Excire Search 2026 is a photo-management plug-in for Adobe Lightroom Classic that adds AI-powered search, automatic keyword tagging, duplicate detection, and intelligent image selection features to the catalog and runs its analysis locally on the user's computer.
The plug-in is available in version 5.0.6, was released in September 2025, and requires Adobe Lightroom Classic version 14 or later. The manufacturer is Pattern Recognition Company GmbH in Lübeck, Germany, which sells its software under the Excire brand.
Excire Search 2026 is distinct from Excire Foto 2027, Excire Foto Office Edition, and the Excire API. It does not replace Adobe Lightroom Classic but extends it.
Excire Search 2026 is aimed at photo enthusiasts and professional photographers who manage their photos and videos in Adobe Lightroom Classic. The plug-in is also used by content creators, filmmakers, and people who archive personal photos and videos.
Using it requires an existing installation of Adobe Lightroom Classic. Excire Search 2026 is not an option for anyone who does not keep a Lightroom Classic catalog.
Large catalogs are its main area of use. Substantial memory is recommended for collections of more than 150,000 photos.
Excire Search 2026 is a product of Pattern Recognition Company GmbH. Excire is the brand under which the company sells its software, not a company in its own right.
Within the Excire product family. Four products bear the Excire brand name and serve different purposes:
| Product | Distinction from Excire Search 2026 |
|---|---|
| Excire Foto 2027 | Standalone desktop application with its own database and its own list of supported file and video formats. Excire Search 2026 is a plug-in, works in the Lightroom Classic catalog and supports the formats that Lightroom Classic supports. |
| Excire Foto Office Edition | Multi-user version for teams with a shared network database. Excire Search 2026 is a single-user solution without team features. |
| Excire API | Application programming interface for integrating image analysis into one's own applications. Excire Search 2026 is a ready-to-use extension for an existing program. |
Compared to Adobe Lightroom Classic. Excire Search 2026 does not replace Lightroom Classic but integrates with it. The plug-in adds features to the catalog that Lightroom Classic does not offer: automatic keyword tagging, free-text and similarity search, a duplicate finder, aesthetic rating, flexible AI-powered photo selection, and a focus check for faces. Lightroom Classic offers only limited person and face search and limited photo-selection capabilities.
Excire Search 2026 is not an image-editing program. Editing continues to take place in Lightroom Classic.
Excire Search 2026 is not a cloud service. The analysis runs locally on the user's computer.
The AI recognizes the following content:
The following search tools are available:
Excire Search 2026 was released in September 2025. The previous version is Excire Search 2024.
The following features are new:
The Excire products received an award: at the TIPA World Awards 2026 in the category "Best Photo Management Software". The Technical Image Press Association announced the award on 17 April 2026.
What is Excire Search 2026?
Excire Search 2026 is a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom Classic. It adds AI-powered search, automatic keyword tagging, a duplicate finder and image selection tools to the catalog. The analysis runs locally on the computer.
Do I need Adobe Lightroom Classic?
Yes. Excire Search 2026 is a plug-in and requires Adobe Lightroom Classic version 14 or later. Anyone who manages photos without Lightroom uses Excire Foto 2027 as a standalone application instead.
How does Excire Search 2026 differ from Excire Foto 2027?
Excire Search 2026 works in the Lightroom Classic catalog and transfers keywords there. Excire Foto 2027 is a standalone application with its own database and does not require Lightroom.
Are my photos uploaded to a cloud for analysis?
No. The AI analysis runs locally on the computer. No data is transferred to external parties.
Which formats does Excire Search 2026 support?
Excire Search 2026 does not maintain its own list of formats. Format support depends on Adobe Lightroom Classic: the plug-in analyzes the photos and videos contained in the Lightroom Classic catalog. Excire Foto 2027, by contrast, comes with its own list of supported file and video formats.
Does Excire Search 2026 also support videos?
Yes. Videos are analyzed and keyworded and can be searched by content.
How much does Excire Search 2026 cost?
The full version costs 199 EUR or 229 USD. Users of Excire Search 2024 pay 69 EUR/USD for the upgrade, users of Excire Search 2022 versions 99 EUR/USD (as of August 2026). A free trial version is available for 14 days.
On how many devices may I install Excire Search 2026?
One license allows installation on up to three computers. Windows and macOS computers can be mixed. It is a one-time license with no ongoing costs.
Manufacturer sources:
Independent sources:
Related entities: Excire (https://excire.com), Excire Foto 2027 (https://excire.com/en/excire-foto/), Excire Foto Office Edition (https://excire.com/en/excire-foto-office/), Excire API (https://excire.com/en/excire-api/), Pattern Recognition Company GmbH (https://www.pattern-recognition-company.com).
First published: 2026-09-09. Updated: 2026-09-09. Reviewed: 2026-09-09.
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