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Code Issues 13 Packages Projects Releases 10 Wiki Activity

[BUG] iPhoto/Apple Photos Sidecar Metadata Not Being Read On Upload #1140

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opened 2026-02-05 00:36:17 +03:00 by OVERLORD · 10 comments
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:17 +03:00
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Originally created by @thegranddesign on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023).

The bug

I see that there is a lot of work being done around metadata parsing on upload so this may be already tackled (I did look into many of the other issues).

My issue is that I did an export from iPhoto/Apple Photos and my library contains 20k+ images. All of them have already been tagged, descriptions added, lat/longs attached, faces detected, and custom dates assigned (note this is NOT the creation date but the date I've manually given them).

Obviously I can't go back and redo all that work. :)

When Photos exports the data, it writes an XMP file next to the image with all the information. For some images there is also data in the image (for example if it was a photo from a phone versus something that was scanned in). The data is retrieved from the images ok, but the XMP data should take priority. Always.

I have tried both the web uploader as well as the bulk uploader (which, other than the metadata issue, is amazing ;) and in both cases it appears as if the XMP file is ignored.

The format of the XMP file that Apple Photos exports looks a bit odd but exiftool does a decent job of getting the data out.

I'd be happy to supply some of the formatting of the exported XMP files if that would help.

Am I missing something? Is this feature not implemented yet? Is it a bug? I wasn't sure.

Thank you for such an amazing product. If I can get this working it will be exactly what I need.

The OS that Immich Server is running on

N/A

Version of Immich Server

v1.68.0

Version of Immich Mobile App

N/A

Platform with the issue

  • Server
  • Web
  • Mobile

Your docker-compose.yml content

N/A

Your .env content

N/A

Reproduction steps

1. Modify Photo Date/Time/Tags/Description/Etc In Apple Photos
1. Export Photos From Apple Photos
2. Import Photos Into Immich
3. Note that the custom information does not populate in Immich
...

Additional information

No response

Originally created by @thegranddesign on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023). ### The bug I see that there is a *lot* of work being done around metadata parsing on upload so this may be already tackled (I did look into many of the other issues). My issue is that I did an export from iPhoto/Apple Photos and my library contains 20k+ images. All of them have already been tagged, descriptions added, lat/longs attached, faces detected, and custom dates assigned (note this is NOT the creation date but the date I've manually given them). Obviously I can't go back and redo all that work. :) When Photos exports the data, it writes an XMP file next to the image with all the information. For some images there is also data in the image (for example if it was a photo from a phone versus something that was scanned in). The data is retrieved from the images ok, but the XMP data should take priority. Always. I have tried both the web uploader as well as the bulk uploader (which, other than the metadata issue, is amazing ;) and in both cases it appears as if the XMP file is ignored. The format of the XMP file that Apple Photos exports looks a bit odd but `exiftool` does a decent job of getting the data out. I'd be happy to supply some of the formatting of the exported XMP files if that would help. Am I missing something? Is this feature not implemented yet? Is it a bug? I wasn't sure. Thank you for such an amazing product. If I can get this working it will be exactly what I need. ### The OS that Immich Server is running on N/A ### Version of Immich Server v1.68.0 ### Version of Immich Mobile App N/A ### Platform with the issue - [X] Server - [ ] Web - [ ] Mobile ### Your docker-compose.yml content ```YAML N/A ``` ### Your .env content ```Shell N/A ``` ### Reproduction steps ```bash 1. Modify Photo Date/Time/Tags/Description/Etc In Apple Photos 1. Export Photos From Apple Photos 2. Import Photos Into Immich 3. Note that the custom information does not populate in Immich ... ``` ### Additional information _No response_
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:22 +03:00
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@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023):

The server backend and CLI is capable of ingesting XMP sidecar files, but the clients haven't been updated to upload them. I suggest closing this issue and following this one instead: https://github.com/immich-app/immich/issues/1941

@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023): The server backend and CLI is capable of ingesting XMP sidecar files, but the clients haven't been updated to upload them. I suggest closing this issue and following this one instead: https://github.com/immich-app/immich/issues/1941
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:24 +03:00
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@alextran1502 commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023):

Duplicated of #1941

@alextran1502 commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023): Duplicated of [#1941](https://github.com/immich-app/immich/issues/1941)
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:26 +03:00
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@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023):

I have tried both the web uploader as well as the bulk uploader (which, other than the metadata issue, is amazing ;) and in both cases it appears as if the XMP file is ignored.

@ericswpark @alextran1502 I literally said I was using the CLI bulk uploader. Please reopen.

@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 23, 2023): > I have tried both the web uploader as well as the bulk uploader (which, other than the metadata issue, is amazing ;) and in both cases it appears as if the XMP file is ignored. @ericswpark @alextran1502 I literally said I was using the CLI bulk uploader. Please reopen.
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:30 +03:00
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@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023):

@thegranddesign sorry, I completely missed that part. Then either the CLI tool isn't uploading the XMP files or the server is ignoring them. Have you checked the number of files that get uploaded with the CLI tool?

@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023): @thegranddesign sorry, I completely missed that part. Then either the CLI tool isn't uploading the XMP files or the server is ignoring them. Have you checked the number of files that get uploaded with the CLI tool?
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:32 +03:00
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@jrasm91 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023):

Uploading via the mobile app is a duplicate, as already mentioned. Uploading via the CLI is already supported, given the sidecar file is the same name as the original (with the additional .xmp extension).

Can you be more specific what exactly is not working for you that hasn't already been addressed? Do your xmp files follow the naming convention we use to automatically detect them?

@jrasm91 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023): Uploading via the mobile app is a duplicate, as already mentioned. Uploading via the CLI is already supported, given the sidecar file is the same name as the original (with the additional .xmp extension). Can you be more specific what exactly is not working for you that hasn't already been addressed? Do your xmp files follow the naming convention we use to automatically detect them?
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:35 +03:00
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@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023):

@jrasm91 I just realized the CLI tool didn't upload any of my XMP files either, so some of my photos that have had the time/date modified all show up under the date I uploaded the photos. Taking a look at the file name, it looks like Immich is expecting the following:

IMG_0321.jpg
IMG_0321.jpg.xmp

However, Apple Photos exports with the .jpg extension removed from the file name of the XMP sidecar file, like so:

IMG_0321.jpg
IMG_0321.xmp

Does Immich back up the XMP files in this case?

@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023): @jrasm91 I just realized the CLI tool didn't upload any of my XMP files either, so some of my photos that have had the time/date modified all show up under the date I uploaded the photos. Taking a look at the file name, it looks like Immich is expecting the following: ``` IMG_0321.jpg IMG_0321.jpg.xmp ``` However, Apple Photos exports with the `.jpg` extension removed from the file name of the XMP sidecar file, like so: ``` IMG_0321.jpg IMG_0321.xmp ``` Does Immich back up the XMP files in this case?
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:38 +03:00
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@jrasm91 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023):

Ah that makes more sense. No, we only look for the added .xmp extension, like in your first example.

You could update your sidecar files to use this format or open a feature request to support this additional one as well.

@jrasm91 commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023): Ah that makes more sense. No, we only look for the added `.xmp` extension, like in your first example. You could update your sidecar files to use this format or open a feature request to support this additional one as well.
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:48 +03:00
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@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023):

Made a FR in https://github.com/immich-app/immich/discussions/3407

@ericswpark commented on GitHub (Jul 24, 2023): Made a FR in https://github.com/immich-app/immich/discussions/3407
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:53 +03:00
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@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2023):

Thanks guys. I can batch rename the XMP files in the meantime I think. It'll take some trial and error but should be faster than waiting for the FR. I appreciate you all looking into this. <3

@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2023): Thanks guys. I can batch rename the XMP files in the meantime I think. It'll take some trial and error but should be faster than waiting for the FR. I appreciate you all looking into this. <3
OVERLORD commented 2026-02-05 00:36:58 +03:00
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@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2023):

I did this and it looks like further Apple Photo/iPhoto compatibility is required. The XMP files utilize a Ref field for the GPS coordinates that Immich currently does not honor. https://github.com/immich-app/immich/discussions/3407

@thegranddesign commented on GitHub (Jul 25, 2023): I did this and it looks like further Apple Photo/iPhoto compatibility is required. The XMP files utilize a `Ref` field for the GPS coordinates that Immich currently does not honor. https://github.com/immich-app/immich/discussions/3407
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Reference: immich-app/immich#1140
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