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Set preferences for working in Lightroom Classic

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  1. Lightroom Classic User Guide
  2. Introduction to Lightroom Classic
    1. What's new in Lightroom Classic
    2. Lightroom Classic system requirements
    3. Lightroom Classic | Common Questions
    4. Lightroom Classic Key Concepts
    5. Lightroom Classic tutorials
    6. Feature summary | Lightroom CC 2015.x/Lightroom 6.x releases
  3. Lightroom and Adobe services
    1. Creative Cloud Libraries
    2. Using Adobe Stock in Creative Cloud apps
  4. Lightroom for mobile, TV, and the web
    1. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for mobile and Apple TV | FAQ
    2. Sync Lightroom Classic with Lightroom ecosystem
    3. Photoshop family of mobile apps
  5. Import photos
    1. Import photos from a camera or card reader
    2. Import photos from a folder on a hard drive
    3. Import photos automatically
    4. Import photos from Photoshop Elements
    5. Import photos from a tethered camera
    6. Specify import options
    7. Set import preferences
    8. The Filename Template Editor and Text Template Editor
  6. Workflows
    1. Apply Masking in photos
    2. Export and save your photos as JPEGs
    3. Export and watermark your photos
    4. Import your photos
    5. Adjustment Brush: the basics
    6. Adjustments with the Tone Curve
    7. Advanced video slideshows
    8. Control white balance
    9. Create a contact sheet
    10. Enhance your workflow with Lightroom Classic
  7. Workspace
    1. Workspace basics
    2. Set preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
    3. Display the Library on a second monitor
    4. Personalize identity plates and module buttons
    5. Watermark your photos in Lightroom Classic
    6. Color management
  8. Viewing photos
    1. View photos
    2. Browse and compare photos
    3. Set Library view options
    4. Share photos for comments and feedback
    5. Smart Previews
  9. Manage catalogs and files
    1. Lightroom Classic catalog FAQ
    2. How Lightroom Classic catalogs work
    3. Create and manage catalogs
    4. Back up a catalog
    5. Locate missing photos
    6. Create and manage folders
    7. Manage photos within folders
  10. Maps
    1. Work with the Map module
  11. Organize photos in Lightroom Classic
    1. Face recognition
    2. Work with photo collections
    3. Group photos into stacks
    4. Flag, label, and rate photos
    5. Use keywords
    6. Metadata basics and actions
    7. Find photos in the catalog
    8. Work with video in Lightroom Classic
    9. Advanced metadata actions
    10. Use the Quick Develop panel
  12. Process and develop photos
    1. Develop module basics
    2. Create panoramas and HDR panoramas
    3. Flat-Field Correction
    4. Correct distorted perspective in photos using Upright
    5. Improve image quality using Enhance
    6. Work with image tone and color
    7. Masking
    8. Apply local adjustments
    9. HDR photo merge
    10. Develop module options
    11. Retouch photos
    12. Cure red eye and pet eye effects
    13. Use the Radial Filter tool
    14. Use the enhanced Spot Removal tool
  13. Export photos
    1. Export files to disk or CD
    2. Export photos from Lightroom Classic
    3. Publish photos online
    4. Export to hard drive using publish services
    5. Presets for export, and other settings
  14. Work with external editors
    1. External Editing preferences
    2. Open and edit Lightroom Classic photos in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements
  15. Slideshows
    1. Create slideshows
    2. Slideshow module panels and tools
    3. Specify the slide layout
    4. Add overlays to slides
    5. Play and export slideshows
  16. Print photos
    1. Print module basics
    2. Print module layouts and templates
    3. Work with print job options and settings
  17. Photo books
    1. Create photo books
  18. Web galleries
    1. Create web galleries
    2. Use the Web module panels and tools
    3. Work with web gallery layouts
    4. Work with web gallery templates and settings
    5. Preview, export, and upload web photo galleries
  19. Keyboard shortcuts
    1. Keyboard shortcuts

You can set preferences to change the Lightroom Classic user interface.

Note:

If you reset your preferences without noting your current catalog's name and location, it can appear that your catalog has disappeared when you restart Lightroom Classic. Before you reset your preferences, refer to Recover catalog and images after resetting preferences, which contains steps to avoid this confusion.

Open the Preferences dialog box

  • On Windows, choose Edit > Preferences.
  • On macOS, choose Lightroom Classic > Preferences.

Restore preferences to default settings

Before you begin

Presets

When you attempt to restore Preferences and the Store presets with your catalog option is selected, Lightroom Classic will not point to the presets stored with the catalog. It may appear as a result, that you've lost your presets but they are still stored with the catalog. 

To resolve this, do one of the following:

  • Disable Store presets with your catalog. If you've already restored Preferences, then enable this setting.
  • Copy the contents in the Lightroom Settings folder to the following folder:
    • macOS:  Macintosh HD/Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Camera Raw/Settings
    • Windows:  C:\users\<user name>\appdata\roaming\Adobe\Camera Raw\Settings

Plugins and Plugin Settings

Plugins might go missing after one restores Preferences. To avoid this, store the plugins in the following folder:

  • macOS: Macintosh HD/Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules
  • Windows: C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Modules

Publish plugin settings do not reset as they are stored with the catalog, however, any other plugin settings or presets will be restored to default. Any missing plugin will need to be added to Lightroom Classic after restoring Preferences.

Use any one of the following methods to restore Lightroom Classic preferences to their default settings:

Method 1: Use keyboard shortcut

  1. Quit Lightroom Classic.

  2. macOS: Press and hold the Shift + Option keys.

    Windows: Press and hold the Shift + Alt keys.

  3. While holding down the keys, launch Lightroom Classic. The following dialog box appears:

    Restore Lightroom Classic preferences dialog
    (Windows) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

    Click Yes.

    Reset Lightroom Classic preferences dialog
    (macOS) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

    Click Reset Preferences.

Method 2: Manually delete the preferences file

  1. Navigate to the following location:

    macOS: /Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/

    Windows: Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\

    Note:

    macOS: The user Library file is hidden by default. For temporary access to the user Library file, press Option and choose Go > Library in the Finder.

    Windows: The AppData folder is hidden by default. To view it, choose Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Folder Options. In the Advanced area of the View tab, make sure that Show Hidden Files and Folders is selected. Then click OK.

  2. Drag the following files to the Recycle Bin on Windows or to the Trash on macOS:

    macOS: com.adobe.LightroomClassicCC7.plist

    Windows: Lightroom Classic CC 7 Preferences.agprefs

  3. Restart your computer and launch Lightroom Classic.

Note:

For more information, see Preference file and other file locations | Lightroom Classic.

Store presets with your catalog

By default, the presets and templates that you create in Lightroom Classic and your catalog are stored at different locations within the user account folder path on your computer. To know the default locations on macOS and Windows, see 'Presets and templates' and 'Catalog' locations in Preference file and other file locations | Lightroom Classic.

Presets preferences in Lightroom Classic
Presets preferences in Lightroom Classic

If you use a specific catalog on multiple computers, you can choose to store your presets and templates with that catalog. To do so:

  1. Choose Lightroom Classic > Preferences  on macOS or  Edit  > Preferences on Windows.
  2. In the Preferences dialog, go the Presets tab and select Store Presets With This Catalog.
Caution:

When you enable the Store Presets With This Catalog option, Lightroom Classic doesn't copy or move your existing presets and templates within the associated catalog folder. Only the new presets and templates that you subsequently create are stored in the 'Lightroom Classic Settings' folder within the catalog folder. Clicking the Show Lightroom Classic Presets Folder (Preferences dialog > Presets tab) now takes you to the catalog folder on your hard drive instead of the default location.

Any new presets or templates that you now create after selecting the Store Presets With This Catalog option will be stored in a new folder named 'Lightroom Classic Setting' created within the associated catalog folder.

The advantage of using this option is that the presets and templates are available in Lightroom Classic when you launch the associated catalog on another computer. These presets and templates include Develop presets, Export presets, External Editor presets, Filename presets, Filter presets, FTP presets, Keyword sets, Label sets, Local Adjustment presets, Metadata presets, Print templates, text templates, Watermarks, and Web templates.

See Julieanne Kost's blog post on Storing Presets and Templates with a Catalog.

Reset presets to their original settings

  1. In the Presets Preferences, click any of the Restore buttons in the Lightroom Classic Defaults area.

Restore prompts you chose not to display

  1. In the General Preferences, click Reset All Warning Dialogs in the Prompts area.

Change the interface font size or the panel end marker

  1. In the Interface Preferences, choose options from the Panels menus.

Change the language setting

Lightroom Classic can display menus, options, and tool tips in multiple languages.

  1. Choose Edit > Preferences on Windows or Lightroom Classic > Preferences  on macOS.

  2. In the General tab, choose a language from the Language pop-up menu.

  3. Close Preferences and restart Lightroom Classic.

The new language takes effect the next time you start Lightroom Classic.

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