Think of Lightroom presets as cheat codes for photo editing. These are not shortcuts, they are works of art that can transform your photos with personality.
Do you see Instagram posts with moody tones or crisp pastels and wonder to yourself, ‘How did they do that?’ Well, the answer is often in presets.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to find, use, and download free Lightroom presets without getting lost in tech lingo.
Step 1: Understand What a Lightroom Preset Is
A Lightroom preset is a set of options to add some nice functions to your photos. A preset is the advanced version of a saved combination of brightness, contrast, and tone for the colors and applying them with just one click instead of manually adjusting for long hours.
Let’s say you have a picture of a beach. One may look to make it sunny and bright, while another to give it a dramatic sunset feel.
The presets are for Adobe Lightroom Classic (desktop subscribers) or Adobe Lightroom Mobile (free with an Adobe account). Check that you’re downloading the one that matches your version.
Step 2: Find Reputable Sources
Free presets are all over the web, but not all of them are created equally. Little doubt some could be poorly made and even scammy. Here’s where to start:
Trusted Websites for buying Preset Pro: Presetpro and Photonify are known to offer Preset packs by professional photographers.
Freebie Sections on Preset Marketplaces: Explore free sections on sites like Creative Market or Etsy.
Connect with communities and groups on Facebook groups and Reddit forums where other photographers share their presets.
Many influencers and photographers offer presets to gain an audience. Check their bio links!
Bonus Tip: Read the comments or reviews of a file before downloading it to avoid shady files.
Step 3: Download the Presets
A majority of them are free presets that come in the form of a ZIP file .XMP or .DNG format. Here’s how to get them onto your device if these happen to be the steps that I have always been following to get my podcasts on my device.
Download Free Lightroom PresetsFor Mobile (Lightroom Mobile App):
- Download the ZIP file to your phone.
- Use open apps such as WinZip(Android) or iZip (iPhone) to extract the file.
- Look for .DNG files—these are your presets.
- In the Lightroom Mobile app, launch the app and import the .DNG file as you would import any regular photo.
For Desktop (Lightroom Classic):
- Unzip the ZIP file on your PC.
- Open Lightroom Classic.
- In the Develop Module, go to the Presets Panel and then import Presets.
- Select your .XMP files extracted folder, find your.XMP files, right-click it, and select the ‘Copy As Path’ option.
Step 4: Apply and Experiment
The real results appear at this stage. Launch a picture in Lightroom and access your presets directory. Clicking the new file will display the preset result. Modify the settings how you like since this stage allows you to personalize the results.
The best way to use this feature is to test all available saves before making a decision. Test different preset options to discover which one works best for each picture you edit in Lightroom.
Checkout:
100+ Snapseed QR Code Presets
Snapseed vs Lightroom
Step 5: Keep Things Organized
Arrange your preset downloads into separate folders based on visual styles you use such as Portraits of Landscapes. You save time by avoiding the manual search process when you edit your images.
Wrapping It Up
Free Lightroom presets are the easiest way to elevate your photos without diving into the deep end of photo editing.
Everyone enjoys getting access to goods without paying anything. Following this easy plan helps you capture beautiful photographs at your first attempt.
Choose your first preset download today. Your photos will start to tell stories by simply hitting a button or two.
Would you like me to develop a list of quality free preset websites or should we delve further into Lightroom functions?
