Where Does ACDSee Store Its Database?
ACDSee keeps its catalog database in Local AppData under ACD Systems, with photos staying in their own folders.
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ACDSee catalogs everything into a local database: thumbnails, ratings, keywords, and edit history. Photos themselves never move into it. That database lives under Local AppData in ACD Systems Catalogs with versioned subfolders, which is why upgrades orphan old catalogs.
Embed metadata to files (or sidecars for RAW) so organization survives database loss. Back up the versioned catalog folder before major upgrades. Moved photo folders break links the same as any catalog app, so relink from inside ACDSee.
Where ACDSee stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\ACD Systems\Catalogs
Versioned subfolders hold the Default database. Exact version folder varies by release, check Local ACD Systems if this does not match. Embed metadata to files for portable keywords.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up the ACDSee catalog?
Use the built in catalog backup to write a dated copy, then store it apart from C drive. That preserves thumbnails and history that sidecars alone cannot rebuild.
Where did my ACDSee database go after upgrading?
New versions create new versioned catalog folders and convert a copy. The old tree stays behind untouched. Point the new build at a converted copy rather than the live old database.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.