Today’s Question: I know how to change the metadata for one photo [in Lightroom Classic], but for some reason it doesn’t change the metadata when I select multiple photos. I know I must be missing a simple step, but I have not figured out what that step is.
Tim’s Quick Answer: The simple step in this case is to make sure you are in the grid view when you want to update metadata for multiple photos in the Library module of Lightroom Classic. In the grid view metadata updates will affect all selected photos.
More Detail: The issue outlined in today’s question relates to what I refer to as the “loupe view snafu” in Lightroom Classic. If you select multiple photos but are using the loupe view display, metadata updates will only affect the photo shown in the preview area, not the multiple photos selected on the filmstrip.
The idea is that since the loupe view shows a single photo, you are always updating only that single photo even if multiple images are selected on the filmstrip. When you’re in the grid view, you’re seeing multiple photos, and so if multiple of those photos are selected then metadata updates will affect all selected photos.
When you want to update the metadata for multiple photos I recommend switching to the grid view to select those photos rather than selecting them on the filmstrip. This will help get you in the habit of switching to the grid view when you want to update multiple photos, so you won’t be as likely to have the issue where you’re not updating all selected photos.
Note by the way that it is also possible to turn on automatic synchronization for metadata when you’re in the loupe view. After selecting multiple photos on the filmstrip, you can click the toggle button (it looks like a light switch) to the left of the Sync button. This will cause the button to switch to “Auto Sync”, so that metadata updates will affect all selected photos even though you’re in the loupe view.
However, in my view using the Auto Sync option increases the risk that you’ll forget to check the status of the toggle before applying updates. Therefore, I recommend keeping the Auto Sync option turned off, and instead simply use the grid view when you want to update multiple photos or the loupe view when you want to update a single photo.
