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How to Import an Aperture Library into Capture One

Lily
  • Updated

Capture One allows you to import catalogs from third-party applications, including Aperture Libraries. This lets you transition your photo workflow into Capture One while preserving key image data and organization. However, there are limitations you should be aware of before starting the import process.

Contents

Compatibility

Importing Aperture Libraries is only supported on Capture One for macOS, as Aperture was a macOS-only application. Your Aperture Library must be updated to version 3.5.1 before importing.

What is Imported

Image Files and Versions

All images in your Aperture Library are imported as referenced images. If your library is managed, you must relocate the images outside the Aperture package. Image versions are imported as Capture One variants.

Note: In RAW+JPG stacks, only the format marked as "Original" is imported. To import both, first set RAW as original and import, then set JPG as original and import again.

Collections

  • Aperture Project → Capture One Project
  • Aperture Folder → Capture One Group
  • Aperture Album → Capture One Album
  • Projects containing images directly will have a generic sub-album created in Capture One

Smart Albums, Books, Light Tables, Slideshows, Web Journals, and Web Pages are not imported.

Adjustments

Aperture’s local adjustments are not imported. Use Capture One Layers and Masks to recreate them. The following adjustments are supported:

  • Straightening
  • Crop (if not Straightened)
  • Flip
  • Black & White
  • Enhance/Definition → Clarity
  • Enhance/Saturation → Saturation
  • Exposure/Exposure → Exposure
  • Exposure/Brightness → Brightness
  • Highlights & Shadows (Mid Contrast ignored)

All other adjustments are not imported.

Metadata

  • Star Rating
  • Color Label (Ap Grey → CO Purple, Ap Purple → CO Pink)
  • Flat (non-hierarchical) Keywords
  • IPTC Core Contact fields
  • IPTC Core Content fields
  • IPTC Core Image fields
  • IPTC Core Status fields

Importing an Aperture Library to Capture One

Ensure your originals are relocated to folders outside the Aperture Library. Capture One will reference these files and will not copy them. Deleting a managed Aperture Library after import may result in missing files in Capture One.

  1. Open an existing Capture One Catalog or go to File → New Catalog to create a new one.
  2. Go to File → Import Catalog → Aperture Library...
  3. In the dialog, locate the relevant [name].aplibrary file.
  4. The Activities window will display progress.
  5. If files are offline, choose from Skip All, Skip, Retry, or Stop.

Additional Information

Learn more in this blog post: Migrating Apple Aperture Libraries to Capture One Pro

Troubleshooting

  • Library in Use: Remove lockfile.pid inside the library package.
  • Offline Files: Use the Locate function to re-link.
  • Missing RAW+JPG files: Import twice, once with RAW as "Original", once with JPG.

FAQ

Does Capture One move or copy my images from Aperture?

No, Capture One references the images in their original locations. If your Aperture Library is managed, you'll need to relocate the images outside the library package before importing.

What happens if some files go offline after import?

You can use the Locate function to re-link missing files or folders. For more help, see Offline images explained.

What should I do if I get the "This library is currently in use" error?

Manually delete the lockfile.pid file from: YourApertureLibrary.aplibrary/Database/apdb. To access it, right-click the library file and choose Show Package Contents.

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