LRSMCOL File
What are LRSMCOL files and how to open them
Are you having problems opening a LRSMCOL file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your LRSMCOL files.
What is a LRSMCOL file?
A .LRSMCOL file is an Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Smart Collection Settings file.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Smart Collection Settings files store the rules and criteria that define a Smart Collection in Adobe Lightroom Classic. A Smart Collection collects photos automatically based on metadata, ratings, keywords, dates or other user-defined conditions rather than manual selection.
When you export a Smart Collection's settings (via Lightroom Classic's Collections panel), Lightroom writes a .LRSMCOL file containing the definition of that collection's rules - what metadata fields are tested, how they are compared, and how the criteria are combined. When you later import a .LRSMCOL file into another catalog, Lightroom Classic recreates the Smart Collection with those rules and immediately shows any photos in that catalog matching those rules. The photos themselves are not stored in the .LRSMCOL file - only the criteria.
The .LRSMCOL file is in a format readable by Lightroom's SDK and scripting interface (Lua). It defines entries each with fields like criteria (which metadata field), operation (the kind of comparison), value (the threshold or pattern), and optional value2 for range operations. It also includes a combine field indicating whether all criteria must match (intersect), any (union), or none (exclude).
How to open LRSMCOL files
We have identified one LRSMCOL opener that is compatible with this specific type of LRSMCOL file.
Programs that open Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Smart Collection Settings files
 | Adobe Photoshop Lightroom | Verified |
Last updated: August 7, 2026
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