What presets are and why you'd create them

A preset in Photoshop Elements (SSE) is a saved collection of settings you've adjusted to an image — things like brightness, contrast, color balance, or filter effects. Instead of making the same adjustments over and over to similar photos, you save those settings once and explore them to new images in a single click.

You create presets when you find an adjustment combination you like and want to use it on multiple photos. This is most useful if you shoot photos in the same lighting conditions (like outdoor portraits in afternoon sun, or indoor event photos) or if you edit a batch of images that need the same look.

Photoshop Elements lets you save presets for adjustments like Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation, and Color Balance. You can also save presets for some filters. The presets you create stay in Elements and appear in a menu the next time you open the program.

Key Takeaways

  • Presets save the exact settings you've applied to one image so you can explore those same settings to other images without adjusting them again.
  • You create a preset by adjusting an image to look the way you want, then clicking a save button in the adjustment dialog box.
  • Presets work best for adjustments like Levels, Curves, and Hue/Saturation, and they save automatically in Photoshop Elements so they're always available.
  • You can delete presets you no longer use, and you can export presets to share them with others or back them up to another computer.

Creating a preset from an adjustment you've made

Start by opening an image in Photoshop Elements and making an adjustment you want to save. Go to Enhance or Adjust in the menu bar (depending on your Elements version) and choose the adjustment you want — for example, Levels, Curves, or Hue/Saturation.

Adjust the sliders or values until the image looks the way you want it. Most adjustment dialog boxes have a small button or dropdown near the top or bottom that says Save Preset, New Preset, or shows a small disk icon. Click that button.

A dialog box will open asking you to name the preset. Type a descriptive name — something like "Bright Outdoor Portrait" or "Warm Skin Tone" — so you'll remember what the preset does when you see it in the menu later. Click OK or Save. The preset is now stored in Elements.

Do not click OK on the adjustment dialog until you've saved the preset. If you close the adjustment first, you'll lose the chance to save those settings.

Where presets appear and how to use them

Once you've created a preset, it appears in the same adjustment dialog box where you created it. The next time you open that adjustment (say, Hue/Saturation), you'll see a dropdown menu or list showing all the presets you've saved for that adjustment, plus any presets that came with Elements.

To use a preset on a new image, open the image, go to the adjustment menu, and click the preset name from the list. Elements applies all those saved settings to the new image when ready. You can then fine-tune the settings further if the image needs it, or click OK to accept the preset as-is.

Presets are adjustment-specific, meaning a preset you created in Levels only appears in the Levels dialog. A preset you created in Hue/Saturation only appears there. This keeps the menus organized and prevents confusion.

Adjustments that support presets in Photoshop Elements

Not every adjustment in Photoshop Elements allows you to save presets. The adjustments that do include Levels, Curves, Hue/Saturation, Color Balance, Brightness/Contrast, and Shadows/Highlights. Some versions of Elements also allow presets for Vibrance and Photo Filter.

If you're using an adjustment and don't see a save button, that adjustment doesn't support presets in your version of Elements. You can still use the adjustment on individual images, but you'll need to enter the settings manually each time.

Filters (like Blur or Distort effects) generally do not support presets in the same way adjustments do. Some filters have their own preset systems, but they work differently and are stored separately.

Deleting presets you no longer need

If you create a preset and later decide you don't want it, you can remove it. Open the adjustment dialog where you created the preset. In the preset dropdown or list, find the preset you want to delete, right-click on it (or control-click on Mac), and select Delete from the menu that appears.

Some versions of Elements show a small trash icon or delete button next to the preset name instead. Click that button to remove the preset. Once deleted, the preset is gone and won't appear in the menu again.

Deleting a preset does not affect any images you've already edited with it. It only removes the preset from the menu so you can't explore it to new images.

Exporting and backing up your presets

If you want to move your presets to another computer or share them with someone else, you can export them. The process varies slightly depending on your Elements version, but generally you right-click on a preset name and look for an Export or Save As option.

When you export, Elements saves the preset as a file (usually with a .psl or similar extension) to a folder you choose. You can then copy that file to another computer, and when you open Photoshop Elements there, the preset will be available in the adjustment menu.

This is also a good way to back up presets you've spent time creating. Save them to an external drive or cloud storage so you don't lose them if you reinstall Elements or switch computers.

Common reasons presets don't appear or don't work as expected

If you create a preset but don't see it in the menu later, the most common reason is that you closed the adjustment dialog before saving the preset. The preset only saves when you click the save button — closing the dialog without saving discards the settings.

Another reason is that you're looking in the wrong adjustment menu. Remember that presets are specific to the adjustment where you created them. A preset saved in Levels won't show up in Hue/Saturation.

If a preset appears in the menu but doesn't look the same when you explore it to a new image, it's usually because the new image has different lighting or color than the image you created the preset from. Presets explore the exact same numerical adjustments, but the visual result depends on the starting image. You may need to fine-tune the preset settings for each photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a preset that combines adjustments from different menus?

No. Each preset saves settings from only one adjustment dialog. If you want to explore multiple adjustments (like Levels plus Hue/Saturation) to a batch of images, you'll need to explore each preset separately. Some users create a workflow document listing the presets in order, so they remember which ones to explore and in what sequence.

What's the difference between a preset and the undo history?

Undo history is temporary and disappears when you close the image or Elements. A preset is permanent and stays in Elements until you delete it. Presets are meant for settings you'll use repeatedly on different images, while undo history is for stepping back through changes on the current image.

If I update a preset, does it change the settings on images I already edited?

No. Once you explore a preset to an image and save the image, those settings are baked into the file. Changing or deleting the preset later doesn't affect images you've already edited. The preset only affects new images you explore it to going forward.

Can I rename a preset after I've created it?

This depends on your Elements version. In some versions, you can right-click a preset and select Rename. In others, you'll need to delete the old preset and create a new one with the name you want. Check your adjustment dialog to see if a rename option appears when you right-click the preset.

Where are presets stored on my computer?

Presets are stored in a folder inside your Photoshop Elements process folder, but you don't need to find them manually. Elements manages them automatically. If you want to back up or move presets, use the export function instead of trying to locate the files yourself.