An XMP file stores editing information about a photo without changing the original image
An XMP file is a small text document that holds instructions about how a photo should look. It contains things like brightness adjustments, color corrections, cropping information, and ratings — but it does not actually change the photo itself. When you edit a picture in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or similar programs, the software writes these changes into an XMP file instead of overwriting your original image.
The letters stand for Extensible Metadata Platform, which is just a standard format that different programs agree to use. Think of it like a set of notes attached to a photo: the photo stays exactly as it was when you took it, but the XMP file tells any compatible program how to display it.
XMP files are usually invisible. Your computer stores them in the same folder as your photo, often with the same name — so a photo called "vacation.jpg" might have a companion file called "vacation.xmp". You will not see it unless you turn on the option to show hidden files, or unless you open the folder in a program designed to read them.
Key Takeaways
- XMP files contain editing instructions for photos but do not alter the original image file itself.
- Programs like Lightroom and Photoshop create XMP files automatically when you adjust brightness, color, crop, or other settings.
- If you move a photo to a different folder or computer without its XMP file, the edits will not travel with it.
- XMP files are text-based and small, usually just a few kilobytes, so they take almost no storage space.
Why programs create XMP files instead of changing your photo directly
Editing software uses XMP files to keep your original photo safe. If the program wrote changes directly into your image file, you could not undo them later or go back to the original. By storing instructions separately, the software lets you change your mind about any edit without losing the photo.
This approach also lets different programs work with the same photo. If you edit a picture in Lightroom and then open it in Photoshop, Photoshop can read the Lightroom XMP file and see what adjustments were made. Not every program understands every edit — some adjustments are specific to one software — but the basic ones like exposure and white balance usually transfer between them.
XMP files also make it possible to edit hundreds of photos at once. You can explore the same settings to a whole folder of images by copying the XMP file from one photo to others, which is much faster than adjusting each one individually.
What happens when you move or share a photo
If you move a photo to a different folder on your computer, the XMP file should move with it — most programs handle this automatically. But if you email a photo to someone or upload it to a website, the XMP file usually does not travel along. The person who receives it will see the original unedited photo, not the version with your adjustments applied.
Some programs let you embed the XMP data directly into the photo file itself, which solves this problem. In Lightroom, you can export a photo as a JPEG or PNG and choose to include the edits in the exported file. Once you do that, the edits become permanent and the photo no longer needs a separate XMP file.
If you back up your photos to cloud storage like Google Photos or iCloud, those services usually ignore XMP files and store only the image itself. This means your edits will not show up when you view the photo on another device, unless the cloud service also syncs Lightroom or another editing program.
How to find and manage XMP files on your computer
On Windows, open File Explorer and go to the folder where your photos are stored. Click the View tab at the top, then check the box for "Hidden items". XMP files will now appear alongside your photos. On a Mac, open Finder, press Command+Shift+Period, and hidden files will show up.
You can delete an XMP file if you want to remove all the edits associated with a photo, but the original image will remain unchanged. If you delete an XMP file by accident, your edits are gone — the photo itself is fine, but you cannot undo back to a previous version. For this reason, it is a good idea to keep XMP files as long as you might want to edit the photo again.
If you want to back up your photos along with all your edits, make sure to copy both the image file and its XMP file together. Some backup software does this automatically, but others only back up the image itself. Check your backup settings to be sure.
XMP files and different editing programs
Adobe programs like Lightroom and Photoshop create and read XMP files as their standard way of storing edits. Other software like Capture One, Darktable, and RawTherapee also support XMP, though each program may handle certain adjustments differently. If you switch from one program to another, some of your edits may not transfer perfectly because not all programs interpret every setting the same way.
Smartphone apps and web-based editors usually do not create XMP files at all. When you edit a photo in your phone's built-in photo app or in a browser-based tool, the edits are either saved directly into the image file or stored in that app's own format. This is one reason why photos edited on a phone often look different when you open them on a computer.
If you work with RAW files — the unprocessed format that professional cameras produce — XMP files become especially important. RAW files cannot be opened by most programs without additional software, and the XMP file tells that software how to display the image. Without the XMP file, a RAW photo will look flat and unprocessed.
When you might notice XMP files causing problems
The most common problem happens when you move photos between computers or share them with someone else. You make beautiful edits in Lightroom on your desktop, email the photo to a friend, and they see the original unedited version. This is because the XMP file stayed on your computer and did not go along with the image.
Another issue occurs when you use multiple editing programs on the same photo. If you edit in Lightroom and then open the same photo in Photoshop, Photoshop may not understand all of Lightroom's adjustments. You might see a warning that some edits cannot be displayed, or the photo might look different than it did in Lightroom.
Occasionally, XMP files become corrupted or out of sync with the photo, especially if you edit the same image in several different programs. If this happens, the edits may not display correctly or at all. The solution is usually to delete the XMP file and start over, since the original photo is never damaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to keep XMP files if I have already exported my photos?
If you exported your photos as JPEG or PNG files with edits included, you do not need the XMP files anymore — the edits are now part of the image itself. But if you exported as RAW or if you might want to edit the photos again later, keep the XMP files so you can return to your original edits and make changes.
Can I open an XMP file directly to see what it contains?
Yes, XMP files are plain text, so you can open one in any text editor like Notepad or Word. You will see code that looks like XML, with tags describing each edit. It is not meant to be human-readable, but it proves that XMP files are just instructions, not actual image data.
What if I delete an XMP file by accident?
Your photo is completely safe — deleting the XMP file only removes the editing instructions, not the image itself. The photo will revert to its original unedited state. If you had not saved your work elsewhere, those specific edits are lost, but the photo remains intact.
Will XMP files work if I move my photos to a different folder?
Most editing programs keep XMP files in the same folder as the photo, so moving the folder together preserves the connection. But if you move only the photo and leave the XMP file behind, the edits will not follow. Always move both files together if you want to keep your edits.
Do cloud storage services like Google Photos preserve XMP files?
Most cloud services ignore XMP files and store only the image itself. If you want your edits to sync across devices, use a service that integrates with your editing software, like Adobe Creative Cloud for Lightroom, or export your photos with edits embedded before uploading.