Lightroom Classic: Ability to sync Smart Collections with (Desktop / Mobile / lightroom.adobe.com)

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
Lightroom Mobile should work with Smart Collections.

Lightroom Mobile allows the iPad version of Lightroom to sync with your desktop collections. However, the collections that can be synced are only static collections that you must manually create. Lightroom needs to be able to sync a Smart Collection with the iPad.

I define my smart collections with keywords, not with simple flags or color codes. So a flag change on the iPad makes no difference to me. Likewise, should I add/delete keywords on iPad, I would want those changes to sync back to my computer. Best of all, it would be awesome if the photo would add itself to the proper collection based on keyword rules while still on the iPad. I use flags only to keep or discard photos, so I would absolutely want those to sync back and change.

My ideal workflow for Lightroom Mobile will be to come back from a full day of shooting, start importing on my desktop, then just have iPad in my hand and start reviewing images in "Previous Import" auto collection or "Today's Image" type smart collection. I usually review images promptly, so I don't really care if the contents of smart collection changes day to day and iPad's synced images change on day-to-day basis.

I also don't use flag. I use keywords and star rating for image categorization.

Oh my gosh! This would be so awesome. I'm actually surprised that it isn't something that is already implemented. It's great to see that you guys are actually looking into this.

Agreed that smart collections are essential. i was really looking forward to this, but so far i think Mosaic still has the better paradigm, where it syncs everything by folder and allows you to browse by folder, and then then adds the collections as well so you can browse by collections.

I too was disappointed when I found that smart collections couldn't be synched to the cloud.

I agree with Doug. I use pick flags and star ratings in almost all of my smart collections (and I only use smart collections).

I don't really agree with jovapo's comment "Why not just have a pop-up warning when the user tries to do something that would remove the photo from the collection? " because the point of me using pick flags and star ratings is to determine whether the image should be in this collection or graduate to another based on my selection. A 'confirm?' waring every time would be MUCH more annoying than the 1 in 100 times that I change a pick flag and want to get it back.

I think a single level of undo would solve this. I have never accidentally eliminated an image from a smart collection and then wanted it back 10 minutes later. For me, It is always an immediate "oops!" Undo solves that.

Smart Collections are an integral part of my Lightroom workflow. I use Smart Collections to identify what stage an image in my workflow.

Pretty please with a cherry on top support Smart Collections

Smart collection sync would shorten the workflow for me! Just rate my new imports and they'll be on the iPad.

It occurred to me that if you were concerned about images becoming unavailable because they unflagged it then it would be a simple enough thing to have another smart collection which had unflagged photos in it. Yes you'd need to plan ahead and set up the smart collections and have them synched, bit but it might be a way to get round some of these problems.

I finally had the time to update Lightroom today, and install Lightroom mobile, only to discover that it is not possible to sync Smart Collections.

If Smart Collections can't be synced then the update is of no use.

Argh...just installed LR Mobile....wondered why I wasn't able to synch any of my collections....all of them are "Smart" so that would be why!

Would definitely like to see this implemented as soon as possible please. Great "first pass" at LR on the iPad....can't wait to see how you guys make it grow. Thanks!

This really is a critical limitation to LR mobile. Like many of the folks above, I do not manually manage my collections, instead relying on keywords, star ratings, colors, and flags to categorize and rank.

I won't really find much use in LR mobile until we can sync Smart Collections. Having an "undo" option in case you accidentally "un-pick" something would be great, but I would consider that a bonus. Thank you, Adobe!

Just spent the last hour trying to get a Smart Collection to sync.

Consistent with the comments of others, virtually all of my Collections are Smart Collections. I vote for Adobe giving the highest priority to enabling synchronization of Smart Collections to LR Mobile. It is otherwise all but useless to me, and this is not an exaggeration.