Lap, a nearly perfect photo manager

Wednesday 23 September 2026, 16:32 by Nando Harmsen | 1,460 views | 12 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

A lot of software for editing photos is missing one important thing: a good photo manager. Don't have one? Then you're stuck using your computer's file browser. But Lap could be the solution.

A good photo manager makes it easy to manage all the photos you have on your computer. It ensures that you don't lose photos or can no longer find them.

Many photo managers in the well-known photo editing programmes are limited or downright poor. They are either rudimentary, or they are missing important functions that are essential for working properly.

Other photo managers are inextricably integrated into the software, leaving you tied to that software. Do you use software that lacks good photo management? Then Lap might be for you.

The video above by Andy Hutchinson, who never minces his words, clearly shows what Lap offers. He is surprisingly positive. Lap could well be the best choice.

There is one drawback, though. Lap does not yet read the metadata in photos. So you won't see any keywords or star ratings you have already added. It is a drawback that is promised to be fixed in an update.

Lap is free. If you combine it with, for example, Affinity, it could be the solution for anyone who does not want to spend money on software. You can download Lap via this link.

Lap is open source and suitable for Apple, Windows and Linux.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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12 comments

Mc5 wrote on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 04:16 | reply
I have been using LAP since the very first release and am still very positive, recently I also did an installation of Picasa and I do see similarities...especially I am very satisfied with the speed of LAP 🚀!

Metadata support in the broadest sense is an important omission at the moment - I am looking forward to v0.4.0 where according to the developer metadata support will be added.

Incidentally, /bugs /changes /requests are taken very seriously /resolved /looked at and incorporated into the development

Feel free to try out LAP and let one know what you think of it!
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 17:23 | reply
It seems like you are affiliated. Do you play a role in Lap?
Translated from Dutch.

Mc5 wrote on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 21:58 | reply
No, not a role as you may mean….certainly not that, but as I already wrote, I have been using lap since the first release…and have reported many issues to julix.

I am a very happy user.

And alternative solutions compared to Adobe products (I also use LrC and related products) are very welcome - especially if it is FOSS just like LAP.

Today I asked about the Dutch language in the LAP app in an issue - hopefully that will also come soon.

Regards,

Mc5
Translated from Dutch.

Mc5 wrote on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 04:24 | reply
Haha I see now that on the HomePage this post has an icon without the cat….but the more fitting icon is there - without shutter….but something too complex as people found..

Nice that you found it in the discussion and thus also used it - just don't let julyx see it….- I still adjust the icon after an update - that cat doesn't suit me…
Translated from Dutch.

Tom van Weerd wrote on Tuesday 29 September 2026 at 12:52 | reply
It is very fast, the only problem is that adding photos to the catalog later does not go very smoothly, so far I have managed to do it after first creating an album. Since there is no manual, that involves some searching, maybe there is a more convenient method. But for a free program it is definitely recommended.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 10:12 | reply
I understand that it still doesn't work very smoothly?
Translated from Dutch.

weerd wrote on Wednesday 7 October 2026 at 11:03 | reply
@ Nando
It works really well, but there are still limitations. I find the sorting function impressively fast and the selection questions are saved.
Translated from Dutch.

Mc5 wrote on Friday 9 October 2026 at 18:46 | reply
Yes, that - it works perfectly for me and especially faster than in e.g. LrC. and yes, it's not finished yet, there are still quite a few glitches in it, but as I wrote earlier, the developer is quick, thinks things through carefully and always responds. I'm still a fan of it.

By the way, I recently provided the translation so that a NL version will also be available in the next release.
Translated from Dutch.

Mc5 wrote on Friday 9 October 2026 at 18:47 | reply
If you want I can share an "in development" manual.
is not finished, but I'm so happy with this tool that I spend time on it, just let me know.
Translated from Dutch.

weerd wrote on Friday 9 October 2026 at 23:14 | reply
@Mc5, a manual would be very welcome, I am beginning to appreciate the program more and more.
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Mc5 wrote on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 16:18 | reply
I put the "in developement" manual on Gitub.

https://github.com/OPGERUIMD97/lap/tree/handleiding-nl

it can be read there or downloaded as a pdf and is linked to the latest version v.0.3.3 (which also has the Dutch language by the way)
Translated from Dutch.

weerd wrote on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 17:55 | reply
@Mc5 Many thanks for the manual, I installed the latest version today.
Translated from Dutch.

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