Photos 6.0 app on Big Sur doesn't export keywords in EXIF data

It's a known bug in Photos 6.0. Be sure to report it via Feedback - Photos - Apple.

There is a workaround. Export file as a tiff and convert the tiff to jpeg or HEIC with an Automator workflow. This way the metadata is embedded in the file itself. Thanks to léonie for the workaround.

The Automator tiff to jpeg or HEIC looks like this:

Hi there, rusty415.

It appears that you're having a problem exporting photos from the Photos app on your Mac. They're not including the keyword you've added, and we're glad to help with this.

Export photos, videos and slide shows from Photos on Mac - Apple Support -- This section of the Photo User Guide, explains how to export your photos to include the keywords you've been assigning.

Get Support -- If your keywords still aren't being exported, please contact Apple Support. Choose Music, Apps & Services > Mac apps > Photos > The topic is not listed. Briefly describe the issue, then Continue.

All the best!

Export the photo as a TIFF to include all metadata.

Another option might be to export unmodified original with IPTC metadata and then combine the with GraphicConverter or exiftool's tags from file command.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252097447

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252105573

> Your proposal might work but it reads as if this is very cumbersome

No, those workarounds are not practical ;-]

The workflow depends on whether the user want to preserve any pixels edits or metadata edits, or both. And whether s/he wants to prevent any generation loss in decoding/encoding the pixels in lossy formats like .jpg.

> How do I combine sidecar .xmp to .jpeg? You can use tools like GraphicConverter or exiftool. But there is yet another annoying Photos.app 6.0 .xmp error in western & southern GPS (see below).

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252258329

It seems Photos.app 6.0 should automatically combine .xmp to .jpg when importing. I was surprised to find out that Photos.app 4.0 does that (but it imported all times as 00.00 at least when I briefly tried it).

> "convert .jpeg suffix to .jpg"

That simple task can be handled by manually correcting the suffix or with one click in apps like GraphicConverter. But there is a risk for duplicates if that detail is ignored.

Just an iPhone and photos from the web I've added descriptions, keywords and locations to.

Try this: boot into Safe Mode according to Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support and see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

Here's my report: The battery issue is noted, but the term "service" is (almost) amusing as batteries are only replaced, not serviced! I use my MBP on mains power 95% of the time anyway.

Anyway, it would be interesting to see if anything concerning my Photos poor performance can be gleaned from the report.

Obviously Big Sur Photos.app 6.0 has been updated (from 330.0.150 to 340.0.221 in macOS 11.2 to 11.3) but I guess major fixes (and new bugs...) will be introduced in the next major macOS update.

I just tested macOS 11.3 Photos.app and the Captions, Titles and Keywords are not exported to .jpeg. They are exported to .tiff (and also .png although I did not verify it now). Location is exported to .jpeg and .tiff (although Preview does not show it in .tiff) but if I re-export .tiff with Preview as .jpg or .heic, the location is not included.

One workaround is to export unmodified originals with IPTC and join the metadata that Photos.app has updated in the .xmp to the original .jpg with GraphicConverter or exiftool (but do notice that the .xmp error in western and Southern Hemispheres needs a workaround in exiftool):

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252258329

This appears to finally be fixed in macOS 11.4!

What's new in the updates for macOS Big Sur

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT211896#macos114 has this gem:

This release also fixes the following issues:

Keywords may not be included when exporting a photo from the Photos app

Keywords are normally kept in the IPTC data, not EXIF data, and in some image types, the keywords may appear in the XMP data. In Photos 6 on macOS 11.2.3, I can export the unmodified original of a selected photo containing IPTC keywords, and retain those keywords in the exported image using these settings:

The exported image retains the keywords viewable in Preview, the third-party ExifTool, etc. There is also an image named .xmp ASCII data file created.

Download and run Etrecheck. Etrecheck is a diagnostic tool that was developed by one of the most respected users here in the ASC and recommended by Apple Support  to provide a snapshot of the system and help identify the more obvious culprits that can adversely affect a Mac's performance.

IMPORTANT:

Before running Etrecheck assign Full Disk Access to Etrecheck in the Etrecheck's Privacy preference pane so that it can get additional information from the Console and log files for the report:

Also click and read the About info to further permit full disk access.

Copy the report

and use the Additional Text button to include the report in your reply.

Then we can examine the report and see if we can determine what might be causing the problem.

It's working for me on some photos but not all. I checked a few and those I got via Messages don't include the metadata. So far those are the only photos that don't export properly.

Have you tried it on several randomly selected photos that you've added keywords, titles and descriptions to?

How are you checking the exported jpeg file for the metadata? I use Preview to check the IPTC metadata.

I can confirm that adding arbitrary keywords to an original JPG image in Photos on macOS 11.1 does not export that IPTC information, but changing the export image type to TIFF does include them, and they are viewable in Preview, and other applications that reveal the IPTC info. These are also exposed by the command-line mdls application's kMDItemKeywords.

Hello,

I do not understand what you want to tell me by referring to the User Guide and the Apple Support ?!?!?

1) User Guide: I know the user guide and this user guide "claims" that I am able to export photos including keywords. However it does not work !!!!! I can read the user guide again and again, but it will not help. I do need a solution and a bug fix but not a reference to an outdated user guide.

2) Apple Support: I tried to contact the Apple Support but after entering the serial number of my MacBook Pro 2016 I got the response "there is no Apple Support for your product". Therefore, please do not refer me to a support that does not want to help me.

As I can read from other users, this bug is linked to the introduction of BigSur. It would already be helpful, if Apple admitted this instead of leading me to nowhere.

Many thanks

I do want to have a fast and simple workflow. In particular when I am working with Apple hardware or software. However, exporting to TIFF (huge files) and the transform TIFFs into JPEGs is not fast and simple. Apple should have a better solution for this.

Thanks

Stefan

Sadly this Apple Big Sur bug is STILL in the newest download 11.2.2. I keep hoping a patch update will fix this. It is adding a huge amount of extra work and I now have a large external set of images missing Caption and Tags. I have submitted this as a bug twice to Apple. And it is well reported in online forums. Can't understand why Apple can't fix something that was working before?