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You can move Lightroom photos into a local darktable workflow, but darktable does not import a Lightroom Classic .lrcat catalog intact. It imports the image files and can read supported Lightroom XMP sidecars, which may preserve some metadata and edit instructions. Keep the catalog and originals backed up, then test a small batch before migrating the rest.
What moves—and what does not
A Lightroom Classic catalog is a database of records about your photos, not the photos themselves. It stores file-location references, processing instructions, and metadata such as ratings and keywords. Lightroom’s edits are nondestructive: they do not alter the original camera files. The distinction matters because a catalog can display previews even when the drive holding the original files is disconnected. Adobe’s catalog guide explains the relationship between the catalog and source images.
darktable’s documented route is to import image files and read supported XMP sidecars—not to open a .lrcat database as a complete, interchangeable catalog. Its manual describes importing Lightroom-generated sidecars and warns that the result will not match Lightroom exactly. darktable’s sidecar documentation lists the supported data and edit operations.
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What Lightroom information can transfer to darktable?
When darktable imports images, it checks for sidecars, including Lightroom’s <basename>.xmp naming pattern. Supported information includes tags (including hierarchical tags), color labels, ratings, GPS information, and selected edit operations.
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The documented edit mappings include crop and rotate, black level, exposure, vignette, clarity, tone curve, HSL, split-toning, grain, and spot removal. Some corresponding darktable modules are deprecated, so do not assume every mapped operation will remain available or behave the same way in every release. Plan to inspect transferred edits and redo work where needed.
darktable’s manual puts the limitation plainly: “It is important to understand that the import process will never give identical results to other software.” The two applications use different processing engines, and not every Lightroom edit or organizational feature is represented by the supported sidecar import.
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How to migrate safely without moving files to a cloud service
- Make a separate backup. Preserve the Lightroom catalog and the original image files before changing anything. An external drive can provide local capacity when needed, but one copy is not a complete backup plan.
- Keep the Lightroom originals and catalog. Treat them as your recovery point while you verify the new workflow; do not replace them with darktable’s imported records.
- Write or export relevant information to XMP sidecars. Use the sidecar or metadata workflow available in your installed Lightroom version. The exact commands and labels vary by version, so confirm the resulting sidecar files are present beside the corresponding images.
- Import a representative test batch into darktable. Include files with ratings, keywords, GPS data, and a range of edits. For a local library that leaves files in place, choose darktable’s “add to library” option; it adds images without copying or moving them and reads metadata from the images and available sidecars. “Copy & import” instead creates copies in the storage location you select. darktable documents these import options.
- Check the results before continuing. Confirm that the test images appear, expected ratings and tags are present, and edited photos look acceptable. Recreate missing organization or adjust edits as needed, then proceed with the rest of the library only when the test meets your needs.
How this differs from Adobe’s catalog migration
Adobe’s documented “Migrate From > Lightroom Classic Catalog” workflow moves a catalog into cloud Lightroom; it is not a local darktable import. Adobe says the process uploads full-resolution images and creates a copy. It also lists catalog items that do not become available after migration, including snapshots, custom metadata, books, slideshows, print and web creations, web shares, map-saved locations, folders and folder hierarchy, smart collections, and develop history. Color labels migrate as keywords. Adobe recommends using an external hard drive if the computer does not have enough internal space for the migration copy. See Adobe’s migration guidance for its documented scope.
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What a local workflow does—and does not—establish
darktable’s add-to-library option supports working with image files in their existing local location, while its copy-and-import option lets you choose another storage location. That can keep the photo files on local storage during this workflow. It does not by itself prove that your entire computer, every application, or any other service never connects to the internet. If keeping images off cloud storage is your goal, check the storage and sync settings for the folders and services you use.
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A local editor also does not replace a backup. Keep a separate copy of the originals and catalog, and make sure you can restore files before retiring or repurposing a drive. Adobe recognizes external disks as photo locations in its catalog guidance; choose storage based on your own library and backup needs rather than assuming one drive is sufficient.
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