If you’re looking to quickly important presets in Lightroom CC, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’m going to show you a quick way to import Lightroom presets–so that you’re able to get new preset packs up and running as quickly as possible.
I’ll go through the method, step-by-step.
And when you’re done, you’ll be able to import literally any presets you need.
Let’s get started.
Lightroom Preset Importing: The Basics
To import presets in Lightroom CC, you’ll first need at least one preset you’d like to add to your Lightroom preset collection.
Where can you find presets?
Well, you can grab them from photographers and other vendors online.
You can also make your own presets (in which case you’ll want to know this method in case you import and export your presets from computer to computer).
In today’s tutorial, I’ll be using my own presets, all of which are part of my Magnificent Macro Editing Kit (and are available for purchase here).
But note that these are no different from standard Lightroom presets, and will import in the exact same way.
Step 1: Download the Presets You Wish to Import
Before you can import any Lightroom presets, you’ll first need to make sure they’re present on your computer’s hard drive.
So make sure your presets are downloaded; I recommend just putting them on your desktop, though you’re free to save them wherever you want.
Step 2: Open Lightroom and Navigate to the Develop Module
Next, you’ll need to open Lightroom and head over to the Develop module.
The Develop module is where you apply nearly all edits within Lightroom:
And it’s where your preset collections are located:
This is also where your presets will appear when they’re imported.
By the way…
Do you want a simple checklist you can follow for gorgeous results in Lightroom?
To discover my 8-step Lightroom workflow that ensures jaw-dropping edits, just click here:
Step 3: Click the ‘+’ Icon and Select Import Presets
This is where the Lightroom preset import actually begins.
You’ll need to click on the ‘+’ icon, located here:
Then select Import Presets from the fly-out menu:
A Browse window will pop up, like this:
Step 4: Find and Select Your Presets in the Browse Window
Within the Browse window, navigate to the spot where you saved your presets.
Note that the presets will be saved in an .XMP file.
You’ll need to find the presets themselves, not just the folder in which the presets are located.
Then select all the Lightroom presets you’d like to import (you can select multiple by Control/Command + clicking).
Finally, click Import.
Step 5: Organize the Presets in Your Preset Panel
Once you’ve imported the presets into Lightroom, you’ll see them in the Presets panel:
You can leave them where they are, or you can drag and drop them into different preset groups (though within these groups, the presets will automatically be arranged alphabetically).
You can also rename a preset by right-clicking on one and selecting Rename in the fly-out menu:
Alternatively, if you want to create a new preset group, simply right-click on any preset, then select Move:
Next, expand the drop-down menu, and select New Group:
Give it a name, and then hit Create:
And you’re done!
How to Import Presets in Lightroom CC: The Next Steps
Now that you’ve finished this article, you should know all about importing presets in Lightroom.
And you should be able to confidently import any new presets you obtain.
So go ahead and do some editing. Presets are a very powerful way to enhance your images.
But don’t stop there!
If you’re looking to keep take your photo editing to new heights, I recommend you sign up for my email list, where I send all sorts of Lightroom tips, tricks, and secrets that I don’t share on my blog.
I’ll also send you my Lightroom workflow checklist, free of charge:
The 8-Step Lightroom Workflow to Transform Your Images
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