Editing metadata generates .xmp sidecar files rather embedding in .jpg file

[eric_brb]

When editing metadata (like captions for jpg files I modify in Adobe Bridge), I noticed that some files started generating .xmp sidecars rather than simply embedding the metadata in the jpg file.  It doesn't matter whether or not I set DNG files to always generate xmp files.  For affected jpg files, there appears to be no way to embed the data in the file once this behavior starts happening.  I started noticing this on my new Windows 11 machine (which I started using at the beginning of last month), but I suspect it was already happening on my previous Windows 10 PC.

This behavior did not happen with previous versions of ACR.  I've tested Adobe Camera RAW 16.0, 16.1, and 16.2 (which I'm now using) and all properly modify the jpg file without generating a sidecar (if I delete the xmp files generated by ACR 16.3/16.4, I can re-edit the caption to fix affected .jpg files). 

This is unfortunate since I started using the generative AI remove feature that was introduced in ACR 16.3 (and in recent versions of Lightroom). I'm guessing those edits aren't preserved if I use ACR 16.2 to open files processed with the AI-enhanced remove (I tend to do initial edits in Lightroom, but polish my edits in Bridge / ACR before making any final edits in Photoshop).  Lightroom Classic now warns me if I try to open a file for edit in Photoshop since it says I need to have 16.4 installed or some things might not render correctly.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

A quick question: 
Have you enabled Content Credentials for the files that are not behaving as expected?

The behavior is correct for Content Credential - activated images. 

[Ksasa]

Same is starting to happen with my Bridge too, but I'm on a Mac.

Might this be an issue of the latest Bridge version?

[eric_brb]

As I mentioned, it's specific to 16.3 or 16.4 versions of Adobe Camera RAW (which Bridge uses to open / edit RAW files).  It is not present in 16.0, 16.1, or 16.2. 

I was previously discussing this issue in another thread, but I wanted to post it as a bug.  In the other thread, someone posted how to download previous versions of Adobe Camera RAW for Mac (and I figured out where to find the Windows equivalents).

[Erik Bloodaxe]

You appear to be referring to two completely different things. First you mention editing metadata in Bridge when you say sidecars are generated but then you refer to editing jpeg files in Camera Raw. One question, how are you opening jpeg files in Camera Raw? Do you have ACR preferences set to enable jpeg support are are you opening your jpegs in Photoshop and using the Camera Raw filter?

[eric_brb]

As far as I know, by default, Bridge uses Adobe Camera Raw to modify JPG metadata.  I haven't directly opened a jpg file from Bridge in Photoshop without it first going to the camera raw dialog in ages, so I just assume that's the usual workflow for most.

Either way, all of these JPGs were generated first by processing RAW photos (CR2 / CR3 files from my Canon cameras, DNG and an occasional JPG from my smartphone).

[Erik Bloodaxe]

Your first comment is incorrect and, by default, Bridge will open jpeg files in Photoshop not Camera Raw. So if you open a jpeg from Bridge and it opens in Camera Raw instead of Photoshop, then you simply must have Camera Raw Preferences set to enable jpeg support. I would check this out, it's under Camera Raw Preferences>File Handling. Here you can disable jpeg support so that these files open in Photoshop. If you choose to continue editing jpegs in Camera Raw then, since Camera Raw is not a pixel editor, it will save all edits in sidecar files. The only way to then proceed is to resave the jpeg when edits will be embedded.

I can only add that I have never known Bridge or Photoshop themselves to generate sidecars for jpeg images.

[eric_brb]

The bug is that the Bridge/ACR combo has started generating xmp files for some JPEGs.

Here is my default usage of Bridge:  I use Bridge to open RAW format files (from my DSLR/mirrorless cameras and Android phones), any Photoshop edited tifs, and the occasional original jpg from a camera/phone within the Adobe Camera RAW dialog to make non-destructive edits before bringing these "source" files into Photoshop (most of the time, I'm just using the image processor to bake out the adjustments with some final automated actions) before saving the "final" jpegs that I'll upload to my photo sharing site.  In this workflow, I absolutely want ACR to open the original jpeg files...and I actually do not usually re-open the "final" ones because I don't want to have them go through an additional round of lossy compression.  I've been using this technique for two decades without any problems.  Image processor support is one of the reasons I still favor a Bridge based workflow to Lightroom (I also use Lightroom Mobile and Classic, but I prefer to remove my files from my Lightroom libraries and finish my edits from Bridge)...plus I prefer to manage my own libraries because I'm constantly shifting where I store my files based on where I am in my editing/finishing/archiving process.

Most of the time, I'll touch the "final" jpegs to make last minute edits to metadata...things like the captions I had set in the description field, modify my copyright info URL, change the label color, etc.  This is what I tend to do once I have a whole collection of images I plan to share in my online gallery...because I tend to work out the final sequencing once I have all of the "final" jpegs altogether in one place (and I'll want the captions to flow from one image to the next). 

Most of the time, Bridge works as expected...where metadata edits, whether made within the ACR dialog or within the metadata fields in Bridge, stay with the JPEG file.  The bug that appears to have been introduced when Adobe Camera RAW 16.3 or 16.4 is installed is that, for whatever reason, Bridge starts generating .xmp files for those jpegs when I make those final edits.  If I delete those .xmp files, my last minute changes to the jpegs go away.  Please understand that the problem completely goes away if I reinstall Adobe Camera RAW versions 16.0, 16.1, or 16.2...and the problem comes back immediately when I update past that.  This is why I am nearly 100% sure the bug has to be within Adobe Camera RAW.  Rolling back only ACR is all that it took to make the problem go away...I'm still using the latest version of every other Adobe product.

[DGGT]

I'm experiencing exactly the same problem, and it's really unfortunate that Adobe hasn't released a fix. It's becoming difficult to manage my professional workflow. I'm forced to load the JPG and XMP into Photoshop and then re-save the image so that the JPG contains the metadata. I need the AI features, so it would be a shame to install version 16.00, even though it might save me time and possibly my sanity. So please, Adobe, if you're listening.

[Lumigraphics]

Its because you are using AI. This I believe is by design.

[DGGT]

Do you think it's not something that will be corrected? IMO it's more like a bug, in the end a JPEG is a JPEG

[LuchschenF]

I had the same problem. I use ExifCleaner-1Click! before writing metadata in Bridge. It works for me

[Lumigraphics]

Its not a bug if its working as-designed. Why they do it this way is up for debate though.

[philipking]

I’m producing keyart and thumbnails for drama series on streaming TV platforms, which is all fiction in the first place so the fact the source PSD has an AI-generated element is immaterial, it’s not hoodwinking anyone with fake news or whatever Adobe is worried about. And in my case the AI element is usually things like extending the background or removing distracting details. I can always go back to doing it the old ways, or take the tip from @LuchschenF to use an Exif cleaner. But I do find it to be nonsense and an insult that Adobe wants to police what us creatives are producing.

[Lumigraphics]

Nobody is policing anything... yet. Have you seen the uproar about this in the creative community, politics, on the news, etc etc? Regulation is coming.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-supports-california-ai-bill-requir...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2017/10/01/new-french-law-requires-label-for-digitally-altered...

[philipking]

This is an issue I reported in June in the Bridge forum which first occured with Camera Raw 16.3.1

My customary workflow is to use Bridge to add keywords to JPG files.

After updating to Camera Raw 16.3.1 I found that instead of embedding the keywords an XMP sidecar file was generated for some JPGs, but not all.

After furher testing it seems that the common factor with the affected JPGs is that they were originally exported from PSDs which include an amount of AI generated content.

My workaround was to downgrade to Camera Raw 16.0, which solved the issue and allowed embedding as normal.

Today I updated CR to 16.5 to test if the issue of generating XMP sidecars is still there, which it is.

Downgrading again to CR 16.0 has restored proper function.

[eric_brb]

I too upgraded to 16.5 hoping it addressed the issue I saw starting from 16.3 and initially thought the jpg xmp sidecar issue was fixed, but I think you found the piece of the puzzle I hadn't.  Using Adobe's generative AI before saving the JPG seems to be what causes the JPG to produce xmp files.  Even if you remove the generative AI layer from the layered file (without merging it down) and save a JPG, the resulting JPG will produce xmp files on further metadata edits.  I'm rolling back as well, but to 16.2.

[eric_brb]

What's annoying is that Adobe auto-updates ACR without me knowing...and, just when I think I'm ready to archive a batch of JPEGs, I find a bunch of xmp files amongst them.  I'm just glad I kept the 16.2 installer on my machine so I don't have to hunt for the link each time it gets updated.

[philipking]

Hi Eric, did you ever find a solution to this or find out if it’s safe to upgrade yet?

I’m stuck on old versions of PS/Bridge/ACR until I’m confident my workflow will embed metadata into exported jpgs and not generate sidecar files. It doesn’t matter to me if files are tagged as including AI elements, but I need my jpgs with keywords embedded and not in sidecar files.