(Windows) Eliminate XMP Sidecar Files In Bridge

Report · May 19, 2023

In previous versions of Bridge, you could have adjustments made in ACR stored in a database versus individual XMP sidecar files.

In the latest version of Bridge (13.03), it seems that no matter what preferences I've set, there is an XMP sidecar file created after adjusting Canon CR3 RAW files.

Does anyone know of a way to have ACR changes saved to something other than individual sidecar files? Thanks.

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Report · May 21, 2023

Hey @RobertD907, Welcome to the Photoshop Community. I'll move this thread to Bridge & help you figure this out.

You're working on Bridge on Windows.

Bridge reads and writes to the XMP file; you can see or hide the XMP sidecar. XMP files can not be eliminated or disabled when working with RAW files. Bridge treats XMP as a hidden file & Windows Explorer does not.

In the image, I meant to say disabled instead of enabled.

Go to View > Disable 'Show Hidden Files' to skip seeing the XMP in Adobe Bridge.

This should help. Give me a heads-up if it does. Thanks!
Sameer K

Report · May 21, 2023

Hi, @RobertD907, I'd like to add to Sameer's reply. First off, Sameer is right on point that turning off "Show Hidden Files," is probably what you want. However, Bridge cannot make any adjustments to a raw file. Rather, it's working in Adobe Camera Raw that creates the XMP file, not Bridge. Also, assuming that you are using the latest versions of Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw, and if you are using the new Masking Tool in ACR, you'll start to see new .acr files as well as the .xmp files in your folders. The Masking features are of a different format than previous adjustments made in ACR. so these cannot be stored in the .xmp format, ergo the 2nd storage file.

Let me add that one other way to completely avoid seeing ANY sidecar files is to convert your images into the DNG format. These are container files and, like TIF and JPG formats store all of the sidecar files in the file. Sort of like a folder. This way, as they are created, they are kept in the document and cannot be lost or left behind when moving files.

I hope this bit of extra information is of assistance to you.

Report · May 21, 2023

Actually, it was the XMP sidecar file in Windows Explorer that I was trying to hide.

And your explanation about the DNG format helped me find the solution.

In the camera raw preferences, under File Handling > DNG File Handling, I changed it to "Embed XMP in DNG". Sidecar XMP files are no longer being created in Windows Explorer. Thanks.

Report · May 21, 2023

Thank you for letting me now which solution was the one you wanted.

For all of your previous images, if you download the DNG converter, you can convert all of your images to DNG (https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/adobe-dng-converter.html).

I've been using the DNG format ever since they came out. The files can be smaller (but not always) and you cannot lose your sidecar files.

Oh, BTW, the previous version of Bridge that stored your xmp data was not Bridge, that's Lightroom Classic which still does store the data in a database. (However, you can also have it store the data in the database AND write the xmp data to the file (sidecare or DNG). The advantage of this is if your database files goes completely sideways, the individual files always maintain their adjustments.)