lightroom Presets Free Download

In the world of photography, editing plays a pivotal role in transforming good images into extraordinary works of art. Adobe Lightroom, one of the most popular photo editing tools, has revolutionized this process with its user-friendly interface and powerful features. Among these features, Lightroom presets stand out as a game-changer for photographers and enthusiasts alike. But what exactly are Lightroom presets, and why are they essential for anyone who loves photography?

What Are Lightroom Presets?

Lightroom presets are pre-saved configurations of editing adjustments in Adobe Lightroom. Think of them as a “recipe” for achieving a specific look or style in your photos. These presets allow you to apply a set of edits, such as adjustments to exposure, contrast, saturation, and color grading, with just one click. Instead of tweaking each photo manually, presets help streamline the editing process by automating the application of these settings.

For example, if you love the bright and airy aesthetic often seen in wedding photography, a preset designed for this style can instantly give your photos that dreamy, ethereal look. Similarly, if you’re aiming for a moody or cinematic feel, a different preset can apply the perfect tone and mood to your images.

Types of Lightroom Presets 

Lightroom presets come in a variety of styles and purposes, each tailored to different photography needs and artistic visions. Whether you’re a landscape enthusiast, a portrait artist, or someone who loves experimenting with creative edits, there’s a preset designed for you. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the types of Lightroom presets you can explore.

Presets Based on Photography Style

Different types of photography call for specific editing techniques. These presets cater to various photography genres, making them versatile and user-friendly.

• Portrait Presets
  • Focus on enhancing skin tones, reducing blemishes, and adding subtle contrasts for a polished look.
  • Ideal for family photos, professional headshots, and selfies.
  • Examples: Soft tones, high-key brightness, natural color enhancement.
• Landscape Presets
  • Bring out the vibrancy of natural elements like skies, greenery, and water.
  • Often include settings for increased saturation, enhanced clarity, and dynamic range.
  • Examples: Golden hour, deep blues, dramatic skies.
• Wedding and Event Presets
  • Designed to add a romantic or cinematic touch, often with soft, dreamy tones.
  • Perfect for capturing the emotion and elegance of special occasions.
  • Examples: Bright & airy, moody and warm, vintage elegance.
• Street Photography Presets
  • Add urban grit and mood to your images with high contrast, sharp textures, and dramatic shadows.
  • Examples: Black-and-white film, muted urban tones, cinematic contrast.

Presets by Editing Theme

Thematic presets are focused on creating specific aesthetics or moods, regardless of the subject matter.

• Moody and Cinematic Presets
  • Create dramatic effects with muted colors, deep shadows, and enhanced contrasts.
  • Commonly used for storytelling or artistic photography.
• Bright and Airy Presets
  • Perfect for creating a fresh, cheerful vibe with soft highlights and pastel colors.
  • Often used in lifestyle and social media photography.
• Vintage and Retro Presets
  • Mimic the look of old film cameras with grainy textures, faded colors, and warm tones.
  • Examples: Sepia, Polaroid-inspired, faded film.
• Vibrant and Colorful Presets
  • Enhance saturation and add punchy contrasts to make colors pop.
  • Ideal for travel, food, and fashion photography.

Seasonal and Holiday Presets

Capture the essence of different seasons or holidays with these specialized presets.

• Winter Wonderland Presets
  • Cool tones with enhanced whites and subtle blues for snow-filled scenes.
• Autumn Vibes Presets
  • Warm oranges, browns, and reds bring out the fall foliage.
• Summer Glow Presets
  • Bright, sunny tones with vibrant greens and yellows.
• Holiday-Themed Presets
  • Festive color palettes, including reds, greens, and golds, for Christmas or other celebrations.

Mobile vs. Desktop Presets

Presets are often optimized for the platform you use, whether it’s on-the-go editing or desktop workflows.

• Mobile Presets
  • Designed specifically for the Lightroom Mobile app.
  • Easy to use for influencers, travelers, and casual photographers.
  • Perfect for quick edits directly on your smartphone.
• Desktop Presets
  • Built for Adobe Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC on computers.
  • Offer more advanced customization and flexibility.
  • Ideal for professional photographers who require detailed edits.

Niche-Specific Presets

Specific presets are tailored for particular needs or artistic styles.

• Black and White Presets
  • Focus on contrasts and textures to create timeless monochrome images.
• HDR Presets
  • Mimic the high dynamic range effect to bring out details in both shadows and highlights.
• Minimalist Presets
  • Clean, subtle edits for a simple and modern aesthetic.
• Food Photography Presets
  • Highlight textures, enhance colors, and add vibrancy for appetizing shots.

 Customizable and DIY Presets

• User-Created Presets
  • Photographers can create their own presets by saving frequently used editing settings.
  • Allows for complete personalization to suit individual styles.
• Adjustable Presets
  • Many presets are designed to be flexible, enabling users to tweak specific settings like brightness or saturation for better results.

How to Download and Install Lightroom Presets 

Once you’ve downloaded your presets, you can install them into Lightroom on your desktop. The process is slightly different for Lightroom Classic vs. Lightroom CC, so here’s how to do it for each:

Installing Presets in Lightroom Classic

1. Open Lightroom Classic
   Launch Lightroom Classic on your computer.
2. Go to the Develop Module
   Navigate to the “Develop” module from the top-right corner of the interface.
3. Access the Presets Panel
   On the left side of the Develop module, you’ll see the “Presets” panel. Click the “+” icon at the top of the panel.
4. Choose “Import Presets”
   From the dropdown menu, select “Import Presets”.
5. Select the Downloaded Presets
   A file dialog box will open. Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the presets. Select the .xmp or .lrtemplate files (or the entire folder of presets) and click “Import.”
6. Use the Preset
   After installation, the preset(s) will appear in the “Presets” panel. Click on any preset to apply it to your selected photo.

Installing Presets in Lightroom CC (Cloud-Based Version)

1. Open Lightroom CC
   Launch Lightroom CC on your computer.
2. Open the Edit Panel
   You can edit a photo by selecting it and clicking the Edit icon (a slider bar) on the right side.
3. Navigate to the Presets Panel
   At the bottom of the edit panel, you’ll see the “Presets” tab. Click on it.
4. Click the “…” (More Options) Button
   At the top-right of the Presets panel, click on the three dots icon.
5. Choose “Import Presets”
   Select “Import Presets” from the menu.
6. Select the Downloaded Files
   Navigate to your downloaded preset files and select them. These presets will automatically be added to Lightroom CC.
7. Apply the Preset
   After installation, select any preset from the panel to apply it to your image.

How to Install Lightroom Mobile Presets

Installing presets on the Lightroom mobile app is also easy, but it requires a few additional steps. Unlike the desktop version, Lightroom mobile doesn’t allow you to import files directly.

Installing Lightroom Presets on Mobile (iOS and Android)

1. Download the Preset Files
   Download the preset files to your mobile device. If they came in a ZIP folder, ensure they are unzipped. You’ll usually find files with a .xmp extension.
2. Transfer Presets to Your Mobile Device
   If you downloaded the presets on your computer, you can transfer them to your phone using Dropbox, Google Drive, email, or any other file transfer method.
3. Import the Presets into Lightroom Mobile
   • Open Lightroom on your mobile device and select any photo.
   • Tap the edit icon (the slider icon).
   • Swipe to the presets section.
   • Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner and choose Import Presets.
   • Navigate to the folder containing the .xmp files and select them to import.
4. Use the Preset
   After importing, your presets will appear under the Presets panel in Lightroom mobile. Tap on any preset to apply it to your image.

Top Free Lightroom Presets to Try in 2025 

As we step into 2025, the world of photography continues to evolve, and so does the demand for beautiful, high-quality edits that are easy to apply. Lightroom presets are a game-changer for both professional photographers and hobbyists, helping to save time and create stunning, consistent edits with just one click. Whether you’re new to Lightroom or looking to refresh your collection, here’s a curated list of the top free Lightroom presets to try in 2025. These presets will help you enhance your photos with minimal effort and elevate your editing game.

Classic Film Presets

Film-style presets have seen a resurgence. They offer a nostalgic, vintage feel to digital photos and recreate the aesthetic of old-school film photography, giving images a soft, dreamy look.

• Key Features:
  • Soft color tones and grainy textures.
  • Warm, faded hues for a retro or analog look.
  • Great for portrait, landscape, and lifestyle photography.
• Best For: Adding a timeless, artistic touch to your photos.
• Where to Find: Look for free film presets on platforms like PresetLove or Photonify.

Bright and Airy Presets

Bright and airy presets are designed to give your images a clean, light, and cheerful appearance. They boost highlights and soften shadows, resulting in photos that feel fresh and uplifting.

• Key Features:
  • Lightens shadows and boosts brightness.
  • Soft pastel tones that make your images feel airy and light.
  • Perfect for portraits, lifestyle shots, and wedding photography.
• Best For: Photographers looking for a clean, minimal aesthetic with a lot of light.
• Where to Find: Adobe’s Official Preset Library and FilterGrade often offer free versions.

Moody and Dark Presets

For those who love a more dramatic, cinematic look, moody and dark can transform your photos into works of art with deep contrasts, shadow enhancements, and darker tones.

• Key Features:
  • Increased contrast and darkened shadows.
  • Rich, muted color tones that evoke a dramatic atmosphere.
  • Ideal for creating storytelling imagery, such as urban photography, portraits, or nature shots in dim light.
• Best For: Creating a cinematic, atmospheric vibe with rich, deep colors.
• Where to Find: Free moody presets can often be found on Creative Market and PresetLove.

Vintage and Retro Presets

Vintage and retro presets bring a nostalgic charm to your photos by adding warm tones, soft contrasts, and faded effects. These presets give your images a sense of history and an old-school vibe.

• Key Features:
  • Soft, warm tones with a touch of sepia or faded color.
  • Adds grain, light leaks, and imperfections for an authentic film look.
  • Ideal for food photography, fashion, and portraiture.
• Best For: People who want to capture a retro, Instagram-worthy aesthetic.
• Where to Find: Websites like PresetLove and Photonify feature a selection of free vintage presets.

Black and White Presets

Classic black-and-white presets remain one of the most timeless and powerful editing styles. These presets focus on contrast, textures, and the mood of the photo, converting your color images into stunning monochromatic art.

• Key Features:
  • Strong contrasts and deep blacks with balanced highlights.
  • Emphasizes shadows and textures.
  • Perfect for portraits, architecture, street photography, and landscapes.
• Best For: Photographers who want to evoke a sense of drama, elegance, or nostalgia.
• Where to Find: Free black-and-white presets are available on Lightroom Presets and Adobe Lightroom’s Marketplace.

 Warm and Cozy Presets

These presets create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your images, making them feel cozy, comfortable, and homely. They often enhance golden tones and soften the light to give your photos a “snug” aesthetic.

• Key Features:
  • Warm color tones and soft contrasts.
  • Adds a “golden hour” glow to images.
  • Ideal for home, interior, lifestyle, and outdoor photography.
• Best For: Creators who want to add a welcoming, feel-good vibe to their photos.

Where to Find: Many preset bundles on PresetLove and FilterGrade include free, warm, and cozy presets.

Benefits of Using Lightroom Presets

Benefit	Description
Time-Saving	Lightroom presets apply a pre-defined look with a single click, drastically reducing the time spent editing each photo.
Consistency	Presets allow photographers to maintain consistent color grading and style across multiple photos, ensuring a uniform aesthetic.
Easy to Use	Even beginners can use presets to create professional-looking edits without in-depth knowledge of Lightroom’s advanced tools.
Customization	Presets can be fine-tuned to suit individual preferences, allowing users to adjust settings such as exposure, contrast, and saturation.
Creative Freedom	Using presets as a base, photographers can experiment with different styles and creative edits, pushing the boundaries of their artistic vision.
Efficiency for Large Projects	Presets are ideal for handling large sets of photos (e.g., wedding or event photography) where a consistent look is needed across all images.
Learning Tool	New photographers can learn how different editing adjustments affect an image by experimenting with different presets and analyzing the changes they make.
Professional Results	Presets, when used correctly, can help achieve high-quality edits that are visually appealing and polished, comparable to professional photographers’ results.

Conclusion

ightroom presets have become an essential tool for both professionals and amateurs alike. The ability to enhance images quickly and consistently, without the need for extensive manual adjustments, has made presets a game-changer in the photo-editing world. Whether you’re working with a large batch of photos or aiming to develop a cohesive style across your portfolio, presets save time and ensure a polished look across all your images.

One of the greatest advantages of using Lightroom presets is their ability to maintain consistency. Photographers often strive for a signature style, and presets allow them to apply the same look to all their photos with a single click. This is particularly helpful for projects such as weddings, events, or product photography, where uniformity is key. Moreover, presets offer the flexibility to customize and fine-tune settings according to personal preferences, giving photographers creative freedom without the need to start from scratch every time.

For beginners, Lightroom presets also serve as an excellent learning tool, helping them understand the impact of different settings such as exposure, contrast, and color grading. By experimenting with various presets, photographers can quickly grasp how adjustments affect the final image and begin to develop their unique style.