In the Library module, select a source in the
Catalog, Folders, or Collections panel.
Last updated on
May 21, 2024
Find photos using the Library Filter panel
The Library Filter bar at the top of the Grid view of the Library module offers three modes for filtering photos: Text, Attribute, and Metadata. You can select and use any one mode, or combine them to perform more complex filtering.
Text
Allows you to search any indexed metadata text field, including filename, caption, keywords, and EXIF and IPTC metadata.
Attribute
Filters by flag status, export status, edit status, star ratings, likes, comments, color labels, and copies.
Metadata
Provides up to eight columns of metadata criteria that you can select to filter photos.
- Click any mode name to show and hide its options. The mode label is white when those options are open. One, two, or all three filter modes can be open at once.
- Shift-click a second or third label to open multiple modes at once.
- Click None to hide and turn off all filter modes.
Note: When Metadata filter options are open, you can resize the Library Filter bar by moving the pointer over the lower edge of the bar. When it becomes a double-arrow, drag the edge up or down.
Find photos using the Text filter
The Text filter lets you search through the catalog or selected photos using a text search field. You can search any indexed field or choose specific fields, and you can specify how the search criteria is matched.
The found photos that are displayed in the Grid view and the Filmstrip depend on whether you searched the entire catalog, specific folders or collections, or the Quick Collection. The number of photos that match the search criteria appears in the Filmstrip Source Indicator.
In the Library Filter bar, select Text.
Choose fields to search from the Any Searchable Field
pop-up menu.
Any Searchable Field
Includes Searchable Metadata, Caption, File Path, virtual copy name, keywords, custom metadata, and collection names.
Filename, Copy Name, Title, Captions, Keywords
Searches each of these metadata fields, respectively. Copy Name refers to the name of a virtual copy.
Searchable Metadata
Includes Searchable IPTC, Searchable EXIF, and Title.
Searchable EXIF
Includes Make, Model, Serial Number, and Software.
Searchable IPTC
Includes Contact: Creator, Job Title, Address, City, State/Province, Postal Code, and Country; Content (Mac OS) /IPTC (Windows): Headline, IPTC Subject Code, and Description Writer; Image: Intellectual Genre, IPTC Scene Code, Sublocation, City, State/Province, Country, and ISO Country Code; Status (Mac OS)/Workflow (Windows): Title, Job Identifier, Instructions, Creditline, and Source; Copyright: Rights Usage Terms and Copyright Info URL, Alt Text (Accessibility), Extended description (Accessibility).
Any Searchable Plug-In Field
Includes searchable metadata fields created by third-party plug-ins.
Choose a search rule from the Contains All pop-up menu.
Contains
Searches for the specified alphanumeric sequence(s), including partial words. For example, performing a Contains search for flo returns results that include the word flower. If multiple sequences are entered, Lightroom Classic finds photos that contain any of the individual sequences.
Contains All
Searches for text that contains all specified alphanumeric sequences. Say, for example, you have a folder of photos of a family gathering, and each photo is tagged with the names of the individuals in the shot. You could perform a Contains All search on Joh and Su to find all photos that contain both John and Susan. Simply enter a space between search terms.
Contains Words
Searches for text that contains all specified alphanumeric sequences as whole words. To find photos with the keyword flower using a Contains Word search, for example, type flower.
Doesn’t Contain
Searches for text that does not contain any specified sequence.
Starts With
Searches for text that begins with the specified alphanumeric sequence.
Ends With
Searches for text that ends with the specified alphanumeric sequence.
Type the text in the search box.
Note
Add an exclamation point (!) before any word to exclude it from the results. Add a plus sign (+) before any word to apply the Starts With rule to that word. Add a plus sign (+) after any word to apply the Ends With rule to that word.
The photos with the specified text criteria appear in the Grid view and the Filmstrip.
(Optional) To refine your search, apply an Attribute
or Metadata filter.
Note
When two or more filters are specified, Lightroom Classic returns photos that match all criteria.
The Attribute options in the Library Filter bar let you filter photos by flag status, edit status, star ratings, labels, etc. The Attribute options are also available in the Filmstrip. See Filter photos in the Filmstrip and Grid view.
In the Library module, select a source in the
Catalog, Folders, or Collections panel.
In the Library Filter bar, select Attribute.
Select an option to filter the selected photos by Flag, Export, Edit, Rating, Color label, Likes, Comments, Kind, and Stack.
The photos with the specified filter criteria appear in the Library filter panel and the Filmstrip.
To refine your search, apply a Text or Metadata filter.
Note
When two or more filters are specified, Lightroom Classic returns photos that match all criteria.
You can find photos by selecting specific metadata criteria using the Metadata options in the Library Filter bar. Lightroom Classic supports metadata embedded in photos by your digital camera and by other applications such as Photoshop or Adobe Bridge.
In the Library module, select a source in the Catalog, Folders, or Collections panel.
In the Library Filter panel, select Metadata.
Select any header of the column or category, such as Date, Camera, or Lens, to open the pop-up menu. The pop-up menu shows all the metadata categories.
Select a category from the pop-up menu to filter the photos according to the selected criteria from the selected source.
Example
Select Develop and then select AI Edit. Lightroom Classic displays the total number of photos and the selected photos that match the AI Edits criteria.
In the next column, select another metadata category, and then select criteria. You can continue to select as many metadata categories and criteria as you like.
The photos with the specified metadata are displayed in the Grid view and the Filmstrip.
Note
When two or more filters are specified, Lightroom Classic returns photos that match all criteria.
Select the right side of any column header to organize the column. add or remove the column, change the sort order, and switch between hierarchical and flat view.
To select multiple entries in a column or category, Shift-click and Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (macOS) the entries.
To refine your search, apply a Text or Attribute filter from the Library Filter.
You can also find photos by clicking the right-pointing arrow that appears next to certain metadata text boxes in the Metadata panel.
Customize the Library Filter panel
Lightroom Classic provides six predefined filters to let you quickly perform common filters and restore default settings.
In the Library Filter panel or the Filmstrip, choose any of the following from the Custom Filter menu:
Default Columns
Opens the Metadata options to the default four columns: Date, Camera, Lens, and Label, and all metadata selected in each category.
Filters Off
Turns off all filters and hides all filter options.
Flagged
Displays photos with a Pick flag.
Location Columns
Filters photos by Country, State/Province, City, and Location metadata categories.
Rated
Displays photos with a star rating of one or higher.
Unrated
Displays photos that have no star rating.
Use Library Filter presets
Save Library Filter panel settings as a preset
To expedite common searches and filter operations, save your filter criteria as a preset.
Using the Text, Attribute, and Metadata options in the Library Filter panel, specify criteria to filter your photos.
Choose Save Current Settings As New Preset from the Custom Filter menu at the right side of the Library Filter panel or the Filmstrip.
Type a name for the preset in the New Preset dialog box,
and click Create.
Apply a Library Filter panel preset
To apply a filter preset, select it
from the Custom Filter menu.
Delete a Library Filter panel preset
To delete a filter preset, select it from the Custom Filter menu and then choose Delete Preset [Preset Name].
Rename a Library Filter panel preset
To rename a filter preset, select it from the Custom Filter menu and then choose Rename Preset [Preset Name].
Find photos using collections
Besides letting you view and organize photos, selecting collections provides a way to find specific photos.
In the Collections panel, select one or more items.
The photos in the collections are displayed in the Grid view and the Filmstrip. Selecting a collection set includes all of the collections in the set.
(Optional) To refine your search, apply a Text, Attribute,
or Metadata filter using the Library Filter bar.
Find photos using keyword tags
Using the Keyword List panel, you can find photos that contain specific keyword tags.
In the Keyword List panel, select a keyword tag
and click the right-pointing arrow next to the photo count.
Lightroom Classic displays all of the photos in the catalog that contain that keyword tag in the Grid view and the Filmstrip. Lightroom Classic also opens the Library Filter bar and displays Metadata keyword criteria.
(Optional) To refine your search, apply a Text, Attribute, or additional Metadata filter using the Library Filter panel.
For more interesting tips on how to use Filters and find photos, check out Julieanne Kost's blog.
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