Today a client imported the edited catalog I sent her, without creating the standard previews after import, and she was able to see all of my edited sky and subject masks. So it seems that both the person editing the smart previews, and the person who receives the edits both need to be using lightroom 11.0 if your sky and subject masks aren't staying loaded after export.   If you aren't outsourcing the editing of your images, but instead using smart previews so you can work on your photos on multiple computers, just make sure that all the computers you use have lightroom 11.0 if you are having an issue with the sky and subject masks not staying loaded.   I hope this information is helpful to anyone experiencing this issue, and I hope adobe support starts telling people about this work around until the issue gets fixed in future software updates.    ... View more

typing correction & clarification: (I had been using version 11.3 when it was brought to my attention that clients were receiving unloaded sky masks.)   *My clients were having to reload/update every sky mask and subject mask in order to see my edits.   ... View more

Here is the solution/workaround that worked for me and my clients:   Two different people at Adobe support had originally told me that only I needed to revert back to using lightroom classic version 11.0, and my clients didn't need to change their version. (Clients were using versions 11.2 and 11.3) (I had been using version 11.3 when it was brought to my attention that clients were receiving loaded masks.)   Only me updating to version 11.0 did not fix the issue. So Adobe support said maybe have my clients switch back to version 11.0 also??  My client switched to version 11.0 & added one more step after importing my edits, then all of the sky masks and subject masks were viewable and loaded!! After she imported the edited catalog I sent her, she built standard previews:     Select all of the images, then click on 'library' in the very top menu bar. Choose 'previews', then 'standard previews'. Wait for the progress bar to complete, and then she could see all of the sky mask and subject mask edits, they were now loaded in every image.   **We don't know if it was just having us both switch to Lightroom 11.0 that solved the issue, just adding the extra step of building the standard previews after the edited catalog was imported, or a combination of both.  But I wanted to put this information out there in case anyone needs it. No one should have to sit and reload every sky mask and subject mask in thousands of photos per week!   Next week my client is going to let me know if the solution is fixed without adding the standard previews step. She didn't try it without that step this time, but will try it that way on next week's edits. I will update the results here after I hear back from her. Maybe the act of building standard previews fixes the issue in other versions of lightroom also???? Adobe never offered that solution so I didn't try it before switching to version 11.0. ... View more

Thank you for your response, and for taking the time to try to recreate the problem. Yes, that is the earlier thread that I had read before posting the issue I was having. In that thread the only solution I saw was to send the lrcat.-data file with the lrcat file and have the client make sure they are next to each other. I was always sending my clients both of those files placed side by side in a folder, so that wasn't what was causing the problem for us.   When I read the screenshots and settings you used in your post, those are the same settings I have been using. I do not know why the problem occurs for some lightroom users and not others. One person at Adobe told me it could be effecting people using some graphics cards or some cameras, but they did not know for sure.    I will post the solution/work around that worked for me and my clients at the bottom of this thread, in case other people are still looking for a solution if it is effecting them. ... View more

You may be right, it may be the smaller size of smart previews that is causing the issue.  I can't say if the issue happens when working on full size files. Due to receiving 1000s of files a day, and living or traveling in places that don't have the fastest internet, I always receive smart previews for my lightroom work.  I only ask for raw or jpegs on the more rare occasion that something needs photoshop. With those files all of the lightroom work was already done before I receive the full size file.  That's a good question though. I used to use the original raw files, but it was just too time consuming for both me and the clients who had to upload. Until the mask issue arose I loved smart previews! No more painful downloads.  ... View more

Yes, definitely be on the lookout for this issue. I had no idea this was going on until a client was wondering why I wasn't completing the sky edits she asked for. Since adobe has known it was an issue for a while now it sure would have been nice to let us all know. It does not look good for my business that I was sending out blank skies.    Another photo editir had posted a question about this several months ago, but there was no workable solution there. Usually when there is a new bug I can do a google search and find a work around for that issue until adobe fixes it. But this one has me stumped! ... View more

I am hoping someone here can help me with this. I have spoken to several people at adobe and the fix they keep giving me does not work.   I edit photos for a living. My clients send me their lightroom catalog and smart previews. I edit the smart previews and then 'export as a catalog'. I send them an lrcat file and an lrcat-data file. My clients then import the catalog I send them. Prior to getting the new ai masks, all of my edits always showed up after they import the catalog. Presently all of my edits EXCEPT the sky masks and subject masks show up when a client imports my work.   I have read that the sky masks and subject masks are bit map based and all other tools are vector based. I was also told that the sky masks and subject masks are in that lrcat-data file. I am always sure to send that file with the catalog.    The history panel shows that I made the edits to the skies and the subjects, but after export every one of those masks has the exclamation point and says that they have to be updated/reloaded. When a client reloads every mask my edits finally show up. But my clients shouldn't have to reload 1000s of masks (I edit weddings, so lots of photos!) after they paid me to do the edits!!!! They pay me because they don't have time to sit at the computer.    Twice adobe support said this is a known issue and I just need to go back to using version11.0 and that fixes the issue. But it hasn't fixed the issue!! My sky and subject masks are still not staying loaded when I export the catalog and data files.   Does anyone know how I can send my work and have it all show up with the masks all loaded? Do my clients need to import my work differently than they did before before lightroom had the newer ai features? If so, what exactly do they need to do?    I use a macbook pro with Monterey 12.0.1.  I have tried lightroom versions 11.0, 11.2 11.3.    Most of my clients also use a mac. I do not know their operating systems, but they are most likely Monterey also.   Thank you in advance if anyone can help. I am at my wits end trying to figure this out. My clients haven't been able to figure it out either, other than them sitting at the computer for hours reloading all the masks! Adobe was supposed to have someone more knowledgeable call me back today, but that didn't happen.   A large part of my work is enhancing sunset skies, I really need to be able to use the sky and subject masks.   Heather ... View more