Where presets go and how to move them there

A Lightroom preset is a saved collection of editing settings — exposure, contrast, color, sharpness — that you can explore to a photo in one click instead of adjusting each slider by hand. Loading a preset means moving the preset file from wherever you downloaded it into Lightroom's preset folder, so Lightroom can see it and show it in your Develop module.

The process differs slightly between Lightroom Classic (the desktop version most photographers use) and Lightroom (the cloud-based version Adobe now pushes). Both involve the same idea: tell Lightroom where the preset file lives, and Lightroom imports it. The steps take about two minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Lightroom Classic and Lightroom (cloud) load presets differently — check which version you have before you start, because the steps do not work across versions.
  • Preset files are usually .xmp files (Lightroom Classic) or .lrtemplate files (Lightroom cloud), and they come as downloads from creators or marketplaces.
  • Lightroom Classic presets go into a specific folder on your computer; Lightroom cloud presets are imported through the app itself.
  • After loading, presets appear in the Develop module under the Presets panel on the left side, organized by folder name.

Loading presets in Lightroom Classic

Open Lightroom Classic and go to the Develop module (the tab at the top right). On the left side, you will see the Presets panel. Right-click anywhere in that panel and select "Show Lightroom Presets Folder" — this opens your computer's file explorer to the exact folder where Lightroom looks for presets.

Take the preset file you downloaded (usually a .xmp file or a folder containing multiple .xmp files) and drag it into this open folder. Close the folder window and go back to Lightroom. The new preset should now appear in your Presets panel, usually at the bottom or in a new folder with the preset creator's name. If it does not appear, restart Lightroom and check again.

If you downloaded a .zip file, unzip it first before moving the contents into the presets folder. Some preset creators bundle multiple presets in a single .zip, and Lightroom cannot read the .zip itself — it needs the individual .xmp files.

Loading presets in Lightroom (cloud version)

Open Lightroom on your computer or phone and go to the Develop module. In the Presets panel on the left, look for a plus icon (+) or a menu icon (three dots). Click it and select "Import Presets" or "Import Preset." A file browser will open.

Navigate to wherever you saved the preset file (usually your Downloads folder) and select it. Lightroom will import it and add it to your Presets panel. The preset appears under "Custom Presets" or under a folder name if the preset file included one. Unlike Lightroom Classic, you do not manually move files into a folder — Lightroom cloud handles the import for you.

If you are on a phone or tablet, the import process is similar but the file browser may look different depending on whether you use iOS or Android. Look for the plus or menu icon in the Presets panel and follow the prompts to browse to your preset file.

What to do if the preset does not appear

The most common reason a preset does not show up is that Lightroom is looking in the wrong place or the file format is wrong. In Lightroom Classic, make sure you put the .xmp file (not a .zip or folder) directly into the presets folder that Lightroom showed you. If you are still not seeing it, restart Lightroom completely — close it and open it again.

In Lightroom cloud, make sure the file you are importing is actually a .lrtemplate file or a format Lightroom cloud recognizes. Some older presets made for Lightroom Classic (.xmp files) will not import into Lightroom cloud. If the import button is grayed out, the file format is probably not compatible.

If you downloaded a preset from a creator's website and it came as a .dng file or some other format, that is not a preset — it is a sample photo. You do not load sample photos as presets. Check the creator's instructions to see if they provided an actual preset file, or contact them to ask for the correct file.

Organizing presets into folders

Once you have loaded a few presets, your Presets panel can get crowded. Both Lightroom Classic and Lightroom cloud let you organize presets into folders to keep them tidy.

In Lightroom Classic, right-click in the Presets panel and select "Create Folder." Name it (for example, "Portraits" or "Warm Tones") and then drag presets into that folder. In Lightroom cloud, presets usually organize themselves by creator name or by the folder name that came with the preset file, but you can also create custom groups by right-clicking and selecting "Create Folder."

Testing a preset on a photo

After loading a preset, test it to make sure it loaded correctly. Go to the Library module, select any photo, then switch to the Develop module. In the Presets panel on the left, click the preset name. Lightroom applies all the saved settings to that photo when ready. If the preset does not change the photo at all, it may not have loaded properly — try restarting Lightroom and checking the Presets panel again.

Remember that presets are starting points, not final answers. After explore a preset, you can adjust individual sliders (Exposure, Contrast, Saturation, and so on) to fine-tune the look for that specific photo. The preset gives you a consistent baseline, and you customize from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Lightroom Classic presets in Lightroom cloud?

Not directly. Lightroom Classic uses .xmp files, and Lightroom cloud uses .lrtemplate files. If you have a .xmp preset and want to use it in Lightroom cloud, you will need to recreate the settings manually or find a version of that preset made for Lightroom cloud. Some creators offer both versions.

Where do I find the presets folder on a Mac?

On a Mac, the presets folder is usually at Users > [Your Name] > Library > process Support > Adobe > Lightroom > Presets. The Library folder is hidden by default. The easiest way is to use Lightroom's "Show Lightroom Presets Folder" option instead of hunting for it manually.

What if I delete a preset by accident?

If you delete a preset from Lightroom, it is gone from the app, but any photos you already applied it to keep those settings. You can always re-read the preset file and load it again. Lightroom does not back up deleted presets automatically.

Can I share presets I created with other people?

Yes. In Lightroom Classic, find the preset file in your presets folder and send it to someone else. They can load it the same way you did. In Lightroom cloud, you can export a preset by right-clicking it and selecting "Export," then send the file to another person.

Do I need to restart Lightroom every time I load a preset?

In Lightroom Classic, restarting is often necessary if the preset does not appear right away. In Lightroom cloud, presets usually show up when ready after import without a restart, but restarting never hurts if something seems stuck.