Whimbrel for Lightroom Classic
Export to Immich, or publish a collection as an album that stays in sync as you re-edit.
One-time €8 per editor · Works offline on your LAN · No account, no telemetry
Lightroom Classic to Immich, in action
A quick look at the flow, start to finish.
What it does
Whimbrel adds two Lightroom Classic services: a plain Immich export, and a Publish service where each collection becomes an Immich album that your re-edits keep in sync.
- Immich export target in the Export dialog
- Publish a collection as an Immich album
- Re-edit a photo and the album re-syncs
- Remove a photo and it moves to Immich's Trash (recoverable)
Requirements
- macOS 13 Ventura or later
- Lightroom Classic
- A self-hosted Immich server and API key
Setup
- 1. Download and open Whimbrel for Lightroom Classic.
- 2. Paste your Immich URL and API key, then Install the plugin.
- 3. Restart Lightroom and use the Immich export or publish service.
Good to know
What exactly does Publish do?
Each published collection becomes an Immich album. Re-edit a photo and it re-syncs; remove one and it moves to Immich's Trash (recoverable).
What is Whimbrel?
Whimbrel is a small macOS app that sends photos from your editor (Capture One, Darktable, or Lightroom Classic) straight to your self-hosted Immich server. It's a one-time €8 purchase per editor, works offline, and talks only to your own server.
Why not just use the free Lightroom plugin?
Genuinely good, if you only use Lightroom and don't mind installing and maintaining it yourself. Whimbrel also covers Capture One and Darktable, ships as a signed app you don't have to babysit, and is €8 once.
Why not just use immich-go or the CLI?
Great for bulk jobs in a terminal. Whimbrel is for your editing flow: send and publish from inside the app, no command line.
Why not just export and upload by hand?
That's the exact chore Whimbrel removes.
Will it duplicate my photos?
No. Immich dedupes by checksum, so re-sending the same file is safe; you won't end up with copies.
Does it phone home or need an account?
Neither. Whimbrel talks only to your Immich server. No account, no telemetry.
Will it work on my LAN-only server?
Yes. Plain HTTP is fine on local networks, and the app needs no internet of its own, so it runs on an air-gapped setup too.
Which editors and which OS?
Capture One, Darktable, and Lightroom Classic, one app each. macOS only for now.
What do I need to get started?
An Immich server and an API key, which takes about a minute to create in Immich's settings.
Is it kept up to date?
Yes, it's actively maintained and updates are included. A one-time purchase, not abandonware.
Which Immich versions does it work with?
Whimbrel uses Immich's standard API, so it works with current Immich releases. Updates are included, so if an Immich change needs a tweak, you get it.
Do I pay twice for two editors?
Each edition is its own one-time €8 purchase, so two editors means two purchases. There's no bundle, but updates are included for each. Want more than one? Reach out and we'll sort out a discount.
Getting edits into Immich is fiddlier than it should be
You self-host so your photos stay yours. But your editor doesn't know Immich exists. So every keeper means export to a folder, switch apps, upload, and pray nothing got duplicated. Whimbrel skips the whole detour.
Signed and notarized by Apple. One-time purchase, updates included.
Not sure it fits your setup? Email us first and we'll tell you straight, before you spend anything.
One-time €8 per editor · Works offline on your LAN · No account, no telemetry