Skip to main content

Adobe releases iPhoto/Aperture importer plugin to help users transfer their libraries to Lightroom

When Apple announced earlier this year that it would be discontinuing iPhoto and Aperture in favor of the upcoming Photos app for OS X, Adobe announced that it would be releasing a tool that would allow users to transfer their libraries into Lightroom.

That plugin has been released today on Adobe’s website and allows users to import photos, flags, ratings, keywords, and much more from the two outgoing apps into Adobe’s own offering. If you’d like to transfer your data to Lightroom, you can grab the importer for free from Adobe.

The full description of the plugin is below:

Description

Easily migrate your existing Aperture and iPhoto libraries into Lightroom with this Lightroom plug-in. The following data from your Aperture and iPhoto libraries will be imported into Lightroom:· Flags
· Star Ratings
· Keywords
· GPS Data
· Rejects
· Hidden Files
· Color Labels*
· Stacks*
· Face Tags*

*Color Labels, Stacks, and Face Tags will be imported as Lightroom keywords.

Since adjustments to photos made in Aperture and iPhoto can not be read into Lightroom, this plug-in will import both the original images and copies of the images that have adjustments applied.

This plugin requires Lightroom 5.6 or later and works on Mac only.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. I’ve used Lightroom for years, since it first came out in fact. Still use it weekly now. It’s better than nothing, but the real meat, the adjustments are all being left behind. It would have been nice for customers of Aperture especially, if Adobe took some time to come up with a way to interpret Aperture’s adjustment instructions.

    But, thankfully Apple has also updated Aperture for Yosemite, so there really isn’t a need for anyone who uses it to move away if they’re happy with their workflow.

  2. myke2241 - 9 years ago

    The plugin is not working for a lot of people. it has 1.5 star rating. Adobe failed this try!

  3. nsxrebel - 9 years ago

    I don’t know what the update changed in the application, but I’ve been using Aperture with Yosemite since day 1 when the Developer Preview got released. Aperture is working fine for me, so I won’t be moving to Lightroom anytime soon. My iPhone photos still sync with iCloud and Aperture.

    • kplayaja - 9 years ago

      Same here. Still see iPhoto and Aperture

    • philboogie - 9 years ago

      Indeed, no reason to do anything, especially nothing hasty. Aperture will simply continue to function, and I for one will wait for Photos next year and try it out on a duplicate library

  4. puri517 - 9 years ago

    I’m professional photographer and i try both apps – Aperture and Lightroom. I should to say that Adobe software is cheap and not perfect. Instead Aperture is the best choice if u have a Mac. Aperture really serve all needs and even if Apple stop develop it, because of Photos.app, I’ll never switch to the cheap Lightroom app.

  5. Wes - 9 years ago

    Apple really needs to get out in front of this and reveal more about the Photos app.

  6. Computer_Whiz123 - 9 years ago

    iPhoto is going away?! Why didn’t someone tell ne

  7. Jab King - 9 years ago

    they stated back at the WWDC 14 this past summer that iPhoto and aperture was going away for a much better lightroom in which will be more compatible with Yosemite and cloud drive now by me using both iPhoto and aperture, imovie, and final cut for my studio I’m worried that i will be forced to make the jumped to lightroom cause it do not offer the same editing tools aperture has it think this should be a choice as an app and not a forced move upon the people who uses these apps on the regular

  8. Adam (@dirt_bag) - 9 years ago

    As disappointing as it is to lose Aperture, this seems like a pretty decent band-aid to get things into Lightroom. I’ll use Aperture through Yosemite, and then probably start using Capture One, as I’ll need to anyways for commercial work.

  9. Sunday Hendrickson - 9 years ago

    When I import my Aperture libraries into Lightroom using the new plug-in, boot all the pictures/projects make it in. Would anyone know the reason for this? Thanks!

  10. Nicholas Hyde - 9 years ago

    Everything I read from Adobe does NOT mention the ability to import originals AND the adjusted pictures. Adobe seems to say ONLY the originals will be imported. Can you please confirm for me the adjusted pictures will be imported as well as the originals? Has anybody tried this and found it works?

  11. Fiona Cameron - 9 years ago

    The plug-in won’t even download for me. Adobe’s “technical experts” didn’t even seem to know of its existence. Very disillusioned with Adobe. I reckon they’re mis-selling their Lightroom product, which is CLEARLY incompatible with Macs – and most photographers I know use Macs!