Virtual Copies

A virtual copy is a second (or third, or fourth) edit of the same photo without duplicating the underlying RAW file. Useful when you want to deliver multiple takes of the same shot:

A color version and a black-and-white version.
A wide crop and a tight crop.
A "client safe" edit and a "creative" edit.

How to create a virtual copy

Select the photo in the library.
Right-click → Create virtual copy (or use the corresponding shortcut shown in the menu).
A new thumbnail appears next to the original, marked with a small badge to indicate it's a copy.

The copy starts with the same adjustments as the original at the moment of creation. From there, edit it independently.

How it works under the hood

Virtual copies don't duplicate the RAW file. Instead, RapidRAW writes an additional .rrdata sidecar per virtual copy alongside the original image:

IMG_2231.NEF                 ← original RAW (never modified)
IMG_2231.NEF.rrdata          ← edits for the original
IMG_2231.NEF?vc=1.rrdata     ← edits for virtual copy 1
IMG_2231.NEF?vc=2.rrdata     ← edits for virtual copy 2

Disk usage stays minimal. Each virtual copy adds a few kilobytes.

When you back up the photo, copy all .rrdata files alongside the original to preserve every version.

Editing a virtual copy

Treat it like any photo:

Click to select.
Edit adjustments, masks, crop, etc.
Rate, label, tag.
Export.

Each virtual copy has its own ratings, color label, and tags, independent from the original.

When to use virtual copies vs. presets

Goal	Use…
Try multiple looks on one photo	Virtual copies
Apply one look to many photos	Preset
Test "what if" without losing your current edit	Virtual copy
Permanent, named, reusable look	Preset

Virtual copies are great for explorations. Presets are great for established looks you reuse.

Deleting a virtual copy

Right-click the virtual copy thumbnail → Delete virtual copy. The original is untouched. If the original is selected, deleting it removes the original (and behaves like any other photo deletion; see Keyboard Shortcuts → File deletion).

Exporting all virtual copies

In Batch Export, each virtual copy exports as its own file. The default filename template includes a sequence number, so virtual copies of IMG_2231.NEF produce IMG_2231-001.jpg, IMG_2231-002.jpg, etc.

For more control, customize the filename template to include the virtual copy index.