How to Install Lightroom Presets

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You can never go wrong when using a Lightroom preset to complete most of your editing tasks. They are simple and effective to apply to your images. Besides, installing them shouldn’t cause any hassle if you follow the steps discussed below on how to install Lightroom presets. 

How to Install Lightroom Presets 

Installing a preset on your Lightroom is super easy, and you can easily achieve that using the steps discussed below. However, you want to keep in mind that the method of installing presets on Lightroom is not the same across all Lightroom versions. 

Person editing a photo in Lightroom

Depending on the computer model and version of Lightroom that you use, there are several methods that you can use to install your presets. Below, we’ve discussed how to install presets on Lightroom versions, including;  Lightroom Classic  7.3, Lightroom CC, Lightroom 4,5,6 (.LRTEMPLATE), or Lightroom Mobile.

Installing Presets on Lightroom Classic Version 7.3 (.Xmp)

Lightroom Classic 7.3 is a new version of Lightroom released in April of 2018,  and it comes with fresh updates compared to other versions discussed below. 

In the list of steps below, we will walk you through the steps on how to install Presets in  Adobe Lightroom Classic version 7.3 or later, which uses the XMP file type. 

  1. Start by downloading your desired Lightroom Presets, which should be in a zip file format.
  2. Next, open the Lightroom Classic version 7.3 on your computer
  3. Navigate to the Develop Module from the Lightroom window
  4. Then, select the File option from your menu bar
  5. From the drop-down menu, select the option titled Import and 
  6. After, click on the “Develop Profiles and Presets” option from the top menu
  7. Next, locate the ZIPPED preset format that you downloaded on your computer
  8. Choose the folder containing the XMP files if you have previously unzipped the downloaded file
  9. After that, you’re good to go

Note: You can access the Presets Panel on the left side of your screen and select the folder with the small triangle. To use a preset, go to the folder and double-click it.

Method 2: A Faster Approach

If you feel the steps discussed above are too intricate, there’s a much easier approach to installing presets on Lightroom classic. Here’s what you need to do to install your Lightroom preset quickly on Lightroom Classic 7.3:

  1. Open Lightroom Classic on your computer
  2. Next, tap on the small “+” at the pinnacle of the Presets Panel.
  3. Select the “Import Presets” option from the menu bar. 
  4. Then, locate the ZIPPED preset file that you downloaded and click on it
  5. The presets will be installed automatically!

Installing Your Presets on Lightroom CC: Desktop Version (.Xmp Format)

The Lightroom CC version, also known as Lightroom, is a built-in Lightroom application suite that lets you complete most of your editing tasks seamlessly. Installing your Preset on this Lightroom version is not that complex, and you can do this easily on your own.

DSLR camera beside an opened laptop

Here’s what to do if you need to install Presets on Lightroom CC: Desktop Version, which uses the XMP file format.

  1. Download your desired Lightroom Preset, which will be delivered in the form of a .zip file
  2. Then, open Lightroom CC on your computer and select a picture
  3. Next, select the “Profiles and Presets” option from the File menu.
  4. Navigate towards the ZIPPED preset file that you downloaded and locate the folder containing the download XMP files( if you’ve already unzipped it)
  5. After this, you’re good to go

Note: To access the Presets Panel, go to the right side of your screen and select the folder with a small triangle Icon. To use a preset, go to the folder and double-click it.

Installing a Preset on Lightroom 7.2, and Older Versions (In .LR Templates Format)

Unlike the two versions discussed above, Lightroom 7.2, 6, 5, and 4 are older models of Lightroom, and the interface looks the same. Also, these versions have their presets in an .LR TEMPLATE format instead of a . XMP format making the installing process quite dissimilar. 

Here are the steps of how to install a preset on older Lightroom versions: 

  1. Launch the Lightroom version on your computer
  2. Navigate to the “Edit” option from the menu bar, which brings up a dialogue menu
  3. From the dialog box, select the option titled Preferences which displays a new screen with several pages at the top. 
  4. Then, select the “Preset modes” option from the second tab).
  5. After that, double-click the Develop Presets Folder.
  6. Next, duplicate the records of your downloaded Lightroom Presets Folder into the “Develop Presets” organizer.
  7. Lastly, restart Lightroom to complete the process. 
  8. Your presets have been successfully installed!! 

Note: To locate them, go to the Presets panel on the left edge of the screen and select the folder with the small triangle. To use a preset, go to the folder and double-click it. 

How to Install Presets on an Android Phone

Below, we’ve gone over the straightforward methods that you can use to Install Presets on your Android Devices.

  1. After installing the product to your desktop computer, copy the “mobile-presets android…” ZIP file to your device.
  2. Open the Lightroom application and choose a photo from your library.
  3. Go to the toolbar’s bottom and click the Presets page to the right.
  4. Select Import Presets from the three-dot menu.
  5. Now you must go to the file where you saved the ZIP file and extract it. You can also use the “My Files” app to fetch the ZIP file and import only important files from the content.
  6. All Presets have been uploaded and imported and are ready to use. They’re in a select group on the Presets page.
Person using a preset to edit her photos on her laptop

How to Install Presets on Your iPhone / iOS Devices

The following steps will help you gain insight on installing Presets on Lightroom mobile for iPhone and all iOS devices.

  1. After installing the product to your desktop computer, unzip the “mobile-presets iPhone…” ZIP file
  2. Then, copy all the DNG preset files to your smartphone, which you can do using airdrop for fast processing.
  3. Launch the Lightroom app on your iOS device and tap the “+” icon to add a new “Folder” to your library. 
  4. Open this folder and name it accordingly
  5. Then click “New Album” and name it based on the Presets you downloaded.
  6. Once in the album, click the “Add” button to add new images.
  7.  Now, go to the index where you duplicated the .png files and choose + to open all of them.
  8. After pressing the three dotted lines on the upper right, open the first picture and select “Create Preset” from the menu.
  9. Save the Preset with the set of Presets and Store it after the Preset-Pack.
  10. Repeat the previous two steps for each.dmg file (image) until all Presets are outlined in the Presets panel.

Related Questions

Here are some other questions you might have regarding the setting up of a Lightroom preset:

Where Can I Find Presets on Lightroom?

You can find presets on Lightroom by going to Lightroom Preferences (found in the Edit menu on PC or the Lightroom home screen on Mac). If the Preferences box appears, select the Presets page (in blue below). In the center button labeled Lightroom Presets File browser.

How Do I Add Lightroom Presets to a Folder?

You can add Lightroom presets to a folder by selecting the popup menu in the Presets panel. Then, right-click on the Presets layers panel and click the “New Folder” selection. After, click on the folder and select the presets you want to add.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, you can use a Lightroom Preset to create a wide range of stunning designs on Lightroom. However, getting the preset to integrate on your device is essential. There are many ways to install presets on Lightroom depending on the version, and we’ve covered these extensively above.