How to open Lightroom 9 catalog in version 8?

[runny]

Hi guys. My client cannot open the lightroom catalog. He has version 8 of the program. I edited photos in version 9.1. What should I do to solve this problem? The client has no opportunity or desire to update the lightroom version.

[dj_paige]

Impossible. Your client needs to upgrade to Lightroom Classic Version 9.

[Ian Lyons]

As has already been mentioned, it's not possible to open a version 9.x catalog in version 8.x However, assuming your client is only interested in the edits and any metadata you may have applied, then there is a solution.

1. Select the edited photos in the Library module, then apply 'Save Metatdata to File' from the Metadata menu (Cmd+S on macOS or Ctrl+S on Windows). This will save the edits and meatdata to an XMP sidecar alongside the original raw. Place these XMP files and the original raws in a folder and give to your client. Your client can then import these directly into his/her Lr 8.x catalog.

alternatively,

2. As above, but export the photos as DNG files. Your edits and metadata will be embedded into the DNG file. Again, give the DNG files to your cleint who can then import them into his/her Lr 8.x catalog

[dj_paige]

Edits made using features not in LR 8 will not show up this way.

An important point made is that "assuming your client is only interested in the edits and any metadata you may have applied" — virtual copies will not transfer this way; collection membership and pick flags and a few other things will not show up this way, so if these are important, this won't work.

[TheDigitalDog · Accepted solution]

I'm with Ian that the best solution is to save out DNG's for your client to import. Then even if you used, say custom camera profiles, that's all embedded into the DNG container along with edits. Do keep in mind that any functionality in edtiing in a later version that didn't exist in the earlier version, DNG or otherwise, will not 'transfer'. 

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

I'd like to state that the best case is to have the client upgrade to Lightroom Classic version 9. There's nothing for the client to lose, and it eliminates a lot of work that you both have to go through if one is Lightroom Classic version 8 and the other is Lightroom Classic version 9.