In today’s fast-moving digital photography landscape, consistency, speed, and creativity are essential. One of the most powerful ways to enhance your editing efficiency is by learning how to save a preset in Lightroom. Presets not only reduce post-processing time but also help you apply a consistent visual style across photo collections. Whether you're a wedding photographer managing hundreds of images or a travel blogger building a cohesive Instagram feed, mastering Lightroom presets can revolutionize your workflow.

This comprehensive guide explains how to create, save, apply, import, and export presets using both Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to streamline your photo editing process and create polished, professional results more quickly and consistently.

Note: This guide primarily focuses on Lightroom CC, the cloud-based version, but also includes essential instructions for Lightroom Classic, the desktop-oriented application. While they share many features, each version has a slightly different interface and workflow.

What Are Lightroom Presets and Why Photographers Depend on Them

Lightroom presets are one of the most valuable assets in any photographer’s post-processing toolkit. At their core, presets are simply collections of saved settings that can be instantly applied to a photograph. These adjustments might affect exposure, color balance, contrast, vibrance, sharpening, clarity, highlights, shadows, saturation, and even advanced components like tone curves, HSL panels, and split toning.

Presets are designed to streamline your editing process by applying a specific visual style to your images with just one click. While manual editing in Lightroom allows for incredible creative control, doing so individually for hundreds of photos can become time-consuming and inconsistent. Presets solve this challenge by replicating your preferred edits across an entire gallery or session, making them indispensable for professionals and hobbyists alike.

These powerful tools are not restricted to basic photo enhancements. They also serve as the building blocks for a photographer’s signature aesthetic. Whether you specialize in moody black-and-white portraits, high-key studio work, golden hour landscapes, or editorial fashion photography, presets allow you to build a consistent, recognizable style. They are more than timesavers—they are part of your visual branding.

The Evolution of Presets: Beyond Basic Adjustments

Presets have evolved considerably with advancements in Adobe Lightroom’s capabilities. Modern presets are more intelligent and adaptable than ever before. One of the standout features now available in Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic is the inclusion of Adaptive Presets. These are AI-driven tools that go beyond applying global adjustments. Instead, they intelligently analyze the contents of an image and apply selective adjustments to specific areas such as the subject, background, or sky.

For instance, if you use an Adaptive Preset designed for portraits, Lightroom can detect the subject’s face and skin tones and apply enhancements like smoothing, brightening, or sharpening only to those regions. Similarly, a landscape Adaptive Preset may target the sky with clarity or dehaze adjustments while leaving the foreground untouched. This targeted application leads to results that are not only efficient but also nuanced, saving time without sacrificing creative control.

Such smart functionality makes these presets ideal for photographers who want to speed up editing without losing precision. Landscape photographers benefit by maintaining detail in foliage while enhancing skies, while lifestyle or travel photographers can maintain subject integrity while stylizing their environments.

In addition to AI features, Lightroom allows users to adjust the intensity of a preset using a slider that ranges from 0 to 200. This means you’re not locked into one fixed version of a look—you can apply a subtle touch or a bold transformation depending on the needs of your photo. This flexibility has turned presets into dynamic editing tools rather than rigid filters.

When to Use Presets: Scenarios That Benefit Most

Lightroom presets offer the greatest advantage when editing images captured under similar conditions. Photographers often face large batches of photos taken in the same location, lighting setup, or time of day. Think about shooting a wedding, a commercial campaign, a portrait session, or even a scenic road trip. These environments don’t drastically change between shots, so you’ll likely apply similar adjustments across the series. Instead of manually replicating each slider movement, applying a preset standardizes the workflow and dramatically reduces repetitive editing.

For wedding photographers, presets can ensure all images in a couple’s gallery maintain the same tone and warmth. For content creators or social media influencers, presets are vital for creating a uniform aesthetic across platforms. In studio environments, where lighting and setups are controlled, presets guarantee consistency for product catalogs, editorial shoots, or model portfolios.

Even for experimental or artistic photographers, presets serve as a base. You can start with a preset and tweak the image to suit your evolving vision. This makes them excellent creative springboards—offering structure without stifling creativity.

Another valuable use of presets is in time-sensitive scenarios. Photojournalists and event photographers often have tight deadlines. Presets allow for fast turnaround while still providing a polished, professional look. Instead of beginning from scratch, they can simply apply a preset that gets them 90% of the way, with minimal tweaks required to meet the client’s brief.

Beyond their practical utility, presets are also useful in learning environments. They offer insights into how different sliders and settings impact an image. Beginners often import presets to study how photographers they admire achieve certain looks. Dissecting a preset’s structure helps demystify color theory, exposure balancing, and tone curve manipulation.

In group settings, such as agencies or collaborative teams, shared presets help maintain consistency across multiple editors. Whether you’re working with second shooters or remote retouchers, everyone can stay aligned with a unified post-production style using the same preset packs.

Finally, presets can become a source of passive income for professional photographers. Many creators sell their custom presets to audiences who want to emulate their look. These downloadable products appeal to enthusiasts and professionals alike, and they often generate a steady stream of additional revenue.

Why Every Photographer Should Leverage Lightroom Presets

Presets are more than just convenience—they are foundational tools for modern digital photography workflows. As photography becomes more prolific and demand for polished visuals increases across industries, photographers must find ways to work faster without compromising artistic integrity. Presets offer exactly that: a way to automate consistency while retaining full creative control.

They help define your signature editing style, reduce hours of manual work, and ensure every image you deliver is cohesive and well-polished. Whether you're editing for a client or curating your personal portfolio, a well-designed preset saves time, enhances quality, and allows for more time behind the camera and less in front of a screen.

Moreover, the ability to build your own library of custom presets or import and adjust presets from others means that these tools are endlessly adaptable. They evolve with your style and scale with your business. From new photographers learning the ropes to seasoned professionals developing efficient production pipelines, Lightroom presets are an essential part of the creative process.

Begin building and experimenting with your presets today. Start small—perhaps by saving a few favorite adjustments—and gradually expand your toolkit into a personalized collection that reflects your style, workflow, and vision. With each preset you create or use, you're not only saving time but also reinforcing your identity as a visual artist.

Navigating Lightroom Presets: Understanding Their Placement in CC and Classic

Presets are a core feature of Adobe Lightroom’s editing environment, offering users powerful and reusable adjustments that transform images in a single click. However, navigating to and managing these presets can vary significantly depending on whether you're using Lightroom CC or Lightroom Classic. While both applications allow users to import, apply, and organize presets, their interface structures and user flows are distinct. For anyone who wants to maximize the potential of their editing toolkit, understanding how each version handles presets is essential.

This guide breaks down where Lightroom stores presets, how to access them efficiently, and what tools each platform offers to streamline your creative workflow.

Lightroom Classic: Preset Workflow for Desktop-Oriented Professionals

Lightroom Classic is Adobe’s original desktop-based photo editing solution, preferred by many professional photographers due to its deep feature set, robust cataloging system, and advanced organizational capabilities. In Classic, presets are seamlessly integrated into the Develop module—specifically on the left-hand panel—allowing quick access while editing.

Once you open the Develop workspace, you’ll see a dedicated Presets section near the top of the left sidebar. If it’s hidden, navigate to the top menu bar and click Window > Panels > Presets to toggle the panel’s visibility. Within this section, presets are neatly categorized into folders such as User Presets, Adobe Default Presets, or any custom groups you’ve created. These folders make it easy to browse by theme, purpose, or workflow phase.

One of Lightroom Classic’s most appreciated features is the ability to hover over any preset and see a live preview of how it will affect the currently selected photo. This instant visual feedback allows you to experiment with multiple looks quickly without applying changes, making your editing more intuitive and efficient.

Another benefit of Lightroom Classic is its ability to integrate both legacy (.lrtemplate) and modern (.xmp) preset formats. This means if you've collected presets over the years or downloaded free ones from various sources, you’ll likely be able to use them without compatibility issues. Additionally, Lightroom Classic supports syncing custom presets across multiple catalogs on the same machine, provided those presets are stored in the global application folder.

Photographers working with high-volume sessions often favor Classic because of its ability to manage large preset libraries with minimal lag. Its modular layout encourages organized editing, and the Develop module’s left panel offers visibility into every preset at a glance. You can even collapse preset folders or favorite specific ones for faster access, which is useful when under time pressure or working with client-specific style guidelines.

For anyone managing advanced workflows such as studio shoots, weddings, or commercial photo sets, Lightroom Classic offers a stable, feature-rich environment where presets can be sorted, refined, and implemented efficiently.

Lightroom CC: A Modern, Cloud-Based Approach to Preset Management

In contrast to Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC takes a more modern and minimalist approach to photo editing. Built around cloud storage and cross-device accessibility, Lightroom CC targets users who prefer simplicity, mobility, and real-time syncing across laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Accessing presets in Lightroom CC is equally straightforward, but the interface is more icon-based and designed to reduce visual clutter. To locate your presets, open a photo and look to the right-hand panel. There, you’ll find an icon that resembles two overlapping circles. Clicking this icon opens the Preset panel. Alternatively, you can use the top menu navigation and select View > Presets to reach the same panel.

Inside this panel, Lightroom CC organizes presets into three primary categories: Recommended, Premium, and Yours.

The Recommended tab uses Adobe Sensei AI to analyze your image and suggest presets that best match the image’s content, tones, and subject matter. These suggestions appear as thumbnails, allowing you to preview the effect in real time. This functionality is particularly helpful for newer users or anyone looking to explore fresh aesthetic directions without digging through countless folders.

The Premium section includes curated presets provided by Adobe and professional contributors. These presets span various genres and styles—such as cinematic color grading, natural light enhancement, or moody monochrome—and are usually available through an Adobe subscription plan.

The Yours section houses your personal presets, including any you’ve created or imported. This section is fully customizable, allowing you to organize presets into collections or folders. While Lightroom CC doesn’t yet support as complex a folder hierarchy as Classic, its tagging and labeling system make it easy to filter and locate presets as your library grows.

Unlike Classic, Lightroom CC stores your presets in the cloud, which means any changes or new imports sync across all devices linked to your Adobe account. This is a major advantage for photographers who switch between desktop, mobile, and tablet for editing. Whether you’re working on a travel shoot in the field or finalizing a portrait session from a coffee shop, your preset library is always up to date.

Another practical feature is Lightroom CC’s intensity slider, which appears after applying a preset. This tool lets you control how strongly the preset affects your image, allowing for subtle or dramatic variations without manually adjusting individual sliders. It enhances creative control and provides immediate flexibility without breaking the flow of your editing process.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Preset Workflow

While both Lightroom CC and Classic offer preset functionality, your choice between the two should depend on your workflow preferences, editing habits, and storage needs. If you prefer a comprehensive editing suite with granular control and deep catalog management, Lightroom Classic is likely the better fit. Its preset panel is built for power users who require structure, extensive customization, and the ability to handle large-scale image sets with precision.

On the other hand, Lightroom CC shines in scenarios where mobility and ease of use are priorities. If your work involves editing across devices, traveling frequently, or collaborating in real-time with clients or team members, the cloud-native system of Lightroom CC offers unparalleled convenience. Its AI-powered recommendations also provide inspiration, helping users discover new editing styles or match current photo trends.

For some users, the best option may be to use both versions in tandem. Since presets created in one version can be exported and imported into the other, you can build a preset in Classic and then sync it into CC for mobile editing. This hybrid approach gives you the best of both ecosystems: the power of Classic and the flexibility of CC.

Regardless of the platform, mastering the preset system in Lightroom enables faster editing, creative consistency, and a smoother workflow from capture to delivery. Whether you’re organizing hundreds of wedding images or building a cohesive portfolio, knowing where and how to access your presets gives you the control needed to deliver high-quality, stylized visuals every time.

Creating and Saving Custom Presets in Lightroom: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lightroom has become one of the most essential editing tools in modern photography, offering both efficiency and creativity through its streamlined interface and powerful adjustment features. One of its most time-saving tools is the ability to create and save your own presets. These presets allow you to replicate specific adjustments across multiple images, ensuring a consistent aesthetic and drastically speeding up your workflow.

Whether you're editing a wedding, a travel series, a fashion shoot, or simply refining your portfolio, creating a Lightroom preset gives you a reusable editing blueprint. This guide walks you through how to create, name, and organize your custom presets in both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC, allowing you to build a personalized editing system that evolves with your style.

Preparing Your Image: Laying the Groundwork for a Reusable Preset

Before creating a preset, the first step is to apply a series of edits to your photo. This image acts as the foundation for the preset you’re about to create. You can start by opening an image in either Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC and begin applying your adjustments.

Begin with core tonal settings such as exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows. You might also explore color balance adjustments, split toning, white balance correction, vibrance, or saturation to define the mood or tone. For more advanced edits, work with sharpening, noise reduction, lens corrections, calibration, and even mask-based local adjustments if your style requires detailed enhancement.

It's important to build your edits with intention. Presets are only useful if they are adaptable and reliable across multiple images. Avoid saving very specific adjustments that may not apply to other images unless your use case is narrow. For instance, cropping or spot removal might be better left out of a general-purpose preset.

You can also use an existing preset as a starting point and build on it. By modifying a preset and then saving the refined version, you begin to create a customized library of styles that reflect your unique photographic voice.

Saving Your Lightroom Preset: Step-by-Step in Classic and CC

Once you’ve completed your edits, the next step is to save those adjustments as a new preset. This process differs slightly depending on whether you’re using Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC, but the end goal is the same—creating a repeatable set of edits you can apply with one click.

In Lightroom Classic, navigate to the left-hand Presets panel within the Develop module. At the top of this panel, you’ll see a plus (+) symbol. Click it and choose the option labeled Create Preset. A new dialog box will appear where you can define your preset parameters.

This menu presents a checklist of every adjustment you’ve made—grouped into categories like Basic Tone, Color, Effects, Detail, and more. You can select all adjustments, or choose specific ones if your preset is meant to target just a few areas, such as color grading or sharpening. This flexibility is particularly helpful when building niche presets for stylized photo sessions or brand-specific content.

In Lightroom CC, access the Preset panel on the right-hand toolbar by clicking the icon that resembles overlapping circles. From there, click the three-dot menu (•••) and select Create Preset. The interface is slightly more modern, with dropdown menus instead of a full checklist. Lightroom CC also offers a smart option labeled Modified, which selects only the edits you’ve changed. This is particularly useful when working quickly, as it avoids saving unnecessary or default values.

Both versions give you control over what elements of your editing will be embedded into the preset, allowing for either global adjustments or more targeted enhancements.

Naming and Organizing Your Preset Library for Long-Term Efficiency

After selecting the settings to include, the final and often overlooked step is naming and organizing your preset. This is where a bit of strategy can save you hours down the line.

Choose a descriptive and memorable name that reflects either the aesthetic (e.g., “Muted Forest Tones”), the subject matter (e.g., “Golden Hour Portrait”), or the use case (e.g., “Instagram Soft Fade”). Avoid generic names like “Preset 01,” which offer no insight into the preset’s purpose and make it harder to find later.

In Lightroom Classic, you can assign the preset to a group. The default is User Presets, but you can create new folders that align with your projects or genres—such as Studio Work, Film Emulation, or Lifestyle Shoots. Grouping your presets thoughtfully makes navigating large libraries much easier, especially as your collection grows.

In Lightroom CC, the preset is saved under the Yours section of the Preset panel. While Lightroom CC doesn’t allow for deep folder structures, you can still create and manage your preset collections based on editing types or personal branding. Since CC presets are cloud-based, any preset you save will be available across all devices linked to your Adobe account—perfect for mobile editing or team-based environments.

Once saved, your new preset is ready for immediate application. Simply navigate to your preset list, click on it, and watch your image transform with the adjustments you’ve stored.

How to Apply Presets to Multiple Photos in Lightroom: A Complete Batch Editing Guide

Lightroom is renowned for its intuitive interface and advanced image-editing capabilities, but one of its most practical features is its ability to apply presets to multiple images at once. Known as batch editing, this functionality allows photographers to streamline their post-processing workflow dramatically, saving both time and effort.

Whether you're editing a full-day wedding shoot, a commercial product catalog, a lifestyle session, or a travel photo series, batch applying presets is an efficient way to maintain visual consistency across dozens—or even hundreds—of images. With a well-crafted preset and a basic understanding of Lightroom's batch editing tools, you can enhance your workflow while ensuring your creative style stays intact.

This guide covers how to batch apply presets in both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC, with tips on selecting, syncing, and refining your edits across large collections.

Applying Presets in Lightroom Classic: Precision and Speed for High-Volume Editing

Lightroom Classic, with its powerful cataloging and module-based interface, is the go-to choice for many professional photographers managing large libraries. Batch editing in Classic is both simple and robust, allowing for global adjustments across selected images with minimal input.

To get started, launch Lightroom Classic and open the Library module. This workspace is designed for managing and organizing your photos, and it’s where bulk adjustments using the Quick Develop panel take place. Begin by selecting the photos you want to edit. Hold down the Ctrl key (Cmd on Mac) and click to select individual images, or use Shift + click to select a continuous range.

Once your selection is made, turn your attention to the right-hand side of the interface where the Quick Develop panel is located. This panel includes several adjustment tools, including the Saved Preset dropdown menu. Click this menu and choose the preset you'd like to apply. As soon as you select a preset, Lightroom Classic will apply it to all the photos currently selected in the grid view.

This process is extremely useful for photographers who shoot in controlled lighting environments or under consistent outdoor conditions. Since the preset will affect exposure, tone curves, color balance, and other global settings, it's ideal for uniform sets like studio portraits, corporate headshots, or editorial series.

A helpful feature in Classic is the ability to apply metadata changes alongside visual edits, which allows you to embed copyright information, keywords, and rating flags during the same batch process. This is a time-saving feature for photographers delivering large galleries to clients or uploading work to stock photography platforms.

After applying the preset, you can switch to the Develop module for fine-tuning. If individual images need slight variations in exposure or white balance, you can make those edits manually without losing the benefits of your batch adjustments.

Batch Editing in Lightroom CC: Syncing Edits Across Your Creative Workflow

Lightroom CC, Adobe's cloud-based version of Lightroom, is built for flexibility and accessibility. It allows seamless photo editing across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, and it excels in simplicity and modern UI design. Applying presets to multiple images in CC is a slightly different process than in Classic but remains equally efficient.

To batch edit in Lightroom CC, begin by entering Detail View. You can access this view by pressing the D key or by choosing View > Detail from the top menu. Select the first photo in your series and apply the preset of your choice. You may also perform additional manual edits to fine-tune the look, such as adjusting highlights, clarity, or applying lens corrections.

Once your initial image has been edited to your satisfaction, look below the filmstrip at the bottom of the workspace. You’ll find a button labeled Copy Edit Settings. Click this to copy all of the adjustments made to the current photo.

Next, select the remaining images you want to update. You can hold Shift and click to select a range, or Ctrl/Cmd + click to select non-contiguous images. Once selected, the button beneath the filmstrip will change to Paste Edit Settings. Clicking this will paste the copied adjustments onto all selected photos.

This method is especially effective for photographers working on image sets captured in similar lighting and environments. Whether it's a beach shoot at sunset, a product session in a studio, or a behind-the-scenes lifestyle story, this process helps you keep edits uniform and efficient.

The main advantage Lightroom CC offers in this process is its real-time cloud syncing. Any adjustments you make while working on your desktop are reflected immediately across your devices, making it ideal for photographers who need the flexibility to edit on the go.

Tips for Efficient and Accurate Batch Preset Application

Although applying presets in bulk is relatively straightforward, there are a few best practices that can enhance your workflow and improve results across diverse photo sets.

Start by grouping images logically. When shooting a wide range of scenes—indoors, outdoors, natural light, artificial light—try organizing your shots into collections or albums by lighting condition or style. Applying one preset to vastly different lighting scenarios can produce inconsistent results.

Use virtual copies when experimenting. In Lightroom Classic, you can create virtual duplicates of selected images before batch editing. This allows you to apply different presets and compare results without altering the original file.

Don’t overlook the value of previewing. Even after batch applying a preset, it’s wise to scroll through the images and spot-check your edits. Inconsistent lighting or exposure between shots can still require individual adjustments, particularly for fine-tuning skin tones or white balance.

In Lightroom CC, use the slider available after applying a preset to adjust its strength. This helps fine-tune the overall intensity without altering each slider manually. It’s a subtle feature, but very useful when working with high-contrast or stylistic presets.

Additionally, if you regularly work in Lightroom CC across multiple devices, consider creating a few mobile-friendly presets. These should use only the most essential adjustments and avoid performance-intensive tools like heavy grain or complex masks, which can slow down performance on phones and tablets.

For collaborative teams, ensure everyone is working with the same preset collections. Sharing presets between team members helps maintain a consistent editing standard, especially when working on commercial campaigns, branded content, or magazine-style editorials.

Importing and Exporting Lightroom Presets: A Complete Guide for Photographers

Lightroom presets have become a cornerstone in digital photography workflows, allowing professionals and hobbyists alike to enhance images quickly and consistently. Whether you're working with a personal catalog or creating a marketable editing style for sale or collaboration, understanding how to import and export Lightroom presets efficiently is a valuable skill.

This guide covers everything you need to know about moving presets in and out of Adobe Lightroom, both in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC. From preparing presets for sharing to using third-party downloads, you’ll learn how to streamline your workflow and share your creativity with others.

Importing Presets into Lightroom: Integrating New Styles into Your Toolkit

Importing presets is the first step for photographers who want to try new editing styles, replicate a specific look, or incorporate templates from collaborators. Whether you purchase a professionally developed preset pack, download a free creative collection, or receive one from a teammate, Lightroom makes it easy to integrate new looks into your existing workspace.

How to Import Presets in Lightroom Classic

Lightroom Classic, with its traditional desktop-based layout, offers a straightforward import process. Begin by opening the Develop module, where your Presets panel appears on the left-hand side of the interface. At the top of this panel, you'll find a small plus sign. Click this and choose the option labeled Import Presets.

Once prompted, navigate to the folder on your computer where your preset files are stored. Lightroom Classic supports both modern .XMP files and older .LRTemplate formats. After you select the files, Lightroom will process the import, and the presets will appear in your User Presets section or within any custom folder structure embedded in the preset metadata.

Imported presets become part of your permanent library and are immediately ready for use. You can apply them to any image, organize them into new groups, or even customize them further for specific sessions or client needs.

How to Import Presets in Lightroom CC

In Lightroom CC, the process is slightly different due to the cloud-based interface but equally efficient. Begin by opening any image in the editor view. On the right-hand toolbar, locate and click the Presets icon, which resembles two overlapping circles. This opens the main preset panel.

Click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of the panel to open the options menu. Choose Import Presets from the list. From here, browse your device to select the files you want to add. Lightroom CC also supports .XMP files and will automatically store your imported presets in the Yours section.

Because Lightroom CC is cloud-connected, your imported presets will sync across all devices linked to your Adobe account. This feature makes it easy to edit on your mobile phone, tablet, or desktop while retaining access to your complete preset library.

Once imported, your presets can be renamed, grouped, or modified. Lightroom CC also lets you preview each imported preset using real-time thumbnails and hover-based previews, helping you evaluate their visual impact before application.

Exporting Presets from Lightroom: Sharing Your Editing Style

Exporting presets is essential for photographers who want to collaborate with others, share their workflow, or monetize their editing styles. Whether you're backing up your collection or selling preset packs to your audience, Lightroom’s export tools make the process quick and professional.

How to Export Presets in Lightroom Classic

To export a preset from Lightroom Classic, navigate to the Develop module and locate the preset you want to export in the left-side Presets panel. Right-click on the preset name, then select Export from the context menu.

A file browser window will open, prompting you to select a destination folder. Choose where to save your preset and confirm the export. Lightroom will generate an .XMP file containing all the configuration data for that preset, including tone curves, white balance adjustments, color grading, and any other modifications included when the preset was created.

You can now share this file with other users, upload it to your website, or include it in a preset bundle for sale or distribution. Exported presets can also serve as backups, allowing you to store your styles externally in case you need to restore your Lightroom environment on a different machine.

For photographers working in studios or collaborative teams, exporting presets also ensures everyone is working from the same visual baseline, helping to maintain consistency across edited images, even when multiple people are involved in the post-production process.

How to Export Presets in Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC follows a similar process for exporting presets, though the interface has a more modern appearance. Open the Presets panel by clicking the icon on the right-hand toolbar while editing a photo. Find the preset you want to export in the Yours section.

Click the three-dot menu next to the preset’s name and select Export. Choose your desired file location and save the preset. Lightroom CC will create an .XMP file, ready to be used in any version of Lightroom or shared with others.

This feature is especially useful for mobile-based photographers who edit on the go and later want to move their favorite styles to desktop or provide them to collaborators. Because Lightroom CC operates in the cloud, any preset you export can also be seamlessly reimported later on different devices.

When preparing presets for commercial use, be sure to test them on a wide variety of images to ensure they’re versatile. Many successful preset creators also include installation guides and before-and-after examples to help buyers understand how the preset works in different scenarios.

Best Practices for Managing Lightroom Presets

Whether importing new presets or exporting your creations, maintaining a well-organized preset library is vital for long-term efficiency and clarity. Here are a few expert suggestions to keep your collection clean, professional, and easy to navigate:

Organize presets into clearly named groups based on purpose or visual style, such as Studio Lighting, Outdoor Portraits, or Soft Film Look. Delete duplicates or redundant presets that clutter your interface. Keep backups of all exported presets on cloud storage or an external drive. Include only the necessary adjustment settings in each preset to avoid overriding unrelated image attributes when applied. Create different variations of a preset for different lighting conditions or skin tones, offering more control without manual re-editing.

If you’re sharing your presets, consider packaging them with a unique naming convention and visual branding. This not only adds a professional polish but also helps you stand out if you decide to distribute or sell your presets online.

Advantages of Using Presets in Professional Photography

Presets provide far more than convenience. They allow you to define and reinforce a consistent style across your portfolio. Clients often expect a signature look, especially in portrait, fashion, or branding photography. Using custom presets ensures that no matter the project, your edits remain aligned with your creative identity.

For teams or businesses, sharing standardized presets helps maintain quality and branding consistency. Whether you are a solo creator or part of a production company, presets contribute to a streamlined, scalable workflow that delivers professional results.

Presets can also serve as learning tools. Analyzing the settings used in other photographers’ presets can help you understand advanced editing techniques and apply them to your own work. Many photographers even monetize their presets by offering them as digital products through their websites or marketplaces.

Tips for Better Preset Organization and Usage

To keep your workflow efficient and your preset library manageable, follow these best practices. Organize presets into meaningful groups such as Indoor Lighting, Natural Light, B&W, or Editorial. Use detailed naming conventions to quickly identify what each preset is designed for. Only include relevant adjustments when saving a preset. Avoid saving crop ratios or local adjustments unless they are essential to the look. Regularly back up your presets to cloud storage or an external drive to avoid data loss. Update older presets as your style evolves. You can always resave a preset with new values, keeping your edits fresh and aligned with your creative direction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Presets

While presets are powerful tools, they are not magic fixes. Don’t assume that one preset will work perfectly on every image. Lighting, exposure, and composition vary from photo to photo, so be prepared to make minor adjustments after applying a preset. Avoid applying multiple presets on top of each other without resetting previous edits. This can lead to conflicting values and undesirable results. Make sure to experiment with intensity sliders available in both Lightroom CC and Classic, which allow you to control the strength of the preset from 0 to 200. This fine-tuning capability can dramatically improve how the preset looks on different types of images.

Final Thoughts: Build Efficiency and Style with Lightroom Presets

Learning how to save and use presets in Lightroom is one of the most valuable skills a digital photographer can develop. It transforms your editing routine from repetitive and time-consuming into streamlined and intentional. Presets help ensure your work is consistent, professional, and tailored to your unique vision.

Whether you’re processing a full-day wedding, editing a travel series, or building content for a brand, using Lightroom presets lets you spend less time editing and more time creating. As your style matures and your editing preferences evolve, your preset library will grow into a personalized toolkit, reflecting your journey as an artist.