DXO Photolab photography tip: Use sensible file management
Thursday 6 August 2026, 17:17 by Nando Harmsen | 833 views | 2 commentsThis article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.
Do you use DXO Photolab, or are you planning to start using it? Make sure you manage your files sensibly. This ensures that all your photo edits and information about your photos stay together perfectly. It prevents problems. DXO Photolab does not use a (visible) catalogue. The programme reads the folders on your computer. You can browse anywhere and view the photos and images on your hard drive in DXO Photolab.
In reality, there is a catalogue in which DXO Photolab stores information. But the most important information is stored alongside the photo in a DOP or XMP file. Your edits are stored there too. Do you see DOP or XMP files next to the photo files? Do not delete them, because you will lose the edits and other information you have saved about the photo. Keep those files together. Are you renaming photos? Then rename the DOP and XMP files too. This is very important. You must also take those files with you when moving photos. If you do not, you will lose all your work.
You can of course rename or move the DOP or XMP files at a later point. But DXO Photolab can then get very confused. Either the edits are lost after all, or virtual copies are created.
Are you going to rename or move photos? Preferably do this in DXO Photolab itself. The programme has this option built in. This ensures that all your work is preserved perfectly. Take no risks. The best way is to copy the photos to a location on your hard drive and leave them there. Then rename the photos in DXO Photolab. Always do this in a structured way. It prevents problems.
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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