XMP Sidecar & Lightroom Metadata on Mac

Knowing whether your tool writes embedded XMP or sidecars prevents silent metadata loss when you move folders, rename files, or hand off selects. A sidecar is usually a companion .xmp file with the same base name as the image (for example IMG_0123.CR3 plus IMG_0123.xmp).

Lightroom Classic commonly writes sidecars for proprietary RAW such as CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, and RAF when you enable that policy. JPEG and DNG often prefer embedded XMP, but mixed archives still appear—so inspect both the file and any adjacent .xmp before you assume tags traveled with the image.

On the Mac, open the original and the sidecar with a local reader so you see what catalog software actually stored. That matters before DNG conversion, client delivery, or archival copies that drop companion files.

MSAM.media apps—ExifTool Reader, ExifTool Reader Pro, and EXIF Exporter Pro—run on macOS and are sold only through the Mac App Store. Use them to verify sidecar and embedded packets locally, then export selected fields when you need spreadsheet inventories of ratings, keywords, or rights.

Pair sidecar checks with the broader XMP topic, keyword reviews, and MakerNotes on camera originals so catalog edits and camera-private tags stay in sync across the pipeline.

• ExifTool Reader

  Metadaten anzeigen und exportieren

• ExifTool Reader Pro

  Professioneller Metadatenexport

• EXIF Exporter Pro

  Bildmetadaten extrahieren und exportieren

• DNG
• CR2
• CR3
• NEF
• ARW
• RAF
• ORF
• JPEG
• TIFF

• XMP
• EXIF
• MWG
• MakerNotes
• Keywords
• Copyright