digiKam 8.9.0 - Release date: 2026-03-xx

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NEW FEATURES:

Bundles component versions:

(*): Updated compared to previous digiKam release.

| Bundles       | Qt version | KDE version | OpenCV version | FFmpeg version | Heif version | ExifTool version | Exiv2 version |
|---------------|------------|-------------|----------------|----------------|--------------|------------------|---------------|
| Windows Qt5   | 5.15.17    | 5.116       | 4.11           | 7.1.1          | 1.20.2       | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.5        |
| Windows Qt6   | 6.9.1      | 6.17.0      | 4.11           | 7.1.1          | 1.20.2       | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.5        |
| AppImage Qt5  | 5.15.17    | 5.116       | 4.12           | 7.1.1          | 1.20.1       | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.5        |
| AppImage Qt6  | 6.9.1      | 6.17.0      | 4.12           | 7.1.1          | 1.20.1       | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.5        |
| macOS Qt5     | 5.15.15    | 5.116       | 4.12           | 7.1.1          | 1.19.8       | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.5        |
| macOS Qt6     | 6.10.0 (*) | 6.20.0 (*)  | 4.12           | 7.1.2 (*)      | 1.20.2 (*)   | 13.41 (*)        | 0.28.7 (*)    |

Raw Engine      : Update internal Libraw to last 20251117 upstream.
                  New Raw Camera: Canon EOS R1, EOS R5 Mark II
                                  Fujifilm X-T50, GFX 100S II
                                  Leica Q3 43, D-Lux8
                                  Nikon Z6-III (no HE/HE* support)
                                  Panasonic GH7, S9
                                  Sony ZV-E10M2, UMC-R10C

Video           : Update internal QtAVPlayer to last 20251117 upstream (Qt5 only).

Color Labels    : Color label names are now customizable in the Labels tab from left sidebar by double clicking on text. Label strings size are limited to 32 charaters.
Sort Items      : Add support of Album Icon-View sort items by Pick and Color Labels.
Sort Items      : Add support of Import Icon-View sort items by Pick and Color Labels.
Sort Items      : Add support of Album Icon-View sort items by Orientation.
Sort Items      : Add support of Album Icon-View sort items by GPS location.
Sort Items      : Add support of Album Icon-View sort items by File Format.
Sort Items      : Add support of Import Icon-View sort items by File Format.
Advanced Rename : New modifier "Date Format".
SlideShow       : Add new option to customize the color background instead pure black in case of images transparency usage.
Presentation    : Add new option to customize the color background instead pure black in case of images transparency usage.
File Copy       : Complete rewrite the GUI for a better usability.
File Transfer   : Complete rewrite the GUI for a better usability.
Web Site        : Huge update of the contents eg. screenshots, description, history, features, support, download, etc.

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BUGFIXES:

001 --> 510699 - Exported XML File does not contain Image Title.
002 --> 510715 - digiKam downloads AI files to user specific storage.
003 --> 497470 - XMP-mwg-rs Info not read & written to JPG exif info.
004 --> 510771 - Trying to open .cr2 file with DarkTable throws exception.
005 --> 510808 - In Export to Local Storage, if a Target Location does not exist, a confusing error message is shown.
006 --> 510824 - Missing Montenegro country in Metadata template editor (and outdated country code for Serbia).
007 --> 510837 - Thumbnail view shows only file name, although other items selected, e.g. digiKam Tags.
008 --> 510764 - Disable video autoplay.
009 --> 510878 - Image Quality scan - Preview images are blurred.
010 --> 510791 - Library scan stuck with JPG files.
011 --> 510951 - Timeline arrows don't work correctly.
012 --> 511092 - System display color profile is not used correctly.
013 --> 509534 - Monitor profile not settable when using appimage.
014 --> 510990 - iPhone 17 Pro Max Image won't Rotate.
015 --> 510364 - Batch renaming - Same date format in the file name for all images.
016 --> 511159 - Rejecting or ignoring faces writes to image metadata, causing unwanted file modifications.
017 --> 467560 - Keywords assigned by Synology Photos is written in XMP metadata but not recognized by digiKam.
018 --> 509374 - Rating is not stored to all filetypes.
019 --> 505484 - Exiftool not used - not recognized.
020 --> 496913 - ExifTool does not exists or exec permission is missing.
021 --> 407013 - Incorrectly parses GPS.
022 --> 490821 - digiKam fails to write tags/ratings to image files.
023 --> 485833 - Metadata is ignored while importing in 8.3.
024 --> 511221 - Failed to load image (tif +750MB).
025 --> 511184 - Crash when confirming a face suggestion when Exiv2 reads 0x0 image size.
026 --> 501834 - Scanning a Directory also reads top tree.
027 --> 511261 - HTML Gallery: Album Export Wizard does not refine the album selection with tags, labels and searches.
028 --> 511294 - digiKam 8.8 crashes with a segmentation fault on startup on a system running Cinnamon X11
029 --> 511398 - Incorrect name for MKD - North Macedonia.
030 --> 511467 - Cannot see GPS metadata in HEIC photos.
031 --> 511565 - Segfault during startup scanning.
032 --> 511622 - Display focus rectangle for Nikon Z 5 ii pictures.
033 --> 490711 - Improve usability of Kio slaves based tools.
034 --> 452501 - digiKam crashes when going from one album to another.
035 --> 511738 - Gnome session crash when interacting with digiKam.
036 --> 479371 - Problems connecting to a drive.
037 --> 510415 - Exiftool path cannot be configured.
038 --> 511693 - Filters on right side - text filter for PATH.
039 --> 511761 - Face recognition launched when one face confirmed.
040 --> 511850 - Rebuild Thumbnails results in digiKam hang "Not Responding".
041 --> 511828 - Face recognition settings incorrect after crash.
042 --> 511868 - digiKam not launching from AppImage.
043 --> 511876 - Bulk Editing Geolocation Coordinates Across Multiple Images in Geolocation Editor.
044 --> 512021 - "Reject this suggestion" Results in "files awaiting synchronization".
045 --> 512040 - The existence of a regular tag named the same as a tag under People prevents face detection.
046 --> 512237 - Select all images with Ctrl-A works but is not highlighted in the ThumbBar above the preview.
047 --> 512267 - Advanced Search Tool work in a non-logical way on request about missing field.
048 --> 512296 - Double blank line in the Album Properties - Category combo box.
049 --> 512351 - Lens ID not picked up for Nikon Z50.
050 --> 509506 - App does not appear in Apple Launchpad.
051 --> 512361 - Duplicate search (100% similarity) does not list results when choosing a sub tree.
052 --> 512375 - Build Instructions to integrate G'Mic-QT Tool missing.
053 --> 512416 - Adding tags by drag and drop is broken.
054 --> 512385 - Numbering in file rename not possible.
055 --> 512142 - Example in custom script documentation does not handle spaces in path.
056 --> 512515 - People View | Search-in Tab : Album filter not work.
057 --> 512564 - digiKam fails to start on X11 due to some icc-profile related error.
058 --> 487062 - When an external image editing software is called up for the first time, an incorrect error message appears.
059 --> 512507 - Open with menu throws an error.
060 --> 512681 - IPTC keywords integration in the database.
061 --> 436040 - Finding collapsed group items by name does not work.
062 --> 458880 - Search when show all grouped items as closed.
063 --> 512674 - Searching by images/similarity will not show results if the similar image is within a closed group.
064 --> 512689 - `Write Metadata to File` in the Item menu does not work.
065 --> 512728 - Searching for _v in filename to detect versions returns erroneous results.
066 --> 469627 - Rotating images (left / right) don't work.
067 --> 404749 - Feature request: Separate items by pick and color labels.
068 --> 494034 - Assign color picks and filtering on a color pick, change the color pick to none crashes digiKam.
069 --> 355838 - Sort images by orientation mode.
070 --> 510760 - Could NOT find Eigen3 5.0.0.
071 --> 399916 - Add new option to filter items Gps Location.
072 --> 478101 - Add a new option to sort by item file format.
073 --> 512850 - Downloadable epub manual will not open in ReadEra Ereader program, android OS 16.
074 --> 512862 - digiKam failed to start.
075 --> 512875 - Allow to Ignore / Remove multiple detected faces at once.
076 --> 512887 - Crash when work with many pictures > 2500.
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