Copying and Pasting Metadata
Copying and pasting metadata is a highly efficient way to manage your library, especially when dealing with bursts of similar images. This feature helps you maintain consistency while conserving processing credits.
Why Copy and Paste?#
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Consistency | Ensure similar images have identical tags, descriptions, and categories |
| Credit Conservation | Instead of using credits to analyze ten nearly identical photos, analyze one and paste its metadata to the others |
| Speed | Quickly apply pre-verified data to a large selection of media |
Basic Copy and Paste#
To copy all metadata (Title, Description, Keywords, and Categories) from one file to others:
Step 1: Copy#
Select the source image in the filmstrip and use the keyboard shortcut:
Mac:⌘+C|Win:Ctrl+CA notification will appear: "Metadata copied to clipboard."
Step 2: Select Targets#
Highlight the destination image(s) in the filmstrip. Use Shift + Click to select a range.
Step 3: Paste#
Apply the metadata:
Mac:⌘+V|Win:Ctrl+VTip
This is perfect for burst shots where you took multiple photos of the same subject in quick succession.
Selective Pasting#
Sometimes you only want to copy specific parts of the metadata. You can do this through the context menu:
Copy metadata
Copy the source metadata as described above.
Select targets
Select your target image(s).
Right-click
Right-click on the selection.
Choose field
Navigate to Paste Metadata and choose the specific field:
Selective Paste Options#
- Paste Title - Only the title
- Paste Description - Only the description
- Paste Keywords - Only the keywords
- Paste Categories - Only the categories
Keyboard Shortcuts#
| Action | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Copy Metadata | ⌘+C | Ctrl+C |
| Paste Metadata | ⌘+V | Ctrl+V |
| Generate Categories | ⇧+⌘+C | Shift+Ctrl+C |
Workflow Example#
Here's an efficient workflow for processing a series of similar images:
Select best image
Choose the clearest, most representative image from a series.
Generate metadata
Use "Generate Metadata" on this single image (uses 1 credit).
Review and refine
Review the AI-generated metadata and make any necessary adjustments.
Copy metadata
Press Mac:⌘+C|Win:Ctrl+C to copy.
Select similar images
Select all similar images in the series.
Paste metadata
Press Mac:⌘+V|Win:Ctrl+V to paste.
Fine-tune
Make individual adjustments to each image as needed.
Note
This workflow can save significant credits when processing large shoots with many similar images.
Next Steps#
- Use find and replace to make bulk corrections
- Create templates for frequently used metadata
- Filter by metadata status to track your progress