Updating Your Copyright Information in Lightroom Classic for 2020: A Guide

It’s been a few weeks since I last blogged. I am back with my annual tutorial to show you how to update the copyright information in lightroom classic for the current year. (Note: If you read my previous post, there was some discussion as to whether or not the US copyright laws require you to include a date with your copyright information. I share it here, just in case and because I will update my copyright data regardless.

NOTE This is a tutorial for Lightroom Classic. Rob showed how to add the copyright information to Lightroom’s ‘cloud’ version last week. This is the link.

Here’s where and how to update Lightroom Classic.

STEP 1: Open the Library Module, go to the Metadata menu, and select “Edit Metadata Presets”, as shown in the screenshot (by the by, even if you do not have a Copyright Template, you can still use this menu to start creating one).

STEP 2: Select the preset that you wish to edit from the Edit Metadata Presets Window (shown in the image above). The template information will be displayed (as shown). NOTE You can edit the default template if you haven’t done so in the past.

STEP ONE: Click on the IPTC Copyright section and click the field to your right (as shown). Then, type 2020 where it said 2019 before. When creating your first Copyright Template, simply type in the IPTC Copyright and Creator Fields information (as shown here).

STEP 4: After updating the date, you can save the new preset. To do this, go to the pop-up window at the top and select “Save Current Setting as New Preset.”

STEP 5: You will be presented with a dialog box where you can name your new preset (as shown above).

STEP SEVEN: OPTIONAL – If you do not have any images from 2019 that you haven’t yet imported into Lightroom, you can delete the copyright Preset of last year (you won’t be using it if all images from 2018 have been imported). So if it’s up to you to delete it–it’s totally your choice–just choose the 2019 Preset; then select Delete Preset “2019 Copyright” (or whatever name you gave it) from the same menu.

STEP EVEN: A tip of the hat goes to commenter David Francis, who commented “Do not forget the Metadata Dialog in the Import Section during your first import for the new year, or what you had there will still appear” Thanks David, this is a great add-on!

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