Lightroom Showdown: What’s the Difference Between Virtual Copies, Versions, and Snapshots?

Lightroom gives you several ways to create alternate edits of the same photo—without duplicating your original file or blowing through hard drive space. But with tools named Virtual Copies, Versions, and Snapshots, it’s easy to get confused. What’s the difference? Which should you use, and when?

Adobe’s Terry White walks us through each of these features—showing not only how they work, but why they exist and the best scenarios to use them. Here’s your quick guide to each option.

Virtual Copies (Lightroom Classic): One File, Unlimited Creative Paths

If you’re using Lightroom Classic, Virtual Copies are the way to go when you want multiple edits of the same photo.

What they are: Lightweight clones of your original photo with independent edits
Where to find them: Right-click on a photo and choose Create Virtual Copy
Why use them: To try multiple styles (black & white, color, dramatic lighting, different crops) and compare side by side

Terry demonstrates how Virtual Copies allow him to apply targeted adjustments, like facial retouching and lighting tweaks, all while preserving the original version.

Exporting Virtual Copies

One of the best perks? You can export all your Virtual Copies at once. They’ll each appear as their own image file, even though they’re based on a single source.

“This is why I use Virtual Copies so much,” Terry explains. “I can get all my variations out quickly without creating a bunch of duplicate files in my Library.”

Versions (Lightroom cloud-based): Save Edits, Not Files

If you’re working in Lightroom (cloud-based), there’s no Virtual Copy feature. Instead, you get Versions.

What they are: Saved states of your edits that live inside the same file
Where to find them: The Versions panel
Why use them: To toggle between different looks without creating new files or clutter

Versions are perfect when you’re exploring edits and want to save checkpoints—like “Color Grading,” “Black & White,” or “Vibrant.” Each version saves your slider positions and masks.

Exporting Versions

Here’s the catch: You can only export one version at a time. If you want multiple outputs, you’ll need to switch to each version and export them one-by-one.

Terry notes, “That’s one reason I prefer Virtual Copies in Classic when I need to output lots of variations fast.”

Snapshots (Lightroom Classic): Bookmarks for Your Edits

Snapshots are another Lightroom Classic feature that often gets overlooked—but they’re handy for jumping back to earlier edit states without cluttering up your Filmstrip.

What they are: Saved bookmarks of your photo at specific editing stages
Where to find them: Snapshots panel (left side of the Develop module)
Why use them: To save milestones while editing, or quickly toggle between ideas

You can save a Snapshot called “Clean,” another called “B&W,” and another with heavy grain and vignetting—and instantly jump between them as you fine-tune your vision.

Note: Snapshots don’t duplicate the photo in your catalog like Virtual Copies. They live inside the original photo’s editing history and are great for less cluttered workflows.

Which Should You Use?

Here’s a breakdown:

Terry’s advice? Use what fits your workflow—but know the limitations and benefits of each.

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