Don’t Make This Lightroom Keywording Mistake

If you’re a Lightroom Classic user like me, here’s a heads-up on something you’re likely to run into if you’re also using Lightroom on your iPad or phone, etc.

If you add keywords to a photo (or a bunch of photos) in Lightroom Classic, and you sync that collection of photos over to Lightroom on your iPad or phone, those keywords will NOT go over to your mobile device. Same for adding keywords on your mobile device – keywords you add on your mobile device won’t sync back to Classic. Ugh.

Q. But Scott, if I add a Title or Caption to my photo, that info sync over to my mobile device. It’s just text – why don’t keywords (just text) sync over?

A. Lightroom Classic supports hierarchical keywords, but Lightroom on your phone (including Lightroom ‘cloud’ desktop) only supports a flat keyword structure.

So, in short, keywords you add in Lr Classic stay in Classic. Keywords you add in Lr on Mobile, stay on Mobile. They don’t sync back and forth (if you use Lr Cloud, you can add keywords and they sync to mobile, but again, it’s a flat keyword structure – not hierarchical).

Just wanted to give you a heads up so you don’t pull your hair out.

Have a great Monday, everybody (hey, it could happen). 😉

-Scott