Compare manual export, folder automation and LR to Photos for getting Lightroom Classic edits into Apple Photos.
This guide is published by the maker of LR to Photos. The best choice depends on how often you publish and how much setup you want to manage.
Manual export & import
Best for occasional batches. No extra plugin cost. You manage exports, imports and albums yourself.
Automator / folder action
Best for people comfortable maintaining a Mac workflow. Can automate parts of an import, including a chosen album. Setup and behaviour depend on the workflow you build.
LR to Photos
A paid publish plugin with direct email support. £40.83 before tax (£49 including UK VAT). Includes connection testing, unchanged-export skipping and older-version handling through an Out of date album.
Start with the job you repeat
If you send a few images every so often, manual export may be enough. If you repeatedly move edited collections into Photos, a publish plugin can reduce the steps between editing and enjoying them.
What LR to Photos offers
LR to Photos brings the export and Photos import into Lightroom Classic’s Publish Services. It can skip unchanged exports and retains older published versions in an Out of date album when revised images are sent. Direct email support and all updates within version 1.x are included.
It is a one-way workflow triggered by Publish, not continuous or two-way sync. It does not automatically delete older Photos items. The published tested baseline is macOS Sequoia and Lightroom Classic 14.
What to check before buying any plugin
- Support for your versions of macOS and Lightroom Classic.
- Where imports go when you have more than one Photos library.
- What happens to old versions when you republish edits.
- Whether its setup, support and pricing suit your workflow.