How to add presets to adobe lightroom
David Richardson
Published Mar 29, 2026
Follow Directions Below for the Step by Step Instructions
If all you’re doing is downloading one Lightroom preset that you’ve downloaded online or something like that, installing presets is really simple.
Go to the develop module in Lightroom. Select a photo. Right click > import and you can import the preset you just downloaded.
When you want to import a collection of presets, however, we have to do it a little differently because we want the entire folder of presets to be imported so that they are nicely organized in your library.
Before you begin, backup your current Lightroom presets. Every once in a while, I’ve seen Lightroom create problems and lose presets when others are installed.
Step 1: Here we are going to create a dummy preset. Select a photo and go wild with your sliders. It doesn’t matter what you do to alter the photo. Then hit the plus button and we’re going to call this “random”. Underneath where you name the preset, click inside the folder box to select a folder. Go to new folder and name it “random”. Click create.
Now we should have the new preset that we made showing up in Lightroom on the left under Presets. Right click on that > show in finder OR for Windows, it’s going to say show in Windows Explore. Great! Now if we look at the folder trail, we can see where Lightroom saves any new presets.
Step 2: Locate presets folder. Open up a new finder window or a new Windows Explorer window then find the the presets you just downloaded. Usually after you download something, you can find it by going to your recent downloads on your computer.
When you find the presets you just downloaded, they are going to be zipped and you have to unzip them. To unzip them either double click the presets, or right click on the presets and mouse over the unzip option. Or use an unzip program if you’re using an older computer.
Step 3: Locate the file you just unzipped. Select all of the files and hit control > copy. Go over to where Lightroom puts your presets folder and click paste.
Step 4: Restart Lightroom. When you restart Lightroom, all of the presets should be there for you to mouse through and they should be there nicely in folders for you.
If you wish to further your knowledge in using Lightroom or simply Lightroom presets, you can go to our article A Beginner Introduction to Lightroom Presets. I have been working on my presets for years and I have lots available for free on my website. I know you’ll love them.
The following are installation instructions for presets in previous versions of Lightroom (v5.0 – v7.2). If you have Lightroom v7.3 or higher, then use the installation instructions at this link:
The following are installation instructions for Lightroom Versions 5.0 – 7.2
- Open Lightroom’s Presets Folder
- To find the Lightroom Presets Folder you have to go to Preferences
- If you have a PC click in the top menu “Edit” > “Preferences”
- If you have a Mac click “Lightroom” > “Preferences”
- A new window opens – select the Presets tab
- Under “Location” make sure the field, “Store presets with this catalog” is UNCHECKED
- Click on the button, “Show Lightroom Presets Folder” which opens the Adobe folders on your computer
- Click to open the folder called “Lightroom“
- Click to open the folder called “Develop Presets“
- If you have not installed any presets you will only see a folder called “User Presets” Don’t install your new presets in the “User Presets” folder.
- Copy your presets you got from LensLab (make sure you’ve UNZIPPED them)
- Paste your presets into the “Develop Presets” folder
- Quit Lightroom
- When your re-open Lightroom, your presets will be installed!
FYI! Please DO NOT put Brushes into the same folder as the Presets! It will mess things up if you do!
The following instructions are how you install the included Brushes: (more details can be found at this link.
Select and copy all files contained in the included folder, LensLab Brushes:
Downloading Issues:
- If the download doesn’t work, try a different browser.
- Do NOT choose “open” the file after download. Simply hit save, then close that dialogue box. If you’re on a PC, open a Windows Explorer window and locate the zip file, which is most likely in your Downloads folder. Extract the file using according to these instructions.
- Can’t Unzip? If on a PC right clicking does not offer “extract files”, then you may need to download an external program to unzip. We recommend trying as 7-Zip, a free unzipping program.
- If when trying to unzip you get “Path too long” error, use a decompression utility such as7-Zip, that can handle long file paths.
- Still having trouble? Contact us at [email protected] for further assistance.
Presets Not Showing Up in Lightroom
- Try to shut down Lightroom and then restart it.
- If the preset collection name is showing up in Lightroom but not the individual brushes, then click the triangle to the left of the collection name and the templates will drop down.
- Double check to make sure you copied the contents of the folder you downloaded into the “Develop” folder and not a different folder.
- Make sure what you copied the correct presets into the correct folder.
- Do NOT check “Store Presets With Catalog.” This setting will appear to the left of “Show Lightroom Presets Folder” in your Preferences menu.
- Make sure that you EXTRACTED the zip file. If you simply double-clicked on the folder (on a PC), you will get access to the presets, but those will NOT be extracted files and will NOT copy or paste correctly or show up in Lightroom for you.
For additional help from Adobe about how to install Presets in Lightroom visit:
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Lightroom presets are post-processing recipes.
They are like filters. In one click, you can completely change the look and style of your image. You don’t need to be a post-processing master for your photos to have a professional look.
In this article, I’ll show you how to install presets in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC.
How to Install Presets
Lightroom comes with some presets, but they also are widely available all over the web. Some presets are free, others are sold by the photographer who created them.
You can find presets for all kinds of photography. You might be interested in landscape, portrait or sports photography, you’ll always find something you like. You can even create your own presets.
The installation process is simple once you know a few steps.
The process is slightly different depending on which software you are using, Lightroom Classic or CC.
The process should sync with Lightroom presets on mobile devices.
Start by finding a preset you like.
Step 1: Download Preset
First, download the preset or preset bundle onto your hard drive. I’m going to use the presets from Film Speck One as my example in this article. They are designed as landscape presets, but I’ve used them on all sorts of photos. Download the bundle for free by selecting the payment option of $0.00.
Choose somewhere that you can easily get to, such as your Desktop or Downloads folder.
If the preset downloads as a .zip file, go to Step 2. If not, go to Step 3.
Step 2: Unzip Files
If your presets come in a collection, you may need to unzip or decompress before importing it.
On a Mac, simply double click on the .zip file to unzip it. On a PC, double click the compressed file and select the Extract All button. Click Extract.
A folder will appear next to the .zip file.
There may be other files in the folder, but the preset file will have the preset file extension “.lrtemplate”. In Step 3, I’ll show you how to install single preset files as well as multiple presets collected into a folder. I’ll start with importing presets into Lightroom Classic. If you’re using the cloud-based version of Lightroom, scroll down.
Step 3: Import Preset Lightroom Classic
Open Lightroom Classic and go to the Develop Module (keyboard shortcut “D”).
There are a couple of ways to install Lightroom Classic presets. I’ll start by showing you how to import a single preset.
Single Preset
On the left-hand panel, under the preview image, you will see the Presets area. Click on the “+” sign next to the heading.
- Select Import Presets….
- Navigate to the preset file.
- Select Import.
Screenshot of Lightroom Classic showing the location of Import Preset.
The files will install in the User Presets folder.
Preset Collection
You can install as many presets as you want using Import Presets, but they’ll all end up in the User Presets folder. If you’ve downloaded a collection of presets, you may want to keep these together in their own folder.
To do this, find the Develop Presets folder on your computer. Go to Lightroom Classic>Preferences.
- Select the Presets tab
- Click the button “Show All Other Lightroom Presets”
- Open the Lightroom folder
In the Lightroom folder, you’ll see the Develop Presets folder.
Drag a new folder containing Lightroom presets into the Develop Presets folder.
Restart Lightroom and the new folders and presets will appear in the Presets panel.
I’ve created a short YouTube video to show you this process.
Step 3: Import Preset Lightroom CC
Presets in Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic are located in different places. Open Lightroom, select an image, and any one of the develop tools on the far right. At the bottom will be a Presets button.
The process of importing presets in Lightroom CC is a little easier. You can use the same process to install a single preset or a collection. If you import a folder rather than an individual preset, Lightroom will create a new folder.
- Open Lightroom and select File>Import Profiles and Presets…
- Navigate to the preset file.
- Select Import.
Lightroom mobile presets should automatically sync once you’ve imported the presets to Lightroom.
To synchronize presets from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom CC, first open Lightroom. Select File>Import Profiles and Presets… Then, navigate to the Develop Presets folder using the process described above. Select all folders and click Import.
Conclusion
This article is about how to install Lightroom presets. The process is slightly different for Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC. In both cases, select Import. In Lightroom Classic, this option is a + sign next to the Preset panel. In CC, the option is under the File dropdown menu.
Once you’ve imported presets, you’re ready to start using them. Select an image and click on a preset. The settings will update immediately for a new look.
To become a Lightroom pro, try our Effortless Editing in Lightroom course!
某些 Creative Cloud 应用程序、服务和功能在中国不可用。
This article is based on the contribution by Melissa Arnold.
Melissa Arnold is a photographer, education consultant, and technology trainer. She has over seven years of experience in digital photography and is always eager to continue learning. She both uses and educates others all about Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and a number of other applications.
A Preset is a predetermined configuration of slider positions to help you quickly achieve a certain look for your photos.
To get presets to your mobile device, you need to import them into the Lightroom Desktop App. Once imported, they sync automatically to the cloud and then to the Lightroom mobile app.
In the Lightroom Desktop application, click File > Import Profiles & Presets .
Navigate to the folder containing the presets you would like to import, select them, and click Import .
Once the preset has been imported, you can see it by clicking the Presets button which can be seen in Edit mode. Lightroom has created a folder called User Presets , which now contains the imported preset.
At this point, make sure that you are logged in with the same Adobe ID to both the Lightroom desktop and mobile app versions so Lightroom can sync the imported preset to the cloud and across your devices.
Open Lightroom on your mobile device and select a photo to edit. At the bottom, tap Presets .
Tap the downward facing arrowhead to see more presets categories and select User Presets .
Here you can see the preset that was imported in the Lightroom desktop app can now be used in the Lightroom mobile app.
How to Install Lightroom Presets
Welcome to Pretty Presets for Lightroom! We have the best Lightroom preset install video and written tutorial below, as well as the #1 Lightroom Facebook Community. These basic instructions will teach you How to Install Lightroom Presets into Adobe Lightroom in just 2-3 minutes. We’ll have you using your gorgeous new presets in no time!
First, let’s establish which version of Lightroom you are currently using. There are so many versions of Lightroom (with almost the same name!) as well as different preset file types.
I know it can be confusing, but that is why we are here to help you!
To start, make sure you know which version of Lightroom you are using. If you don’t know, click “Help” at the top of your Lightroom dashboard and then click “System Info” to find out!
Then come back and select your version below to instantly take you to the install details you need:
1. Lightroom Classic: Version 7.3+ (.XMP)
2. Lightroom CC: Desktop Version (.XMP)
3. Lightroom 4, 5, 6 (.LRTEMPLATE)
3. Lightroom FREE Mobile App (DNG)
1. How to Install Lightroom Presets in:
Lightroom Classic Version 7.3+ (.XMP Files)
Step 1. Download your Lightroom Presets from Pretty Presets. The presets will come in a .zip file.
Step 2. Navigate to the Develop Module in Lightroom and click on File>Import Develop Profiles and Presets (see image below).
Step 3. Next, you will need to navigate to the ZIPPED preset file you downloaded. If you have already unzipped the download, navigate to the folder that holds the XMP files.
Step 4. You’re DONE! To apply them, open the Presets Panel on the left-side of your screen and use the small triangle to open the folder. Click a preset in the folder to apply it.
2. How to Install Lightroom Presets in:
Lightroom CC Desktop Version (.XMP Files)
Step 1. Download your Lightroom Presets from Pretty Presets. The presets will come in a .zip file.
Step 2. Open Lightroom CC and click on any image.
Step 3. Go to File>Import Profiles and Presets (see image below).
Step 4. Next, you will need to navigate to the ZIPPED preset file you downloaded. If you have already unzipped the download, navigate to the folder that holds the XMP files.
Step 5. You’re DONE!! To apply them, open the Presets Panel on the right-side of your screen and use the small triangle to open the folder. Click a preset in the folder to apply it.
3. How to Install Lightroom Presets in:
Lightroom 4, 5, 6 & Lightroom Classic Version 7.2 and earlier (.LRtemplate Files)
Step 1. On a PC, go into Lightroom and click on Edit at the top (next to File), then click on Preferences. On a Mac, click on the Lightroom tab (to the left of File), then click on Preferences (see image below).
Step 2. There will be a new screen that pulls up with several tabs at the top. Click on Presets (the second tab).
Step 3. Click on the box titled, Show Lightroom Presets Folder if you are on an older version of Lightroom. If you are on a newer version of Lightroom Classic, click on the Show All Other Lightroom Presets box.
Step 4. Double click on Lightroom.
Step 5. Next double click on Develop Presets Folder.
Step 6. Copy the contents of the Pretty Presets Folder, found in your download, into the “Develop Presets” folder.
Step 7. Finally, restart Lightroom and you’re DONE! Your presets are now installed!! To apply them, open the Presets panel on the left-side of your screen and use the small triangle to open the folder. Click a preset in the folder to apply it.
4. How to Install Lightroom Presets in:
Free Lightroom Mobile App (.DNG Files)
With the release of the free Lightroom Mobile App, editing on the go has become more popular than ever. Even though its still missing several capabilities found in the desktop versions of Lightroom, its still a powerful tool you can use to edit while away from your computer.
Thankfully you CAN install and use your presets in the Lightroom Mobile App. The installation process for Lightroom Mobile is a bit more involved, so we created a separate blog post that you can find right HERE.
Presets are one of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom’s most powerful features; with them, you can use the same settings over and over again. The most common presets are Develop presets that consistently apply the same edits to any image.
As well as Develop presets, Lightroom has presets for most of its features. For example, there are Metadata presets, Import presets, Export presets, Keyword sets, Slideshow presets, Watermarks, and more.
While you can make your own presets, there are a thriving community and marketplace of presets made by other people. Let’s look at how to install them in Adobe Lightroom.
Why Use Presets
The big advantages of presets are that they are consistent and quick. If you always make the same few adjustments to an image, a preset lets you apply them all with a single click. This is great for professional photographers who have to process hundreds or thousands of images.
Also, if you’re just starting and you’re not entirely familiar with all of Lightroom’s editing tools, presets offer a way to give your image a unique look while you learn to do things for yourself. It’s a mistake to rely on Develop presets completely, but you can think of them as super-charged Instagram filters.
Finally, some of the other presets make Lightroom’s lesser-known features more powerful. For example, there are presets that let you export time-lapses directly from Lightroom.
How to Find Presets
While you can make your own presets, it’s much simpler to use ones made by other people. Lots of successful, well-known photographers like Trey Ratcliff and Jared Polin sell—or offer for free—their own presets. If there are some photographers whose work you love, it’s worth checking their website to see if they sell any.
You can also find thousands of presets on marketplaces like GraphicRiver. If there’s a particular look or feel you want, there’s a good chance someone sells it there.
How To Add Develop Presets to Lightroom Classic CC
Since Lightroom 7.5, Adobe has changed how Lightroom handles presets. Now, Develop presets, at least, are simpler than ever to add. Open Lightroom and head to the Develop Module.
In the Presets section of the left sidebar, click the + icon and then select “Import Presets.”
Navigate to the presets you want to import. For this example, I’m using Trey Ratcliff’s free presets.
Click “Import” and the presets will be added to the sidebar under the “User Presets” section, ready for you to use.
How To Add Other Presets to Lightroom Classic CC
To add other presets, the process is a little different. I’m demonstrating this with Sean McCormack’s Lightroom time-lapse template.
Open Lightroom. On Windows, go to Edit > Preferences. On a Mac, go to Lightroom > Preferences.
Select the “Presets” tab and then, under Location, select “Show All Other Lightroom Presets.”
Navigate to the correct folder for the preset you want to add. For example, since I’m adding a slideshow template, I need to open the Slideshow Templates folder.
Drag and drop the preset into the User Templates folder.
Quit and restart Lightroom, and the preset will be there ready for you to use.
Presets are one of Lightroom’s best features. Now you know how to install any presets you want.
What you’ll need
This sample file contains Adobe Stock assets you can use to practice what you learn in this tutorial. If you want to use the sample file beyond this tutorial, you can purchase licenses on Adobe Stock. Check out the ReadMe file in the folder for the terms that apply to your use of this sample file.
What you learned: Import new presets
Import presets
You can import presets you purchase or receive from others into Lightroom on your computer with just a few clicks.
- Open the Presets panel by clicking the Presets icon at the bottom of the Edit panel. Then click the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of the Presets panel, and choose Import Presets. Alternatively, you can import presets from the Menu bar by choosing File > Import Profiles & Presets.
- In your Finder (MacOS) or Explorer window (Windows), navigate to the preset files that you want to import. Select a single preset or multiple presets. Creators sometimes deliver presets in a ZIP file. You can select and import a ZIP file of presets into Lightroom without unzipping them.
- Click the Import button in your Finder or Explorer window. You now see the imported presets in the Presets panel. You can preview how an imported preset will look on an open photo by hovering over the preset, and you can apply the preset to a photo with one click.
Note: Any preset that you import into Lightroom on a computer automatically syncs to Lightroom on your mobile devices too, so you can apply the same presets to photos no matter where you are.
Back to: Apply presets | Up next: Synced presets
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Lightroom presets are post-processing recipes.
They are like filters. In one click, you can completely change the look and style of your image. You don’t need to be a post-processing master for your photos to have a professional look.
In this article, I’ll show you how to install presets in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC.
How to Install Presets
Lightroom comes with some presets, but they also are widely available all over the web. Some presets are free, others are sold by the photographer who created them.
You can find presets for all kinds of photography. You might be interested in landscape, portrait or sports photography, you’ll always find something you like. You can even create your own presets.
The installation process is simple once you know a few steps.
The process is slightly different depending on which software you are using, Lightroom Classic or CC.
The process should sync with Lightroom presets on mobile devices.
Start by finding a preset you like.
Step 1: Download Preset
First, download the preset or preset bundle onto your hard drive. I’m going to use the presets from Film Speck One as my example in this article. They are designed as landscape presets, but I’ve used them on all sorts of photos. Download the bundle for free by selecting the payment option of $0.00.
Choose somewhere that you can easily get to, such as your Desktop or Downloads folder.
If the preset downloads as a .zip file, go to Step 2. If not, go to Step 3.
Step 2: Unzip Files
If your presets come in a collection, you may need to unzip or decompress before importing it.
On a Mac, simply double click on the .zip file to unzip it. On a PC, double click the compressed file and select the Extract All button. Click Extract.
A folder will appear next to the .zip file.
There may be other files in the folder, but the preset file will have the preset file extension “.lrtemplate”. In Step 3, I’ll show you how to install single preset files as well as multiple presets collected into a folder. I’ll start with importing presets into Lightroom Classic. If you’re using the cloud-based version of Lightroom, scroll down.
Step 3: Import Preset Lightroom Classic
Open Lightroom Classic and go to the Develop Module (keyboard shortcut “D”).
There are a couple of ways to install Lightroom Classic presets. I’ll start by showing you how to import a single preset.
Single Preset
On the left-hand panel, under the preview image, you will see the Presets area. Click on the “+” sign next to the heading.
- Select Import Presets….
- Navigate to the preset file.
- Select Import.
Screenshot of Lightroom Classic showing the location of Import Preset.
The files will install in the User Presets folder.
Preset Collection
You can install as many presets as you want using Import Presets, but they’ll all end up in the User Presets folder. If you’ve downloaded a collection of presets, you may want to keep these together in their own folder.
To do this, find the Develop Presets folder on your computer. Go to Lightroom Classic>Preferences.
- Select the Presets tab
- Click the button “Show All Other Lightroom Presets”
- Open the Lightroom folder
In the Lightroom folder, you’ll see the Develop Presets folder.
Drag a new folder containing Lightroom presets into the Develop Presets folder.
Restart Lightroom and the new folders and presets will appear in the Presets panel.
I’ve created a short YouTube video to show you this process.
Step 3: Import Preset Lightroom CC
Presets in Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic are located in different places. Open Lightroom, select an image, and any one of the develop tools on the far right. At the bottom will be a Presets button.
The process of importing presets in Lightroom CC is a little easier. You can use the same process to install a single preset or a collection. If you import a folder rather than an individual preset, Lightroom will create a new folder.
- Open Lightroom and select File>Import Profiles and Presets…
- Navigate to the preset file.
- Select Import.
Lightroom mobile presets should automatically sync once you’ve imported the presets to Lightroom.
To synchronize presets from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom CC, first open Lightroom. Select File>Import Profiles and Presets… Then, navigate to the Develop Presets folder using the process described above. Select all folders and click Import.
Conclusion
This article is about how to install Lightroom presets. The process is slightly different for Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC. In both cases, select Import. In Lightroom Classic, this option is a + sign next to the Preset panel. In CC, the option is under the File dropdown menu.
Once you’ve imported presets, you’re ready to start using them. Select an image and click on a preset. The settings will update immediately for a new look.
To become a Lightroom pro, try our Effortless Editing in Lightroom course!
In a professional photo editor, you can not only quickly sort photos and quickly edit packages but also create unique images using plug-ins (presets). Using presets, it’s much easier to process photos, especially if there are more than a dozen of them.
These presets are easy to install in Lightroom. Image processing plugins are created by many well-known photo equipment companies. You can purchase such plugins on the manufacturer’s official websites. To work with presets, we recommend Adob Lightroom to buy from us at the best price.
How to create a preset in Lightroom
You can use ready-made presets, or create your own, for instant photo processing. To create a preset, it is enough to apply all the settings once in a step and then save all the steps in the program.
Go to the Presets folder and click on the image with the “+” sign. You need to create a new folder (New Folder) and give it a name. Then click Create. A dialog box will appear in front of you, where you can set the settings. In the future, you can apply this plugin to other photos.
How to add a preset to Lightroom
If you do not create presets yourself, but purchase their official versions from trusted sources, you must add them to the program. After you have downloaded the plugins to your computer, you need to unzip them from the archive. Only plugins should be added to the photo editor, since other auxiliary files are not recognized by the photo editor.
Copy presets using the hot keys “Ctrl + C” or by right-clicking on them and clicking “Copy”. All plugins must be sent to the add-ons folder. For example, for Windows, this will be the folder / Documents and Settings / username / Application Data / Adobe / Lightroom / Modules /. In order for the plugins to be visible in the photo editor, you need to restart the program.
How to open presets in Lightroom
To use presets in Lightroom, you need to know their location. So, if you did not create a preset, but purchased it, then first you need to add the plug-in to the program. After installation, go to the Develop work module.
Locate the Presets folder and right-click on it. In the list of actions that opens, select “Import”. A file with the installed or created preset will open, and you can use it to process photos.
How to use presets in Lightroom
Presets in Lightroom greatly simplify photo processing. A set of settings can be applied both to a single image and for several dozen photos. To use presets you need to be in the Develop workspace.
To the left of the images in the list of functions, you need to open the “Presets” tab. Select the desired preset from several settings and left-click on it. Changes are immediately displayed on the photo.
How to save a preset in Lightroom
When creating author presets in the photo editor, it automatically saves them in the program after you press the Create key. Settings are stored in the folder with the other plugins that you downloaded or created before.
When adding presets through the program interface or directly to a folder, make sure that the files have the desired extension and are not damaged. Otherwise, Lr does not recognize the preset and does not open it.
How to save a preset from Lightroom to a computer
By default, when you create a new preset in the photo editor or add it via the interface using the “Import” button, all settings files are saved to the computer. Thus, all presets are stored in a folder along with other additions to Adobe Lightroom.
How to remove a preset in Lightroom
When working with many images, photographers create many presets. Over time, some sets of settings are no longer needed, as new ones are created or the style of photo processing changes. In such cases, you need to remove the extra plugins.
To remove a plugin, you can use two methods:
In the preset panel, when working in the Develop tab, right-click on an unnecessary plug-in and click “Delete”.
Use Explorer to go to the Adobe Lightroom add-ons folder and delete it directly from the location.
In Lightroom, presets are saved in the folder with additions. You can find them through the conductor in D
Presets”Install presets in Adobe Lightroom” can be described in the following words:
Tips for photographers
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