By Matteo Martignago, cinematographer and colorist. Updated July 2026.
Lightroom presets are saved sets of edits you apply to a photo in one click. Adding them takes about a minute, but the exact steps depend on which Lightroom you have. The quick version:
- Lightroom Classic (desktop): open the Develop module, open the Presets panel, click the + icon, choose Import Presets, and select your .xmp files or a .zip. No restart needed.
- Lightroom (the cloud app): go to File › Import Profiles & Presets and select your .xmp or .zip. They sync to your other devices automatically.
- Lightroom mobile (iPhone or Android): open a photo, tap Presets, tap the three-dot menu, tap Import Presets, and choose your .xmp or .zip.
Modern presets are .xmp files. The old .lrtemplate format still works on desktop (Lightroom converts it), and a .dng is a photo, not a preset. The rest of this guide walks through each app step by step, then covers syncing, using, and fixing presets when they do not show up. As a photographer I lean on presets to keep a consistent look across a shoot, so this is the workflow I actually use.
First, which Lightroom do you have?
This is where most guides lose people. Adobe ships three different apps with the word Lightroom in the name, and each imports presets a little differently. Find yours here, then jump to its section:
| Which app | How to spot it | Import path | Syncs presets? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightroom Classic | Desktop only, folders and a catalog. Modules across the top (Library, Develop). | Develop module › Presets panel › + › Import Presets | No (presets do not sync to mobile) |
| Lightroom (the cloud app, once called CC) | Desktop and web, cloud-based, a simpler single-window layout with your photos in the cloud. | File › Import Profiles & Presets | Yes, automatically via Creative Cloud |
| Lightroom mobile | The iPhone, iPad, and Android app. | Open a photo › Presets › three-dot menu › Import Presets | Yes, with the cloud app (same Adobe ID) |
The quick test: if your app has modules named Library and Develop across the top and keeps photos in folders on your computer, you have Lightroom Classic. If it is a cleaner single window that stores your photos in the cloud, you have Lightroom (the app Adobe used to call Lightroom CC). On your phone, it is simply the Lightroom app. If you also want a broader comparison of editors, our Capture One vs Lightroom breakdown is a good companion.
What are Lightroom presets (and how they differ from profiles)?
A preset is a saved recipe of Develop settings (contrast, color, tone curve, split toning, and more) that you apply in a single click. Think of it as a starting point you can still change: unlike an Instagram filter, every slider stays fully editable after you apply a preset, so you tune it to your specific photo.
One thing that trips people up is the difference between a preset and a profile. A preset moves the normal Develop sliders. A profile is a deeper color and tone foundation (Adobe Color, camera looks, or creative film emulations) that lives in the Profile Browser, not the Presets panel. Some packs sold as presets are actually profiles, which is why an imported file sometimes appears in the Profile Browser instead. Both install easily; you just need to know where to look.
File formats: .xmp vs .lrtemplate vs .dng
| File type | What it is | Still usable? |
|---|---|---|
| .xmp | The modern format (since April 2018). Use this everywhere. | Yes, on every version and platform |
| .lrtemplate | The legacy format (before April 2018). Desktop auto-converts it to .xmp, permanently. | Desktop only; not on mobile |
| .dng | A raw photo with edits baked in, not actually a preset. The old mobile workaround. | No longer needed |
You may not need to download anything
Before you go hunting for presets, look at what Lightroom already gives you for free. Every current version ships with Adobe’s Premium Presets, professionally built packs for Cinematic, Portrait, Travel, Vintage, Food, and Landscape looks, plus the default groups like Adobe Color, Black and White, Creative, Curve, and Grain. For a lot of photographers, these cover most of what a paid pack would.
Newer versions also add Adaptive Presets, which use AI masking to adjust just the subject or the sky rather than the whole image. They behave a little differently: give them a second to compute the mask after you apply one. If you do want third-party packs, stick to reputable sources (Adobe’s own Exchange marketplace, ON1’s free set, and established preset makers) rather than sketchy free-download sites that bundle installers or demand your email. Free packs are perfect for learning the workflow; just know that quality varies.
How to add presets in Lightroom Classic (desktop)
This is the current method. The old routine of digging through Preferences, dropping .lrtemplate files into a folder, and restarting is no longer necessary.
- Press D or click the Develop module at the top.
- In the left-hand panels, open the Presets panel.
- Click the + icon at the top-right of the Presets panel.
- Choose Import Presets from the menu. (You can also right-click any preset group and choose Import.)
- Select your .xmp file or files, or a .zip that contains them. Old .lrtemplate files work too; Lightroom converts them to .xmp automatically.
- Click Import. Your presets appear right away under the User Presets group, with no restart.
How to add presets in Lightroom (the cloud app)
The cloud Lightroom app uses a different path from Classic, and it syncs everything you import to your other devices.
- In the menu bar, go to File › Import Profiles & Presets.
- Browse to your .xmp file (or a .zip of presets) and select it.
- Click Import. Presets land under Edit › Presets › Yours › User Presets, and any profiles go to the Profile Browser.
They then upload to Creative Cloud and appear on your phone, tablet, and the web automatically, with no per-device import. This automatic sync is the big practical difference between the cloud app and Classic, so plan where you import accordingly.
How to add presets in Lightroom mobile (iPhone and Android)
You can import presets directly on your phone, and it works on the free Lightroom mobile app. If your pack arrived by email or web download, save it to your phone first: on an iPhone it lands in Files › Downloads, and on Android in your Downloads or Files app. Then:
- Open any photo, then switch to the Edit view.
- In the bottom toolbar, tap Presets.
- Tap the three-dot menu at the top-right of the Presets panel.
- Tap Import Presets.
- Browse your device storage, Files, or a cloud drive and select your .xmp file or a .zip. You do not need to unzip first, and only .xmp imports directly (not .lrtemplate).
- Your presets appear under Presets › Yours › User Presets.
If your presets came as .dng files, that is the old method: import the DNG, open it, and use the three-dot menu to Create Preset. You rarely need this anymore. For more on editing from your phone, see our Lightroom mobile guide.
Syncing presets across your devices
How presets travel between your computer and your phone depends entirely on which desktop app you use, and it trips a lot of people up.
The cloud apps sync automatically
The cloud Lightroom apps (desktop, web, and mobile) all share one Adobe ID, so a preset you import on any of them syncs to all of them within a minute or two. Import once, and it shows up under User Presets everywhere. You just need to be signed into the same account with an active plan.
Lightroom Classic is the exception
Lightroom Classic does not sync presets to mobile. Classic’s cloud sync moves the photos and edits in your synced albums, but it leaves presets and profiles behind. So a preset you import into Classic will not appear on your phone on its own. The workaround is to import the same .xmp presets into the cloud Lightroom desktop app; from there they sync to mobile and web normally.
How to use a preset once it is installed
Adding a preset is only half the job. Here is how to actually apply and control one.
Apply and preview
In Lightroom Classic, hover over a preset in the Presets panel to see a live preview on your photo, then click to apply it. In the cloud app and on mobile, open Presets, tap through a group, and tap one to apply. Clicking a different preset swaps it out rather than stacking, so you can audition looks freely.
Dial the strength with the Amount slider
Every current version of Lightroom now has an Amount slider that scales a preset after you apply it. Drag it below 100 percent to soften a heavy preset (50 percent is roughly half strength), or above it, up to 200 percent, to intensify the look. This is the clean way to tame an aggressive preset, and it replaces the old opacity workarounds.
Fine-tune, then batch-apply
A preset gets you most of the way, not all of it. Because every slider stays editable, adjust exposure and white balance for your own photo after you apply one; those were dialed in for someone else’s image. To carry a look across a whole shoot, apply it to many photos at once with Sync in Classic, with Copy and Paste settings or the Previous button, or by choosing the preset in the Import dialog so it lands on every photo as it comes in. Getting a consistent edit is closely tied to training your eye for color, which we cover in our guide to seeing in color.
Create and organize your own presets
Once you have a look you like, save it as a preset. Edit a photo, click the + in the Presets panel, and choose Create Preset. The important part is choosing which settings to bake in and which to leave out: uncheck white balance, exposure, crop, and lens corrections, because those are specific to each photo and will not travel well. Keep the color, tone curve, and creative settings that define the look.
As your panel fills up, use the + › Manage Presets option to hide the default groups you never touch, star your favorites, and create your own groups. To remove a pack for good, right-click a preset or group and choose Delete. And back your presets up: they live in Lightroom’s settings folder (on Windows, %APPDATA%\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings; on Mac, ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings), and you can export a whole group to move it to a new computer or share it.
Troubleshooting: presets not showing up, grayed out, or not syncing
Most preset problems come from a short list of causes. Find the symptom and apply the fix.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Presets do not show up after importing | The panel did not refresh, or the group is collapsed or unchecked. | Quit and reopen Lightroom, then click the + in the Presets panel, choose Manage Presets, and check every group. Expand each group’s gray triangle. |
| The imported group is empty | You imported the wrapper folder, or a .zip that did not expand. | Unzip the pack first and import the individual .xmp files, or copy them into the Camera Raw Settings folder and restart. |
| Presets are grayed out and un-clickable | The preset was built for RAW and you are working on a JPEG. | In Lightroom Classic, turn on Preferences › Presets › Show Partially Compatible Develop Presets, then relaunch. The cloud app and mobile have no such toggle, so use a RAW file or accept a weaker result on a JPEG. |
| “Created with a newer version of Lightroom” | Your app is older than the preset’s format. | Update Lightroom (Help › Updates). You cannot read a newer preset in an older build. |
| You imported an .xmp but it is nowhere in Presets | It is actually a creative profile, not a preset. | Open the Basic panel and click the Profile Browser (the four-squares icon). Profiles live there, not in the Presets panel. |
| .lrtemplate files will not import | Direct import only accepts .xmp and .zip; special characters can also break conversion. | Drop .lrtemplate files into the old Develop Presets folder and restart to auto-convert, and rename files to plain letters if conversion fails. |
| Presets are on desktop but missing on your phone | Sync only flows through the cloud Lightroom, not Lightroom Classic. | Import the presets into the cloud Lightroom app and confirm you are signed into the same Adobe ID on both devices. |
| The preset looks nothing like the sample image | It is baking in the seller’s exposure, white balance, or crop, or its matching profile is missing. | Pull the Amount slider down, reset white balance and exposure for your photo, and make sure the intended profile is installed. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I add presets to Lightroom?
Check which app you have, then import the .xmp files. In Lightroom Classic, use the Develop module Presets panel, click the + icon, and choose Import Presets. In the cloud Lightroom app, use File then Import Profiles and Presets. On mobile, open a photo, tap Presets, tap the three-dot menu, and tap Import Presets.
Why won’t my presets show up in Lightroom?
Usually the panel did not refresh or the group is unchecked. Quit and reopen Lightroom, then use the + icon, choose Manage Presets, and check every group. If a group is empty, you likely imported a folder or a zip that did not expand, so unzip and import the individual .xmp files.
Why are my presets grayed out in Lightroom?
The preset was built for RAW files and you are editing a JPEG. In Lightroom Classic, turn on Preferences, Presets, then Show Partially Compatible Develop Presets, and relaunch. The cloud app and mobile have no such toggle, so use a RAW file, and expect a JPEG to look different from RAW either way.
What is the difference between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic?
Lightroom Classic is the desktop, folder-and-catalog app with Library and Develop modules. Lightroom (formerly Lightroom CC) is the cloud-based app for desktop, web, and mobile that stores photos online and syncs everything, including presets, across your devices.
How do I sync presets from Lightroom desktop to mobile?
The cloud Lightroom app syncs presets automatically to mobile over the same Adobe ID. Lightroom Classic does not sync presets, so import your .xmp presets into the cloud Lightroom desktop app instead, and they will appear on your phone once sync finishes.
Can you add presets to the free version of Lightroom mobile?
Yes. The free Lightroom mobile app can import .xmp presets. Open a photo, tap Presets, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Import Presets. You do not need a paid plan just to add and use presets on your phone.
What file format do Lightroom presets use?
Modern presets are .xmp files, the standard since April 2018. The older .lrtemplate format still imports on desktop and is converted to .xmp automatically, but it does not work on mobile. A .dng is a photo with edits, not a true preset.
Do I need to unzip Lightroom presets before importing?
On mobile and in the cloud app you can usually import a .zip directly. In Lightroom Classic, if an imported group comes up empty, unzip the pack and import the individual .xmp files. When in doubt, unzip first.
How do I adjust the strength of a preset?
Use the Amount slider that appears with the preset list in current versions. Drag it below 100 percent to soften the preset, or up to 200 percent to intensify it. It is the simplest way to tone down a heavy preset without editing every slider by hand.
Do professional photographers use presets?
Many do. A preset is a fast, consistent base across a shoot, and they still fine-tune each image by hand afterward. It does not replace editing skill; it speeds up the repetitive part and keeps a body of work looking coherent.
The bottom line
Adding presets to Lightroom is quick once you know which app you are in. Import your .xmp files through the right path, let the cloud app sync them if you want them on your phone, and remember that a preset is a look you finish by hand. Lean on the built-in Premium presets before you pay for a pack, and use the Amount slider to keep things subtle.
