Copy link to clipboard
Copied
In the develop module with multiple photos selected. When you right-click on the filmstrip (on one of the photos selected) you can access a menu. You can then select Develop Settings > Auto Settings. At that point, all of the selected photos are adjusted with Auto Settings. You may also notice that the shortcut for that is Ctrl+U, as shown on the menu. However, if you use the shortcut, only one photo is adjusted.
In the Library module, using Ctrl+U across multiple photos works.
This is ridiculous. Is this an oversight by Adobe or an intentional decision?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I cannot replicate. It works on my rig.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Are you in the Develop module for sure? And you are using Ctrl+U (not selecting from the menu)? And all selected photos are adjusted?
I'm just checking for certainty because maybe I wasn't clear on that.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I haven't checked it, but if this is so, then I am sure it is intentional. If you have selected multiple images and you go to the Develop module, then applying edits does not apply them to all selected images, but only to the active image. This is to safeguard you, because it would be too easy to apply settings to multiple images unintentionally (especially if the film strip is not visible). If you do want edits to be applied to all images, then toggle the small switch of the Synchronize button, so it becomes Auto Sync. That should make this shortcut work on all selected images too.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Thanks, Johan, that is the actual solution - the toggle switch on AutoSync must be on. But it still seems strange to me that with AutoSync OFF, selecting Auto Settings from the menu, WILL adjust ALL of the selected photos anyway. Yet, if you use the shortcut, it will not, which is totally inconsistent.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I don't think it's strange. I think it makes sense. If you have multiple photos selected in the film strip, and then use this menu, then it is obvious that you'll see/know what you are doing. That means that you don't need that safeguard. The shortcut on the other hand is something you can use without having the film strip visible, so you may not realise that you have multiple images selected.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
@JohanElzenga explanation is correct.
Re Auto Sync. Originally, Auto Sync was only accessible via a four key KBSC. This was to ensure that users did not invertently apply edits to multiple selected images when in the Develop module. However, it was later changed to be a clickable toggle switch. The KBSC (Cmd+Shift+OPtion+A) is still valid though. A few versions later it was added to the Library module, and uses the same KBSC combination. I suspect its presence in the Library module is less well known as it's only visible in loupe view.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
"But it still seems strange to me that with AutoSync OFF, selecting Auto Settings from the menu, WILL adjust ALL of the selected photos anyway. Yet, if you use the shortcut, it will not, which is totally inconsistent."
It's messier than has been stated, and there is no simple unifying principle to how how the various commands operate with multiple photos selected.
If you're in Library Grid view (multiple thumbnails showing), then the top-menu command Photo > Develop Settings > Auto Settings, the keyboard shortcut (which invokes the top-menu command), and the right-click context menu Develop Settings > Auto Settings apply to all the selected photos.
But if you're in Loupe view (a single photo showing in the main window in Library or Develop) or Survey view (multiple thumbnails showing), then the top-menu command and its keyboard shortcut only apply to the most-selected photo, whereas the right-click context menu command applies to all selected photos.
Many commands operate similarly to Auto Settings, but many other commands don't, without any discernible rationale. See here for a more complete list of all the rules, which not even experts can remember: