional: set Album to add the photos to an existing album or a new one, Preset to apply a preset to every photo, and Keywords (separated by commas).
7. Click the button at the bottom. It shows the number of checked photos, for example Import 24 Photos. With Move it reads Move 24 Photos.

The import runs in the background, with a progress row in the activity stack at the top left, and you can keep working while it does. The whole import is one undo step.

Good to know

• Importing a folder scans it for photos. It does not add the folder to Local. To work in a folder without importing, use Local > Browse Folder….
• Folder names and {date} use the capture time. A photo without one uses today's date.
• Raw formats Imago reads include DNG, Canon CR2 and CR3, Sony ARW, Nikon NEF, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2, Leica RWL, Pentax PEF and Olympus ORF. Some variants open as Preview only. See A raw photo opens as "Preview only".

Next

Rate, flag and label photos to sort out the keepers.