When you move a photo library out of Adobe Lightroom Classic, the question that matters most is what survives the trip. You have spent years rating, flagging, keywording, and captioning your images, and a good migration should carry that work with you. This guide explains exactly what metadata is preserved when you import a Lightroom catalog into another tool, what needs extra care, and how to prepare your catalog so the maximum amount comes across cleanly.
It is a companion to our full guide to migrating from Lightroom Classic, which walks through the whole process step by step.
First, understand where metadata lives
Lightroom stores information in two places. Most of it sits in the catalog database, the .lrcat file. Some of it can also be written into the photo files themselves, or into small companion files called XMP sidecars that sit next to RAW images. This split matters, because metadata stored in the files travels with the files no matter what tool you use, while metadata that only exists in the catalog has to be read out of that database during migration.
What is preserved cleanly
These fields are standard and map across photo tools reliably. When a tool reads your catalog correctly, you should expect to keep:
- Folder structure. The way your photos are organized on disk is part of the file system, so it always comes across.
- Star ratings. The one to five star scale is a universal concept.
- Flags and color labels. Picks, rejects, and color labels are stored in the catalog and carry over.
- Keywords. Your keyword list and the images each keyword is attached to.
- Titles and captions. Standard descriptive fields that other tools understand.
- Capture date and time. Stored with the file and in the catalog.
- Camera EXIF data. Camera model, lens, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and similar values come from the file itself.
- GPS location. If your photos have location data, it stays with them.
In other words, the organizational layer that took you the most effort is exactly the part that transfers well.
What needs extra care
Some Lightroom concepts are specific to Adobe's software and do not have a one to one equivalent everywhere.
- Develop edits. Your adjustments are stored as instructions in Adobe's proprietary format. Another application cannot reproduce Adobe's exact rendering, because the math behind each slider is closed. Your ratings and keywords still help you find images, and you can keep Lightroom for editing whenever you need its develop module.
- Collections and smart collections. Manual collections may import as albums or folders depending on the tool. Rule based smart collections often need to be recreated, since the rules are Lightroom specific.
- Virtual copies. A virtual copy is a Lightroom idea, a second set of edits on one file, and it does not always have a direct equivalent elsewhere.
- Stacks and edit history. Grouped stacks and the step by step history of edits are typically not portable.
How to maximize what transfers
You can improve your results with one simple step before migrating. In Lightroom, select your photos and choose the option to save metadata to files (in the Library or Metadata menu). This writes ratings, keywords, labels, and captions into the files or their XMP sidecars, so that information travels with the images even outside the catalog. Combined with a tool that also reads the catalog directly, you get the most complete transfer possible.
A quick preparation checklist
- Back up your catalog and your photos to a separate drive.
- Save metadata to files for the photos you care about.
- Note any smart collections you will want to recreate.
- Decide whether you need finished edits exported as standard image files.
How Memora reads your catalog
Memora reads Lightroom Classic catalogs directly and maps your folders, ratings, and keywords so your organization is preserved, then adds a local AI index so you can also search by describing what is in a photo. Your catalog is opened read only and your originals are never changed. You can read more on the Lightroom integration page.
Frequently asked questions
Do my keywords and ratings transfer from Lightroom?
Yes. Keywords, ratings, flags, color labels, titles, and captions are standard fields that carry over when a tool reads your catalog, and they travel even better if you saved metadata to your files first.
Why do my develop edits not come across?
Lightroom records edits as instructions in Adobe's proprietary format, so other software cannot reproduce them pixel for pixel. Keep Lightroom for editing, or export finished versions as standard image files before you move.
What is an XMP sidecar?
It is a small companion file Lightroom can write next to a RAW image to store metadata such as ratings and keywords. Sidecars let that information travel with the file rather than living only in the catalog database.
Next steps
Knowing what transfers takes the fear out of leaving Lightroom. Prepare your catalog, then read the full Lightroom migration guide or download Memora free and let it read your catalog so your ratings and keywords come with you.