Skip to main content
B
Biscut
Inspiring
February 4, 2018
Answered

Export ratings as keywords to be recognized in Photos?

  • February 4, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 1341 views

I do all of my work in LR but export select ones as jpegs to Photos (Mac) for mobile and other use. Photos uses keywords instead of star ratings ("5 Star" and so on). I rate my images in LR but Photos doesn't recognize them when I export from LR and import into Photos. All keywords appear fine. I'm not concerned about color labels, just star ratings.

Is there a way I can automate all starred images in my LR catalog to also add a keyword ("4 Star" for 4-star images, etc.) for current and future photos so that my rated photos will be in sync in LR and Photos? Or a way for Photos to recognize the LR ratings and add the keywords?

This or any alternate solution would be much appreciated.

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer johnrellis

      Just found this topic. Any updates to this, have you been able to refine your star rating to keyword workflow? I will have to start one soon. Tired of not finding the 5 star photos on my iPhone. Folder sync is unreliable and so far Photos sync is a bit better.


      The bug with the Search Replace Transfer plugin appears to have been fixed, so you could use that to copy the ratings to keywords. Alternatively, you could use the Metadata Wrangler plugin to add the ratings as keywords when you export photos.

      1 reply

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      February 5, 2018

      It's unfortunate that Photos doesn't follow the industry standard here.

      The only automated solution I know of would be the Search Replace Transfer plugin.  You could use it to copy the rating (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) to  keywords ("1", "2", ...).   It wouldn't be the "1 star", "2 star", etc. that the conversion from iPhoto to Photos used, but it should be just as functional, since nothing in Photos attaches any special significance to the "1 star", etc. keywords.

      Unfortunately, the plugin throws an error when you try to do that:

      It would be a simple bug to fix -- you might send the author a note about it.

        B
        BiscutAuthor
        Inspiring
        February 16, 2018

        Thank you. Yeah, I never understood why Apple dropped star ratings. It's too bad there's an error with the plugin. If it were fixed, would it be possible to do "5 Star" and so on instead of just "5"?

        I have photos set up to work with photos as "5 Star" and so on, set up that way since the conversion from iPhoto. I've already got thousands of photos in Photos. So, I'd like to continue with that if possible and not have any confusion with plain numbers as keywords, which I use sometimes.

        I'm thinking of a temporary manual solution to do each time I have new exports from LR to go to Photos. I'll search LR by star ratings, then adding "5 Star" and so on keywords for any rated photos just before exporting them to jpegs and putting them into Photos. I'll just have to remember to do this.

        Unless anyone else has a good workaround going?

          B
          Benzin
          Participating Frequently
          May 1, 2021

          Just found this topic. Any updates to this, have you been able to refine your star rating to keyword workflow? I will have to start one soon. Tired of not finding the 5 star photos on my iPhone. Folder sync is unreliable and so far Photos sync is a bit better.

          Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
          Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices