User Guide Cancel

Work with the Map module

  1. Lightroom Classic User Guide
  2. Introduction to Lightroom Classic
    1. What's new in Lightroom Classic
    2. Lightroom Classic system requirements
    3. Lightroom Classic | Common Questions
    4. Lightroom Classic Key Concepts
    5. Lightroom Classic tutorials
    6. Set Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
    7. Reset Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
  3. Workspace
    1. Workspace basics
    2. Display the Library on a second monitor
    3. Personalize identity plates and module buttons
    4. Watermark your photos in Lightroom Classic
    5. Color management
  4. Import photos
    1. Specify import options
    2. Set import preferences
    3. Import photos from a camera or card reader
    4. Import photos from a folder on a hard drive
    5. Import photos automatically
    6. Import photos from Photoshop Elements
    7. Import photos from a tethered camera
    8. The Filename Template Editor and Text Template Editor
  5. Organize photos in Lightroom Classic
    1. Face recognition
    2. Work with photo collections
    3. Group photos into stacks
    4. Flag, label, and rate photos
    5. Use keywords
    6. Metadata basics and actions
    7. Find photos in the catalog
    8. Work with video in Lightroom Classic
    9. Advanced metadata actions
    10. Use the Quick Develop panel
  6. Process and develop photos
    1. Develop module basics
    2. Create panoramas and HDR panoramas
    3. Flat-Field Correction
    4. Correct distorted perspective in photos using Upright
    5. Improve image quality using Enhance
    6. Work with image tone and color
    7. Masking
    8. Apply local adjustments
    9. HDR photo merge
    10. Develop module options
    11. Retouch photos
    12. Cure red eye and pet eye effects
    13. Use the Radial Filter tool
    14. Adjustments with Lens Blur
    15. Edit and Export in HDR
    16. Remove Tool
  7. Viewing photos
    1. View photos
    2. Browse and compare photos
    3. Set Library view options
    4. Share photos for comments and feedback
    5. Smart Previews
  8. Export photos
    1. Export files to disk or CD
    2. Export photos from Lightroom Classic
    3. Publish photos online
    4. Export to hard drive using publish services
    5. Presets for export, and other settings
  9. Work with external editors
    1. External Editing preferences
    2. Open and edit Lightroom Classic photos in Photoshop
  10. Manage catalogs and files
    1. How Lightroom Classic catalogs work
    2. Create and manage catalogs
    3. Back up a catalog
    4. Locate missing photos
    5. Create and manage folders
    6. Manage photos within folders
  11. Maps
    1. Work with the Map module
  12. Photo books
    1. Create photo books
  13. Slideshows
    1. Create slideshows
    2. Slideshow module panels and tools
    3. Specify the slide layout
    4. Add overlays to slides
    5. Play and export slideshows
  14. Print photos
    1. Print module basics
    2. Print module layouts and templates
    3. Work with print job options and settings
  15. Web galleries
    1. Create web galleries
    2. Use the Web module panels and tools
    3. Work with web gallery layouts
    4. Work with web gallery templates and settings
    5. Preview, export, and upload web photo galleries
  16. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keyboard shortcuts
  17. Content Authenticity 
    1. Content Authenticity in Lightroom Classic
  18. Lightroom and Adobe services
    1. Creative Cloud Libraries
    2. Using Adobe Stock in Creative Cloud apps
  19. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed Issues
    2. Known Issues
  20. Technical Support
    1. Performance Guidelines
      1. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix issues in Lightroom Classic
      2. Optimize performance
      3. Keep Lightroom up to date
      4. Preference file and other file locations | Lightroom Classic
      5. Allow Permissions to Lightroom Classic on macOS
    2.  Technical issues
      1. GPU Issues
        1. Troubleshoot graphics processor (GPU) and graphics driver issues | Lightroom Classic
        2. Lightroom Classic GPU FAQ
      2. Startup Issues
        1. Windows | Lightroom doesn't start
        2. Error: Lightroom catalog cannot be opened
        3. Error: 'Unexpected error opening catalog' occurs in Lightroom after Windows 10 upgrade
        4. "Assertion failed" update error | Windows
        5. Error MSVCR110.dll opening apps in Windows 10
      3. Rendering Issues
        1. Troubleshoot issues with Develop module
      4. Stability Issues
        1. Troubleshoot crash or freeze in Lightroom Classic
      5. Miscellaneous Issues
        1. FAQ | Color in Lightroom Classic
        2. Lightroom desktop and mobile apps unavailable to Education memberships | Kivuto
    3. Workflow Issues
      1. Catalog Issues
        1. Error : Lightroom catalog cannot be opened
        2. Troubleshoot corrupt catalog
        3. Locate missing photos
        4. Recover catalog and images after resetting preferences
        5. Lightroom Classic catalog FAQ
      2. Sync Issues
        1. Lightroom Classic sync FAQ

View photos on a map

The Map module lets you see where your photos were captured on a Google map. It uses GPS coordinates embedded in your photos’ metadata to plot the photos on the map.

Most mobile phone cameras, including iPhones, record GPS coordinates in metadata. If your camera doesn’t record GPS coordinates you can add it in the Map module, or import a track log from a GPS device.

You must be online to use the Map module. Maps appear in the language that your default web browser uses, which may be different from the language version of Lightroom Classic that you’re using.

Note:

To see if a photo is tagged with GPS metadata, choose the Location preset in the Metadata panel of the Library or Map module. Then, look for coordinates in the GPS field.

Lightroom Classic CC The Map module
The Map module

A. Saved Locations panel B. Map Style menu C. Zoom slider D. Selected photo E. Map key F. Metadata panel 

To navigate the map in the Map module, do any of the following:

  • Double-click the map to zoom in to that location.

  • Drag the Zoom slider in the toolbar to zoom in or out.

    Note: The Map module also supports zooming using a mouse wheel and multitouch gestures on a trackpad.

  • Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) and drag in the preview area to zoom in to that area.

  • Drag the map to reposition it in the preview area.

  • Enter a location in the Search field in the upper-right corner of the preview area to go to that location.

  • Specify the map’s appearance by choosing an option from the Map Style menu in the toolbar:

Satellite

Displays satellite photography of the location.

Road Map

Displays roads and geopolitical borders and landmarks on a flat, graphical background.

Hybrid

Overlays roads and geopolitical data on satellite photography.

Terrain

A graphical representation of the landscape.

Light or Dark

A light or dark low-contrast depiction of road map data.

Labels

The map module shows fewer labels from Google on the map by default. To view all available labels, select Show More Labels below the map.

Show More Labels Map module

Note:

To change map style options, select View from the menu bar in the Map module.

Create collection from a photo pin on the map

To create a collection from a group of photos at the same location on the map, do the following:

Create collection from a photo pin on the map
Create collection from a photo pin on the map

  1. In the Map module, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (macOS) a photo pin.
  2. Choose Create Collection from the context-menu.
  3. The Create Collection dialog box appears. Follow the instructions to Create a collection from Step 2 onwards. 

The collection appears in the Collections panel.

Work with photos and GPS data

  • To add GPS coordinates to photos (and add the photos to the map), do any of the following:

    • Drag photos from the Filmstrip and drop them onto the map.

    • Select one or more photos in the Filmstrip and Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the map location.

    • Select one or more photos in the Filmstrip and right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the map location and choose Add GPS Location To Selected Photos.

  • To see a thumbnail preview of photos at a certain location, click a photo pin.

Note:

Choose View > Show Map Key for an overlay that explains the photo pins.

Lightroom Classic CC Key to Map module preview pins
Key to Map module preview pins

  • To remove GPS metadata from photos (and remove the photos from the map), do any of the following:

    • Select the photo’s pin on the map and press Delete.

    • Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the pin and choose Delete GPS Location.

    • Select the photo in the Filmstrip in the Map module and press Delete.

  • Click the GPS Tracklogs button and choose Load Tracklog to upload GPS data (a GPX file) from a third-party device.

  • The Location Filter shows you which photos in the Filmstrip appear on the map:

Visible On Map

Shows which photos in the Filmstrip are in the current map view.

Tagged/Untagged

Shows which photos in the Filmstrip are tagged or untagged with GPS data.

None

Clears location filters.

Note:

You can omit GPS metadata from photos when you export them. In the Export dialog box, go to the Metadata panel and choose Remove Location Info.

Match photos to a track log for auto-tagging GPS coordinates

Load a track log

To load a track log (GPX file only), click Map > Tracklog > Load Tracklog

Once you load the track log (GPX file) in the Map module, Lightroom Classic looks for photos (in the current catalog selection) whose capture dates match with the track log dates. If matches are found, Lightroom Classic allows you to automatically tag the GPS coordinates of a selection of matching photos using Auto-Tag option. To do so:

  1. In the Map module, select the matching photos in the filmstrip.
  2. Choose Map > Tracklog > Auto-Tag Selected Photos.

Set the time zone offset

If your photos were captured while travelling in another time zone or your camera’s clock was not set correctly, the photos may not match the recorded track log. In such cases, you can set a tracklog time offset value (in HH:mm) in Lightroom Classic. This value lets you shift the times in the track log to match your camera's time/photo capture times; so you can then use the Auto-Tag option to place the photos on the track. 

To set the time zone offset:  

  1. In the Map module, select those photos in the filmstrip that you want to match to the track log.
  2. Choose Map > Tracklog > Set Tracklog Time Offset.
    • In the Tracklog Time Offset dialog, adjust the hours and minutes on the Offset slider
  3. Click OK.
Tracklog Time Offset Dialog

Note:

The Tracklog Time Offset dialog displays the range of capture times of the selected photos and the range of times in the track log. Adjust the Offset slider to a value where these ranges overlap each other. 

Note:

If the Offset slider value does not seem to match the track log timezone and the timezone of your photos, Lightroom Classic indicates it by highlighting the track log time in red. However, you can still set that Offset value.

Save locations

For photos captured within a defined proximity, you can create a saved location. For example, if you travel to Greece for a photo shoot for a client, you can create a saved location that encompasses the islands you visited.

  1. In the Map module, navigate to a location on the map and click the + button in the Saved Locations panel. The Saved Location panel is on the left side of the Lightroom Classic window.

  2. In the New Location dialog box, enter a name for the location and select a folder to save it in.

    Radius

    Defines a radius, in feet, miles, meters, or kilometers, from the center of the visible map area.

    Private

    Removes all IPTC location metadata, including GPS coordinates, Sublocation, City, State/Province, Country, and ISO Country Code, when photos in the saved location are exported from Lightroom Classic.

  3. Click Create.

    The location appears on the map marked by a white circle, with one pin  in the center and another pin on the perimeter.

  4. When working with saved locations, do any of the following:

    • Select or deselect a location in the Saved Locations panel to view it on the map.
    Lightroom Classic CC The Saved Locations panel in the Map module
    The Saved Locations panel in the Map module

    • To add photos to the location, do one of the following:

      • Drag one or more photos from the Filmstrip into the white circle in the map.

      • Select one or more photos in the Filmstrip and select the check box next to the location name in the Saved Locations panel.

    • To go to a location on the map, click the right-arrow button by the location name in Saved Locations panel.

    • To edit a location, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) it in the Saved Locations panel and choose Location Options.

      Tip: You can also drag the pin  at the top of the location circle in the map to adjust the radius. Drag the pin in the center of the circle to move the location on the map.

    • To remove a location, select it in the Saved Locations panel and click the minus ( - ) button. Or, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) it in the Saved Locations panel or on the map and choose Delete.

From an expert:

Viewing images on a map in Lightroom Classic.

Julieanne Kost

 Adobe

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