Where Does Capture One Store Catalogs?
Capture One catalogs default to the Pictures folder. How managed and referenced images change what sits there.
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Capture One creates catalogs in the Pictures folder unless you pick elsewhere. On macOS that is ~/Pictures/Name.cocatalog. On Windows it is %USERPROFILE%\Pictures\Name.cocatalog. The name you typed at creation decides the rest.
Inside versus referenced matters. Managed (inside catalog) images bloat that folder but travel with it. Referenced images stay in their own folders and the catalog only points at them. Sessions default to Pictures too, with a Capture subfolder for tethered shots.
Where Capture One stores this, by platform
~/Pictures
The .cocatalog package wraps the .cocatalogdb database plus managed originals. Avoid cloud synced folders while Capture One runs; the vendor does not support live sync there.
%USERPROFILE%\Pictures
A catalog here is a folder of files, not a single package. Search for .cocatalogdb to locate strays. Use Next Capture Location to send tethered shots to a bigger drive.
Frequently asked questions
how do i find a lost capture one catalog
Search the disk for .cocatalogdb. That file is the catalog database and marks the catalog folder. On Mac the catalog looks like one file; right click and pick Show Package Contents to see inside.
how do i move a capture one catalog
Use File, Open and browse to the .cocatalog file in its new home, launching with Option/Alt held if Capture One still points at the old spot. For referenced catalogs, relink missing folders with Locate when thumbnails show a question mark.
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