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How To Save Your Work In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

    Divider LineAdobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic does not alter the actual pixels inside of your original digital image no matter what you do inside of this powerful program. When you make a change to one of your images in Lightroom Classic’s Develop Module, for example, you are not actually changing any pixels in your original capture.

Every time you move a slider in Lightroom and make a change to the appearance of a photo, Lightroom is simply assigning a new set of instructions to that file behind the scenes. These instructions tell Lightroom to show the photo brighter or the colors more saturated (as examples), and this data is stored in the Lightroom Catalog file. These instructions can also be written into your image files themselves as Metadata. (More on this shortly.)

Needless to say, the Develop Module instructions (Metadata) are very important because they represent all of the changes that you have made to your image’s appearance within Lightroom Classic. But the importance of Metadata goes way beyond just the Develop Module. Almost all of the descriptive information that you can add to your images in Lightroom’s Library and Map Modules are also types of Metadata. Essential organizational features like your copyright info, keywords, star ratings, and colored labels are all Metadata annotations.

Telling Lightroom to save your changes

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic lets you decide when to save your work. Unlike most other programs, with Lightroom you have three choices determining when and where your work is saved.

  1. You can choose to save your work only at the Lightroom Catalog level (not recommended).
  2. You can choose to save your work within your actual images when you manually trigger the Save Metadata to File Command while still keeping a copy of your work within your Lightroom Catalog (.lrcat) file.
  3. You can set Adobe Photoshop Lightroom so that all of your work is automatically, and continuously, saved for you into your image files and also stored within your Lightroom Catalog (.lrcat) file by turning on the Automatically Write Changes Into XMP Catalog Settings preference switch.

If you are new to this program, then I strongly recommend turning on the Automatically Write Changes Into XMP option. This option in Adobe’s menu should have been called “Auto-Save.” If you turn this option ON then all of your metadata, including your Develop Module changes, will be automatically written into your images. Think of this as if it were a constant “save my work right now” option!

If you do not turn this switch on, then your Metadata, including your Develop Module improvements, will not be written into your image files until you manually invoke Lightroom to “Save Metadata to File”. Failure to save your changes down to the file level will cause you enormous problems if your Lightroom Catalog ever gets corrupted or destroyed and you do not have a robust backup system.

This is why I strongly recommend that you choose to Automatically Write Changes Into XMP. Note that by doing this, you are still not changing any pixels in your original image, you are simply writing the changes you’ve made as Metadata attached to the image file behind the scenes.

Important Warning: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is a great program but it is not a backup plan! Nothing in this program will help you if your hard drive fails. For more advice on this important topic please read our complete tutorial on Professional-Grade Backup Plans.

Note: There are a few features of Lightroom that cannot be saved anywhere but within the Lightroom Catalog file. Features like Pick / Reject Flags, Virtual Copies, and Collections cannot be saved outside of your Lightroom Catalog. These features cannot be saved down to the image’s XMP data block because these items are Lightroom specific features and they are not types of Metadata.

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  • ADOBE PHOTOSHOP LIGHTROOM CLASSIC TUTORIALS
    • Module 1:LIGHTROOM CLASSIC SETUP
      • Lesson 1:What Is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic?
      • Lesson 2:Is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Right For You?
      • Lesson 3:The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Catalog Concept
      • Lesson 4:One Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Catalog Is All You Need
      • Lesson 5:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Image & Catalog Storage Options
      • Lesson 6:How To Open The Right Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Catalog Every Time
      • Lesson 7:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Preferences Menu Advice
      • Lesson 8:How To Save Your Work In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 9:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Presets Storage Options
      • Lesson 10:Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic User Interface Secrets
      • Lesson 11:Backing Up Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic & Your Photography
    • Module 2:IMPORTING
      • Lesson 1:What Does Import Mean In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic?
      • Lesson 2:Lightroom Classic File And Folder Names Best Practices
      • Lesson 3:How To Import New Photos Into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Using An Import Preset
      • Lesson 4:Four Ways To Get Images From Apple Photos Into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 5:The Most Powerful Way To Migrate From Apple Photos To Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 6:How To Convert To Dng In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 7:How To Delete Or Move Photos In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Using Smart Previews For Better Performance
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Faster Culling With Embedded Previews In Adobe Lightroom Classic
    • Module 3:ORGANIZING
      • Lesson 1:How To Find Missing Tools In Adobe Lightroom Classic’s Library Module
      • Lesson 2:Organizing Your Images With Metadata In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 3:How To Select Multiple Photos At Once In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 4:Keyword Basics In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 5:How To Use The Enhanced Zoom Tool In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 6:How To Use The View Modes In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Initial Sorting with the Pick and Reject Flags In Adobe Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Map Module In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use A GPS Tracklog In Adobe Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Metadata Presets In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Speed Things Up With Custom Keyword Sets In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Facial Recognition In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Collections And Smart Collections In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Colored Labels In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Better Quick Collection Trick In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Advanced Smart Collections In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
    • Module 4:DEVELOPING BASICS
      • Lesson 1:Editing Without Fear In Adobe Lightroom
      • Lesson 2:How To Find Missing Tools In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic’s Develop Module
      • Lesson 3:How To Use Camera Profiles In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 4:How To Set The Exposure In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic (Basic)
      • Lesson 5:How To Set The Exposure In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic (Advanced)
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Auto Exposure In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        White Balance Correction In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Make Black & White Photos Using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Saturation In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Tone Curve In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Target Adjustment Tool In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adding A Vignette In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Lens Correction In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Guided Upright Tool in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Noise Reduction With Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Sharpen In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 6:How To Use Color Grading In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Synchronizing Develop Settings In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Red Eye Removal In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Spot Removal Basics In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Advanced Spot Removal In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
    • Module 5:DEVELOPING ADVANCED
      • Lesson 1:5 Useful Develop Module Keyboard Shortcuts In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 2:How To Set New Raw Develop Defaults In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 3:How To Use The Graduated Filter In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 4:Changing Colors With The Graduated Filter In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 5:How To Use The Radial Filter In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Dehaze In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Adjustment Brush In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Amount Slider To Improve Your Adjustment Brush Work In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Range Masks In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Filter Brush For Mask Refinement In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Texture In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Local Hue Tool In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Auto Correction Develop Presets In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Merge To Panorama In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Fill Edges In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Merge To HDR Command Inside of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Merge To HDR Panorama In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Creating Two Versions Of The Same Photo In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Enhanced Details In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Video Editing In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
    • Module 6:EXPORTING
      • Lesson 1:The Export Dialog In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 2:Preparing Photos For Email With Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 3:The Crop Overlay Tool In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Lesson 4:How To Add A Watermark In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Crop Multiple Photos To Same Aspect Ratio In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Multi-Batch Exports In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Slideshow Module In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Posting Images To Flickr From Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Customize Your Screensaver Using Lightroom
      • Unlock This Lesson
        From Adobe Lightroom To Instagram
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Dropbox Publish Service Plugin
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Adobe Stock Publish Service
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Make A Folded Greeting Card In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Print Module Template Tricks In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
    • Module 7:THE ADOBE LIGHTROOM FOR MOBILE APP
      • Lesson 1:What Is The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App?
      • Lesson 2:The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile In-App Camera Basics
      • Lesson 3:The Professional And HDR Camera Modes In The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Lesson 4:How To Import Images From Your Camera Roll Into The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use Direct Import In Adobe Lightroom Mobile For iOS
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Speed Up Importing In Adobe Lightroom Mobile For iOS With Shortcuts
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Smart Collection Sync Plugin For Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Sync Collections With The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adobe Lightroom For Mobile Image Organizing Tips & Tricks
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Basic Photo Editing With The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Crop Tool In The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Linear & Radial Gradient Tools In Adobe Lightroom For Mobile
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Selective Editing Brush In Adobe Lightroom For Mobile
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Use The Healing Brush In The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Create Presets In The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Share Your Images Using The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        How To Edit Adobe Lightroom For Mobile Photos With Other Apps (iOS)
      • Lesson 5:From The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App To Adobe Photoshop For iPad Pro
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        Adobe Lightroom On The Web
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Deleting Synchronized Photos From The Adobe Lightroom For Mobile App
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adobe Spark Post
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adobe Spark Page
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        Building A Website With Adobe Portfolio
    • Unlock This Lesson
      BONUS TUTORIALS
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Workflow Smart Collections
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Creating Star Trails With StarStaX
      • Unlock This Lesson
        FotoMagico Slideshows
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Multimedia Slideshows With FotoMagico
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Noise Reduction With Lightroom & DxO OpticsPro
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Custom Raw Profiles In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Custom Camera Default Settings In Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Using A Second Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Catalog While Traveling
    • Module 8:TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY
      • Lesson 1:How To Make A Time-Lapse Movie Using Adobe Photoshop
      • Unlock This Lesson
        LRTimelapse Pro Lesson I
      • Unlock This Lesson
        Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic + LRTimelapse Pro + Adobe Photoshop
      • Unlock This Lesson
        The Holy Grail Of Time-Lapse

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