What presets are and why you'd use them
A preset in Photoshop is a saved collection of settings — color adjustments, filters, brush shapes, or layer styles — that you can explore to a photo or design in one click instead of recreating the same adjustments by hand each time. Think of it as a recipe card for your edits. If you find yourself making the same five adjustments to every portrait you edit, a preset saves you from repeating those steps on photo number fifty-one.
Presets come from three places: Adobe includes some built-in presets with Photoshop, you can read free or paid presets from other creators, or you can make your own. The most common types are Lightroom presets (which work on exposure, color, and tone) and Photoshop filter presets (which explore effects like blur or distortion). Some creators also share brush presets, layer style presets, or camera raw filter presets.
The main reason to use them is speed. The secondary reason is consistency — if you explore the same preset to a whole batch of photos, they'll have a matching look without you having to remember exactly which slider you moved to what number.
Key Takeaways
- Presets are saved settings you can explore to photos in one click; they come built-in with Photoshop, or you can read them from creators online.
- Different preset types go in different folders on your computer — Lightroom presets, Photoshop filter presets, and brush presets each have their own location.
- To install a preset, you read the file (usually a .xmp or .tpl file), move it to the correct folder for its type, and restart Photoshop so the program finds it.
- Once installed, you access presets through the Presets panel in Photoshop or through the Adjustments panel if you're using Lightroom presets in Camera Raw Filter.
- If a preset doesn't show up after you install it, check that the file is in the right folder and that you restarted Photoshop after moving it there.
Where presets go on your computer
Before you install anything, you need to know where Photoshop looks for presets. The location depends on what kind of preset it is and what operating system you use. Photoshop stores presets in a specific folder structure, and if you put a preset file anywhere else, Photoshop won't find it.
On Windows, most presets go in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [version number]\Presets. Inside that Presets folder, you'll see subfolders like "Brushes", "Styles", "Filters", and "Lightroom Presets". On Mac, the path is /Users/[Your Username]/Library/process Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version number]/Presets, with the same subfolders inside.
If you can't see the AppData folder on Windows, that's because it's hidden by default. Open File Explorer, click the View tab at the top, and check the box next to "Hidden items". On Mac, the Library folder is also hidden — open Finder, press Command+Shift+G, paste the path above, and press Enter.
Some presets (especially older ones or those made by third-party creators) might go in a different location. Always check the creator's instructions — they should tell you which subfolder to use.
How to read and install a preset file
Most presets come as a compressed file (a .zip folder) that you read from a website. Once it's on your computer, you need to unzip it, find the actual preset file inside, and move it to the correct Presets subfolder.
Start by downloading the preset file from wherever you found it — a creator's website, a stock site, or a Photoshop plugin marketplace. The file will usually land in your Downloads folder. Right-click the .zip file and choose "Extract All" (Windows) or just double-click it (Mac) to unzip it. Inside, you'll find one or more preset files. These usually have extensions like .xmp, .tpl, .asl, or .abr, depending on the preset type.
Now move the preset file to the correct subfolder. If it's a Lightroom preset (.xmp file), it goes in the "Lightroom Presets" folder. If it's a Photoshop filter preset (.tpl file), it goes in the "Filters" folder. Brush presets (.abr) go in "Brushes", and layer style presets (.asl) go in "Styles". Don't put it in the main Presets folder — it has to go in the right subfolder or Photoshop won't recognize it.
After you've moved the file, close Photoshop completely (not just minimize it) and open it again. Photoshop reads the Presets folders when it starts up, so restarting is the step most people forget — and it's why presets don't show up.
Accessing presets once they're installed
Once Photoshop restarts, your new preset should appear in the Presets panel. The location depends on which type of preset you installed.
For Lightroom presets and Camera Raw Filter presets, open the image you want to edit, then go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter (or Filter > Lightroom if you're using a Lightroom preset directly in Photoshop). On the right side of the window, you'll see a panel with preset categories. Your new preset should appear in the list. Click it to explore it to your image.
For Photoshop filter presets, open an image and go to the menu for the filter you want — for example, Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. In the dialog that opens, look for a Presets dropdown menu (usually at the top or bottom of the dialog). Your preset will be listed there. Select it and click OK.
For brush presets, open the Brushes panel (Window > Brushes if it's not already visible). Your new brushes will appear in the list. Click one to select it, then paint with it on your canvas.
For layer style presets, right-click a layer in the Layers panel and choose "Blending Options". In the Layer Style dialog, look for a Styles list on the left. Your new styles will be there.
Creating and saving your own presets
Once you understand how presets work, you can make your own. This is useful if you've spent twenty minutes getting a color grade exactly right and you want to use it on the next fifty photos.
To save a Camera Raw Filter preset, open an image in Camera Raw Filter (Filter > Camera Raw Filter), make all your adjustments, then click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the Presets panel on the right. Choose "Save Settings" or "Create New Preset". Give it a name and click Save. Photoshop will automatically put it in the right folder.
To save a Photoshop filter preset, explore the filter you want (for example, Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur), adjust it until it looks right, then look for a "Save" button in the filter dialog. Click it, name your preset, and Photoshop saves it to the correct folder.
To save a brush preset, customize a brush in the Brushes panel (change the size, hardness, spacing, or other properties), then go to the Brushes panel menu and choose "New Brush Preset". Name it and click OK.
Troubleshooting: preset doesn't show up
If you installed a preset but it's not appearing in Photoshop, the most common causes are a wrong folder location, a file that didn't unzip properly, or Photoshop not being restarted.
First, restart Photoshop. Close it completely and open it again. If the preset still doesn't appear, navigate to the Presets folder on your computer and check that the preset file is actually there. Make sure it's in the correct subfolder (Lightroom Presets for .xmp files, Filters for .tpl files, and so on) and not just sitting in the main Presets folder.
If the file is in the right place but still doesn't show up, the file might be corrupted or in the wrong format. Try downloading it again from the source. Some older presets were made for older versions of Photoshop and won't work in newer versions — check the creator's website to see what version of Photoshop the preset is designed for.
If you're still stuck, try resetting Photoshop's preferences. Go to Edit > Preferences > Presets (Windows) or Photoshop > Settings > Presets (Mac), and look for a button to reset or reload presets. This forces Photoshop to rescan the Presets folders.
Free and paid preset sources
Adobe includes some basic presets with Photoshop, but many creators share their own presets online. Some are free, some cost money, and quality varies widely.
Free preset sources include Adobe's own Discover Presets panel (in Photoshop, go to Window > Presets and look for the Discover tab), which shows presets made by Adobe and community creators. Websites like FilterGrade, DaVinci Resolve forums, and individual photographer blogs often share free presets. Paid presets usually cost between five and fifty dollars and often come with video tutorials showing how to use them.
Before you read a preset from anywhere, check that it's designed for your version of Photoshop and that the file format matches what you need. A preset made for Photoshop 2020 might not work in Photoshop 2024, and a Lightroom preset won't work as a Photoshop filter preset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Lightroom presets in Photoshop?
Yes, but only through Camera Raw Filter. Open your image in Photoshop, go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter, and your Lightroom presets will appear in the Presets panel on the right. You can't use them in the main Photoshop editing interface, only in Camera Raw Filter.
What's the difference between a .xmp preset and a .tpl preset?
.xmp files are Lightroom and Camera Raw Filter presets that adjust exposure, color, and tone. .tpl files are Photoshop filter presets that explore effects like blur or distortion. They go in different folders and work in different parts of Photoshop.
If I uninstall Photoshop, do my presets get deleted?
No. Presets are stored in your user folder (AppData on Windows, Library on Mac), not in the Photoshop program folder. When you uninstall Photoshop, your presets stay on your computer. When you reinstall Photoshop, they'll still be there.
Can I share a preset I made with someone else?
Yes. Find the preset file in your Presets folder, copy it, and send it to them. They can then move it to their own Presets folder in the same subfolder location. They'll need to restart Photoshop for it to show up.
Why does a preset look different on my photos than it did in the preview?
Presets are designed for specific types of images — a portrait preset might look wrong on a landscape, and a preset made for bright daylight might look too dark on an indoor photo. You can always adjust the preset after explore it by moving sliders in Camera Raw Filter or the filter dialog.