How to Use Adobe Bridge Without Photoshop or Lightroom

Many people use Adobe Bridge alongside Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom. But what happens when you don’t have access to any of those apps and still want to manage your photos effectively?

Although the capabilities of Adobe Bridge are more limited without the key Adobe photo-editing apps, there are still plenty of ways to get value from the service. Here’s a guide on how to use Adobe Bridge without Photoshop or Lightroom.

What Is Adobe Bridge?

Lightroom and Photoshop are primarily photo editing tools (with the ability to complement each other), whereas Adobe Bridge is designed mainly for managing your files and folders.

With Adobe Bridge, you can edit metadata for your images and preview content you may wish to edit later. You also have the option to export your photos to a new file or folder, among other functionalities.

Although Adobe Bridge is part of the Creative Cloud suite, you don’t need a paid subscription to use it—an Adobe account is sufficient. For more details, we have a comprehensive guide available.

How Can You Use Adobe Bridge Without Photoshop or Lightroom?

Using Adobe Bridge along with a photo-editing app will allow you to maximize its potential. However, there are several useful ways to utilize Bridge without relying on Photoshop or Lightroom. Below, we outline some of the best methods.

1. Access Photos From Your Computer and External Hard Drives

One effective way to use Adobe Bridge without Photoshop or Lightroom is by accessing photos from your computer or connected external drives. You can do this even if the photos have not been uploaded to any photo editor yet.

Here’s how to view images with Adobe Bridge:

  • Go to the Folders tab on the left-hand side of your screen.
  • Navigate to the folders you want to access, either on your computer or an external hard drive.
  • Use the left or right arrow keys to browse through the images in the selected folder.

Double-clicking an image will attempt to open Photoshop, so you can only view small previews in Adobe Bridge. Use the bottom menu to choose between Grid View, List View, or Thumbnail View.

2. View Different File Types

In addition to viewing images, you can filter and view various file types within your folders. For example, you can choose to view Camera Raw images, DNG files, folders, JPEGs, and more.

To filter by file type, go to the Collections tab and select Filter > File Type.

3. Rate Images

On a single photoshoot, you might capture hundreds of images. If you’re traveling, this number could reach thousands. Organizing these effectively will help you save time during the editing process.

Adobe Bridge includes a rating system from 1 to 5 stars to help you organize your files:

  • Click on the number of stars for your selected image to rate it.
  • You can change the rating later if needed.

To sort your photos by rating:

  • Click on the star icon filter.
  • Select your preferred sorting option.

Besides viewing starred images, you can also view content marked as rejected.

4. Edit Photo Metadata

Editing metadata can be particularly useful. For instance, changing photo descriptions can help avoid unwanted captions on your blog. Additionally, you can modify the location metadata (latitude, altitude, longitude) and the capture date.

To edit metadata:

  • Select the image you want to adjust.
  • Go to the Metadata section in the bottom left-hand corner.
  • Edit the changeable boxes accordingly.

5. Search Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is a resource for royalty-free photos and videos, accessible directly from Adobe Bridge without needing Photoshop or Lightroom.

To access Adobe Stock:

  • Go to Libraries and select Go to Stock & Marketplace on the right-hand side.
  • The Creative Cloud app will open, providing access to various free libraries and designs.

6. Export Photos

You can also export photos to different locations using Adobe Bridge:

  • Right-click the picture you want to export or use control + trackpad on a Mac.
  • Select Export to > Custom Export.
  • Expand Save To and select Specific Folder, then Browse.
  • Choose your new file and click Start Export.
  • Hit Close once the file is exported.

7. Delete Photos

Deleting photos in Adobe Bridge is straightforward:

  • Select the image(s) you want to delete and hit the backspace key.
  • A pop-up window titled ‘Reject or Delete?’ will appear; choose Delete.

Organize Your Photos in Adobe Bridge Without Photoshop or Lightroom

While Adobe Bridge is best used with Photoshop or Lightroom, you can still effectively organize your files without these apps. This can help streamline your workflow and prevent repetition of tasks later on.