How to Use Lightroom Presets in Photoshop

March 21, 2024

Do you have a Lightroom preset that you want to use in Photoshop? In this tutorial, you'll learn how to use any Lightroom preset in Photoshop. The technique is fully nondestructive meaning that you can edit the settings anytime you like.

Step 1

First, you'll need to copy the Lightroom presets to the correct directory.

  • Macs: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings
  • Windows: C:\Users\[YOUR_USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings

Step 2

Open any photo into Photoshop.

Right-click on the layer and select "Convert to Smart Object".

Doing this will allow you to add the preset as a "Smart Filter" - you'll learn what it is later.

Step 3

Go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter.

Click on the Presets tab and you should find the Lightroom presets here. Select the preset that you want to apply but don't click OK yet.

Step 4

Go to the Basic tab. You'll find an Amount slider which you can adjust to change the preset opacity. Click OK when you're done adjusting the settings.

Important Note: Not all Lightroom presets have this feature. The preset must be made with profiles. The one that we're using is called Light and Airy.

Step 5

You're done! If you need to change the settings, doubleclick on the "Camera Raw Filter" text in the Layers panel.

If you do not see the Camera Raw Filter text, make sure that you've converted your layer into a Smart Object (step 1).

Leave a Reply to Roberto Pereira Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

7 comments on “How to Use Lightroom Presets in Photoshop”

  1. Why would you ever want to use LIGHTROOM presets in PHOTOSHOP. Your creativecloud account includes lightroom CC.

    1. Macs: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings
      Windows (Local User): C:\Users\[YOUR_USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings
      Windows (All Users): C:\ProgramData\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings

Tutorial Pulse
Get practical Photoshop and Lightroom tips and tricks to take your photos and designs to the next level.