How can I migrate an old Aperture library to Lightroom Classic and preserve metadata after moving to Apple Photos?
Asked 1/22/2017
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2 answers
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I originally used iPhoto, then Aperture, then migrated to Apple Photos. Now I want to move to Lightroom Classic while preserving as much organization as possible, including ratings, keywords, IPTC metadata, color labels, GPS data, and face tags if possible.
I still have several library files, including an old Aperture library, a larger migrated Aperture library created during the Aperture-to-Photos transition, a Photos library, and a backup folder of referenced image files. Adobe’s older Aperture/iPhoto import tools appear to target Aperture/iPhoto libraries rather than Apple Photos libraries directly.
What is the best migration path to Lightroom Classic that preserves the most metadata and organization from my pre-Photos Aperture setup?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
3
In May 2019, Adobe published a free Lightroom plugin for Mac to help people migrate from Aperture and iPhoto libraries. It does exactly what you want. Migrate from Aperture to Lightroom Classic on macOS.
Here is what it includes:
METADATA
Flags
Star Ratings
Keywords
GPS Data
Faces: Face naming tags are mapped to keywords
Rejects: Files designated as Rejects in Aperture are imported into Collections > From Aperture > Photos Rejected in Aperture
Info Panel metadata that can be entered in the Info panel (i.e. IPTC)
Hidden Files: Files designated as Hidden in iPhoto are imported into Collections > From iPhoto > Photos Hidden in iPhoto
Aperture Color Labels: Color Labels are mapped to keywords: Red, Orange, and so on, including support for custom label names
ORGANIZATION
Aperture Stacking: Stacks information is mapped to keywords: Aperture Stack 1, Aperture Stack 2, and so on
Aperture project/folder/album hierarchies are mapped as closely as possible into Lightroom Classic collection sets and collections
iPhoto events/folders/albums are mapped as closely as possible into Lightroom Classic collection sets and collections
Aperture Versions translate into Virtual Copies in Lightroom Classic (without adjustments)
EDITS
You can choose to import Full-Size JPEG Previews of your edited images from Aperture/iPhoto, if they are up-to-date - This option is off by default. Lightroom Classic can automatically stack the preview with the original photo.
Full-Size JPEG Previews generated from files that have settings don't include metadata that has been applied to the master (keywords, star ratings, flags, GPS data).
Full-Size JPEG Previews are duplicated if imported first by the same iPhoto library and then later from a Library upgraded from iPhoto to Aperture (due to a difference in filename).
Originally by user86643. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user86643
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—use Adobe’s Lightroom Classic migration plugin for Aperture/iPhoto on macOS, and migrate from the Aperture library rather than from Apple Photos.
Based on the community answer, Adobe’s tool preserves a useful set of data from Aperture, including star ratings, keywords, GPS, IPTC/info-panel metadata, rejects, and color labels. Face names are brought over as keywords rather than as Lightroom face regions.
Apple Photos itself is the weak link here: there isn’t an equivalent direct Photos-to-Lightroom migration path mentioned, so if your goal is to keep the most organization data, your best source is the Aperture library that Lightroom Classic can actually migrate.
Practical takeaway:
- Use the Adobe Aperture/iPhoto migration plugin with Lightroom Classic on Mac.
- Import from the readable Aperture library, not the Photos library.
- Expect metadata and much organizational structure to come across, but not every Apple Photos-specific feature.
- If you also have newer images that exist only in Photos, those may need to be imported separately, with less metadata preservation.
If possible, make a full backup before attempting migration.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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