Extract text from Lightroom smart collection settings (LRSMCOL)
To convert LRSMCOL smart collections to another format, you need Adobe Lightroom or other Settings software.
To convert other file formats to the "Software Configuration File" file type, you need software like Adobe Lightroom or a similar tool.
The .LRSMCOL file is an Adobe Lightroom Smart Collection Settings File. It stores automated, rule-based search criteria (like "find all 5-star photos tagged 'landscape'") used by Adobe Lightroom to group images automatically without moving the source files. Photographers export these files to share their specific workflow filters with teams or back up their catalog organization.
The main disadvantage of the .LRSMCOL format is its strict dependency on the Adobe ecosystem. It is proprietary, meaning it requires an expensive, active Adobe subscription to function as intended. Because it is highly specialized, web browsers cannot display it natively, and mobile devices will not recognize it.
Converting a .LRSMCOL file to an image like JPG or a document like PDF is impossible because the file contains no actual photos, only text-based rules. However, converting it to standard text formats like TXT or XML is highly recommended if you want to read the filter logic without needing Lightroom installed. During this conversion, the file loses its ability to directly command Lightroom, but the underlying text data becomes universally accessible.
Because this file format is difficult to open or convert outside of its native environment, standard online converters fail to process it. Usually, only the original software can properly read or import the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying embedded text format, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your LRSMCOL file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert LRSMCOL file to , you can use Adobe Lightroom or similar software from the "Smart Collection Filter Settings" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to LRSMCOL, try Adobe Lightroom or another comparable tool in the "Smart Collection Filter Settings" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our LRSMCOL converter.