How to Install & Use Lightroom Presets on Your iPad

The Lightroom CC Mobile app has come a long way in recent years, and you can now edit your photos on your iPad just as easily as you can on your computer! All of your favourite editing tools are available in the Lightroom CC Mobile app, and you can also install all of your favourite presets. There are a couple of different methods you can use to install your Lightroom presets on your iPad. Keep reading to learn how!

Method 1: Install Lightroom Presets on Mobile Using the Lightroom CC Desktop App

If you have a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, the easiest way to get your presets on your iPad is to simply sync your presets between your desktop and mobile apps. If you do not have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, scroll down to Methods 2 & 3!

Before you can sync your presets, you will have to install them on the Lightroom CC Desktop app. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Select “Import Profiles and Presets” from the “File” menu in the top bar of Lightroom CC.

2. Navigate to the folder where your Lightroom Presets are saved. Most of the time, Lightroom presets should be in the “Settings” folder (found under Library > Application Support > Adobe > Camera Raw > Settings) which folder will open automatically when you click the “Import Profiles and Presets” button.
3. Select the presets you want to import, and then click “Import”.
4. Your presets are now installed! If they do not appear right away, try restarting Lightroom CC.

Now that your presets are installed on your desktop, they should automatically sync to your mobile device. All you need to do is make sure you have the Lightroom CC Mobile app downloaded to your iPad and you are logged in using the same Adobe Creative Cloud account you are using on your desktop.

If your presets do not sync automatically, double check that they are synced by clicking the cloud icon in the top right corner of the screen. This will tell you if your files have been synced, and you can also initiate a sync if it did not happen automatically.

If you do not have a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, you can still easily install Lightroom presets on your iPad! Follow the instructions below!

Method 2: Add Presets as Photos.

The first step is to unzip the folder that contains your presets. It is best to do this on a computer, as most iPads do not have the ability to unzip folders.

To unzip the folder on your computer, simply double click if you have a Mac, or if you have a PC, right click and select “Extract All”.

Once you have unzipped your preset folder on your computer, you need to transfer your presets to your iPad. To do this, you can save them to a cloud storage drive, like Dropbox or Google Drive. Upload the files to the cloud storage from your computer, and then you will be able to access your files on your iPad.

If you do not have access to a computer, you can download the app WinZip to your iPad. This app will allow you unzip folders on your iPad and access all of your preset files.

After unzipping the folder, save all of your presets to your iPad. You can save your presets to either the Files app on your iPad, or to your camera roll.

Now you are ready to install your presets!

Open the Lightroom Mobile app, and tap the three dots icon at the top right corner of the screen.

Choose the “Add Photos” option. Then, select the location where you saved your presets.

Select all of the presets you would like to install, and then click “Add Photos”. Lightroom will then install the files and your presets will be ready to go!

Method 3: Create Presets.

Follow the steps in the first method to get the preset files on your iPad (or saved to your Dropbox/Google Drive).

Next, select the DNG file for the preset you want to install and open it as if it were a photo you were going to edit. When you do this, the screen may appear blank, but all of that preset’s settings are present.

Once you have opened that photo, tap the three dots icon in the top right corner of the screen, and select “Create Preset”.

Now give your preset a name! Name it so that you will always know which style/settings will be applied when you are using that preset. When you are done, click the check mark in the top corner of the screen, and you will have created your first preset!

Repeat these steps for each of the presets you want to install.

Editing in Lightroom CC on your iPad

Where to Find Your Presets

Once you have installed your presets on your iPad, you can find them on the right hand side of the screen, by clicking the icon of the two overlapping circles. After clicking that icon, a menu will open with all of your presets!

Using Presets on your iPad

All you have to do to use your presets is click on them. Selecting a preset from the list will apply it to the photo so you can see how it looks. You can try out multiple presets until you find the one you like best, and then press “Done” to close the preset menu.

You will have access to all the same tools you have on the desktop version of Lightroom CC.

In the edit menu (the top button in the side bar) you will find categories including: Light, Colour, Effects, Detail, Optics, and Geometry. Within these menus you will find the tools you need to adjust your preset settings and make other adjustments to your photo in order to achieve the exact result you want!

You will also see icons for cropping, healing, and other selective edits like graduated filters, radial filters, and the brush tool.

Lightroom CC Mobile is a very powerful mobile editing app, and you have the convenience of being able to edit your photos from your iPad!