Losing metadata

[Seeker17]

Help, I’m losing metadata when I transfer jpeg files from my MacBook to iMac and vise versa.

Both computers are using LR 13.5 with catalog settings checked for “Include Develop settings in metadata … and  “Automatically write changes into XMP".  I have changed nothing in my workflow and this is a relatively recent problem.

I tried “Save Metadata to File” on laptop and “Read Metadata from File” on desktop, but it doesn’t make any difference. Hours of keywording and flagging are missing. How can I fix this?

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi there,

We're sorry for the Metadata issue. On which machine are you seeing the differences? Also, where you have saved the Lightroom Classic catalog and the images? On an external drive? Are using external drive to work on same catalog on both machines?

Thanks,
Mohit

[jane-e]

Both computers are using LR 13.5

By @Seeker17

Version 13.5.1 is Lightroom Classic, not Lightroom. Is that what you are using? Please confirm.

I've moved your post from Photoshop to the Lightroom Classic forum for you.

Jane

[JohanElzenga]

Where do these JPEG files come from? Are these your original images, or did you export them? If you exported them, then check that you include all metadata on export in the export dialog.

[Seeker17]

They are my original images. Some were airdropped from my phone to my laptop and then imported them into LR, others were imported directly from an SD card.
Once in LR, I keyworded, edited, and flagged. I did not export them from LR, but copied the folder containing them to a thumb drive. This is the same process I've been using since Lightroom came into existence. 

[Jao vdL]

Did you do a write metadata to file and wait for the process to finish before copying the folder? If you don't do this and wait for it to finish completely, it can take quite a long time before the write metadata to files actually happens so that could definitely be the cause of your metadata loss issues. The background xmp metadata writes are quite slow on purpose to avoid the whole computer becoming sluggish. It can still cause performance problems if you use the automatic xmp writes but Adobe has been tweaking this process in the last versions I believe to try to avoid these performance issues.

[dj_paige]

Please tell us, step-by-step, and in detail, leaving nothing out, how you "transfer jpeg files" from one computer to another. 

[Seeker17]

I copy the folder containing the edited photos to a thumb drive on my laptop, dismount the drive, mount it on my computer, copy the folder to my desktop, and then import that folder into Lightroom. 
This problem only started after I updated both computers to Lightroom Classic 13.5. I do not know whether this is the cause of my problem or a coincidence. 

[Jao vdL]

If you are just copying the original files between computers, the use of "Automatically write changes into XMP" is the culprit. You are guaranteed to lose metadata that way. What will happen is that as soon as you copy a file that has metadata changes in it to the other computer where the catalog does not have those changes, the metadata in the file will get overwritten by the Lightroom Classic copy that has the same file but without the metadata. Relying on this mechanism is NOT a good way to transfer info between computers. There are multiple ways to work with this sort of multi computer workflow and not lose data. First is to use a mobile catalog file on a attached disk such as a USB-c SSD disk and swap that between computers and not rely on xmp sidecars at all. Second is to not use Lightroom Classic and use Bridge/Camera RAW instead - an excellent workflow that actually works well with network disks and multiple machines and editors. Third is to turn off automatic xmp writing and manually do a write metadata to files and read metadata to files operation (or synchronise folder).  This is prone to losing metadata if you get the sequencing wrong so be careful. Honestly, only the traveling catalog or using Bridge are foolproof methods.   

[Seeker17]

Oh dear, let me start over. I may need a new workflow, but would like to understand why my current one stopped working. First, I am using Lightroom Classic 13.5, not Lightroom, sorry for the mix up and thanks for moving my inquiry to the proper location.

My desktop is my primary location for photos; this is the only catalog I maintain. I use my laptop only for travel. I shoot a mix of RAW and jpeg. On the road I keyword, rate, and partially edit my files using LR Classic. “Automatically write changes into XMP" is set on. When I get home, I transfer the folder containing my edited photo files to a USB drive in Finder. I do not export them. I then import that folder into LR Classic on my desktop, with Metadata set to “None”. I then remove them from LR Classic on my laptop and delete the files from that device, leaving a clean slate for my next trip. I never save that catalog.

Up until recently, these files contained all of the metadata I applied on my laptop. What has changed in the software that causes this to no longer work? (Perhaps there’s a new default somewhere that I need to change?). And what do I do to fix it?

I’m not sure a mobile catalog is the answer, since after each trip I no longer need access to old photos on my laptop. If I were to switch to using Bridge what workflow would you recommend?

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

If the photos were imported into a Lightroom Classic catalog on the laptop (you didn't say that, I am making an assumption), then when you get home, import the CATALOG and do not import photos. See https://www.lightroomqueen.com/classic-on-vacation/ Then you don't lose any metadata.

[Seeker17]

Thanks for this suggestion and link. I tried this and it works. :). I also tried exporting the files from LR on my laptop and importing them on my desktop and that worked too. Both are more time consuming than my old approach, but at least I now have a workaround for whatever has changed in LR Classic. 

[dj_paige]

@Seeker17 

Exporting photos and then importing is a poor sub-optimal procedure. Do NOT do this.

USe the catalogs, use File->Export as Catalog and later File->Import from Another Catalog

[Jao vdL]

Dj already gave you the answer. Just import the catalog and not the images. The issue is that there is a (actually likely multiple) problem with xmp writes in the latest classic versions that is leading to very sluggish writing of the xmp metadata backup files, so you should not rely on those for the moment. The catalog file on your laptop will always contain all the metadata so that's the way to go.