File format · Metadata

.XMP — XMP sidecar

Extensible Metadata Platform: XML metadata, often stored as a .xmp sidecar beside a RAW to hold edits, ratings and keywords.

.xmp
File extension
Metadata
Type
—
Bit depth
2001
Introduced

What is a .xmp file?#

Extensible Metadata Platform: XML metadata, often stored as a .xmp sidecar beside a RAW to hold edits, ratings and keywords.

Advantages#

  • Non-destructive edits travel with the file

Drawbacks#

  • Sidecars can get separated from RAWs

How to open and convert it#

Open: any modern image viewer or editor. Convert: Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, ImageMagick (magick input.xmp output.jpg) or online converters.

Read metadata: exiftool file.xmp — see the EXIF tag reference.

Best for: Lightroom/Capture One/darktable edits.

Other formats#

.avi.avif.bpg.btf.cos.dcp.dv.dvb.dvr-ms.eip.exif.exv.fits.flif.flv.fpf.fpx.gif.glv.hdr.insp.insv.iso.jxl

Frequently asked questions#

What opens .xmp files?

Open: any modern image viewer or editor. Convert: Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, ImageMagick (magick input.xmp output.jpg) or online converters.

Is .xmp a RAW file?

No — it is a metadata format.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources