Where Does ON1 Photo RAW Store Catalogs?
ON1 Photo RAW browses folders directly with .on1 sidecars, plus optional catalogs kept in Pictures ON1 by default.
Last updated
ON1 Photo RAW is folder first. Browse any drive without importing, and edits save as .on1 (and .onphoto) sidecars beside originals. That keeps masters portable across machines without any database move at all.
Cataloged folders add a database layer for search and albums, defaulting under Pictures ON1 with versioned names. Presets and extras sync through ON1 accounts where enabled. Back up sidecars with the photos themselves; the catalog rebuilds from them when needed. Relink missing folders from inside Browse when drives remount.
Where ON1 Photo RAW stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\Pictures\ON1
Sidecars (.on1) sit beside each edited photo wherever it lives. App prefs under %APPDATA% ON1 trees by version. Exact catalog path may vary by version, check Pictures ON1 if this does not match.
~/Pictures/ON1
Same folder first model as Windows. Sidecars travel with photos across OSes, so folder copies carry edits without touching any database.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ON1 catalogs if it browses folders?
No for editing, yes for fast search and albums across drives. Cataloged folders index into the Pictures ON1 database while sidecars keep every edit safe at file level.
How do I move ON1 edits to a new computer?
Copy photo folders with their .on1 sidecars intact. That restores edits on any ON1 install. Add the Pictures ON1 catalog folder too if you rely on albums.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.