How to Install presets in Lightroom Classic

How to install presets in Adobe Lightroom Classic

Here is how to install presets in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC.

1. Open the develop module and ensure a photo is visible on your screen (this is important).
2. Look for the word "presets" on the left side of your screen underneath the navigator (which shows a second, smaller version of the curent photograph in your timeline). Beside the word presets is a small + sign. Click it.
3. Select "import presets" and select the XMP presets file you previously downloaded. It should be located in your downloads folder. Select your XMP presets download file and click the import button.
4. Your installation should be finished. You will see the presets folders appear inside the presets panel, below the word "presets". You may have to click the little triangle to the left of the word presets. If your presets do not appear, restart Lightroom and check again.

If this method does not work, then open the Creative Cloud application on your computer and check that there are no updates available for your Lightroom Classic application. If you do not see this method when Lightroom Classic is open, then you may be using the "Lightroom" instead of "Lightroom Classic." Lightroom (Lighter blue tile with just LR) is the newer, cloud-based photo editing application designed for use on mobile and desktop computers. However, it is not as powerful as Lightroom Classic (the darker blue LrC tile). Learn how to install presets in the cloud-based Lightroom below.If the import link is greyed out or not working, then please ensure you are in the develop module and you have any image opened up on your screen with no error message such as "cannot find the photo". You must have an open image for this to work. The last reason may be because you are using an old version, like Lightroom 6 or lower. If you do not pay a monthly fee for the use of Adobe Lightroom, then you are likely using an older application. See how to install presets on older versions of Lightroom hereSpecial note to Mac users... sometimes Mac computers have a setting turned on that automatically unzips any downloaded zipped files. Lightroom is only looking for a zipped file, which will explain why your "import presets" button does not appear to be working. You can either re-zip the presets folders and try to import them again, or you can copy and paste them to the following location: Macintosh: HD\Users\\ Library\Application Support\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings Windows: [C:]\Users\\AppData\ Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\SettingsWhen your presets are installed, watch the video below to see how to use your presets. This is important if you want to get the best use from your presets.

Why are there different types of presets?

Here is why there are four preset file types... over the years, preset file types have been changed by Adobe depending on the Lightroom version being used. The three preset file types are:AI presets - AI presets are the newest type of preset created by Photography Academy and other creators that use Lightroom's AI Sky and Subject detection. Discover the power of the Signature Photography Academy AI presets here.DNG presets - Used with the free version of the Lightroom Mobile app that is not connected to a paid subscription with the Adobe Creative Cloud. DNG presets are not normally used on desktop versions of Lightroom. DNG presets take more time to install because each preset is saved inside a DNG photo file and must be saved, one at a time, on a mobile device.XMP presets - These are the newest preset file format and they are the easiest and fastest to install. They are used with paid subscriptions to the Adobe Creative Cloud and are compatible with desktop versions of Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop CC. They are also compatible with the Lightroom mobile app. XMP presets cannot be installed directly into a mobile device, but first must be installed into the desktop version of Lightroom CC. Once they are installed there, they will automatically sync with Lightroom CC on mobile devices connected to the same Adobe Creative Cloud account.LRtemplate presets - Used for older desktop versions of Lightroom including Lightroom 5 & 6, and Lightroom CC versions that have not been updated with the Adobe Creative Cloud (versions prior to 1.4) If LRtemplate presets are installed into a new version of Lightroom CC, they will be automatically converted to XMP preset files.

Instructions for XMP preset installation into Lightroom

These instructions apply to the cloud-based Lightroom (formerly called Lightrooom CC) on a computer. A computer is the only starting point for XMP preset installations. XMP presets cannot be installed directly into a mobile device but must first be installed into Lightroom on a computer where they will sync with the Lightroom app on your mobile device as long as it is signed into the Adobe Creative Cloud. If you plan on using presets with the Lightroom mobile app then a Lightroom installation is preferable to a Lightroom Classic CC installation.

• 1. Start by downloading the zipped presets file in XMP file format by clicking the download button on your product download page. You should have received a link to the download page by email. Save the file where you can find it again. This is usually the downloads folder. Do not click on or open the downloaded file - it is currently zipped and it needs to stay that way for Lightroom to use the file.
• 2. Open Lightroom on your computer. Check to ensure it has been updated through the Adobe Creative Cloud by selecting help > updates. Ensure you are using the latest version for these presets to work.
• 3. Open any photo in Lightroom. You must have a photo on your screen.
• 4. Click the presets button in the bottom right corner of the screen to open the presets panel.
• 5. Click the 3 little dots in the top right corner of the presets panel. Select import presets and select the XMP presets file you just downloaded. The new presets will appear inside the presets panel after you upload them.
• 6. Sync Lightroom to the Adobe Creative Cloud by clicking on the cloud icon in the extreme top right corner of the screen. This will sync your presets to the cloud.
• 7.To sync your presets with Lightroom on your mobile device, sign in to your Adobe Creative Cloud account through the Lightroom mobile app on your mobile device and tap the cloud icon in the top right.To sync your presets with Lightroom on your mobile device, sign in to your Adobe Creative Cloud account through the Lightroom mobile app on your mobile device and tap the cloud icon in the top right.

Your presets should now be available from inside the Lightroom mobile app and will also be available to Lightroom Classic and Photoshop CC on your computer. When your presets are installed, watch this video to see how to use your presets. This is important if you want to get the best use from your presets. Please join our Facebook group Photography Academy and be a part of the best online community of photographers.   Join our Facebook group Photography Academy and be a part of the best online community of photographers. I would like to see your newly retouched photos!