Edit Lightroom Classic photos in Photoshop

Last updated on 21 Aug 2024

Lightroom Classic allows you to open and edit your photos in Adobe Photoshop, or another photo-editing application. Lightroom Classic uses Photoshop as the external editor if you have the application installed on your computer. You can also specify an external editor in Lightroom Classic preferences.

Try it in Adobe Lightroom Classic
Get in-app help, tips, and learn-resources within the Discover panel.

Open Lightroom Classic

When you open a photo from Lightroom Classic directly in Photoshop, you have several options to choose how you want to make an edit. You can edit the photo in its current format, or open it as a Smart Object. You can also merge a series of shots into a panorama, merge to HDR, or open two or more photos as one layered image in Photoshop. When you save edits to a photo in Photoshop, Lightroom Classic automatically imports the new photo into the catalog.

Watch this video to learn how to edit Lightroom Classic images in Photoshop.

To edit your photos using an external editor, you can follow the steps given below:

Note:

Photoshop 2025 Beta and later versions of Photoshop can only be accessed with Lightroom Classic version 13.5 and above.

Set or check your external editor.
- In Lightroom Classic, select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Lightroom Classic > Preferences (macOS). On MacOS, multiple versions of Ps and apps can run simultaneously.
- Select the External Editing tab.
  If Photoshop is installed on your computer, it appears as the default external editor.
- You can also change applications by selecting Application > Choose in the Additional External Editor section.
- See External editing preferences for more on the options in this dialog box.
The External Editing preferences window lets you designate Photoshop, or another editing application as an External Editor.

Tip:

After Installing Photoshop if the app doesn’t appear in Photoshop version dropdown, try opening the Photoshop app. This action signals Creative Cloud that the installation is complete
Select a photo to edit.
In the Lightroom Classic Library or Develop module, select one or more photos and choose one of the following:
- Photo > Edit In > Edit In Adobe Photoshop [version number]
You can also right-click on the photo and select Edit in.
Select Photo > Edit In and then the external editor you want to use.

Note:

See Open photos as Smart Objects in Photoshop, Open photos as Smart Objects Layers in Photoshop, Merge photos as panoramas in Photoshop, Merge photos to HDR in Photoshop, and Open photos as layers in Photoshop for more on those commands.

If you’re opening a camera raw file, Photoshop opens the photo directly.

If you’re opening a TIFF, JPEG, or PSD file, choose to open a copy of the photo with Lightroom Classic adjustments applied or open a copy of the original photo.

Choose how you want to open a TIFF, JPEG, or PSD file in Photoshop.
Edit in Photoshop.

Lightroom Classic opens your photo in Photoshop.

Perform your desired edits in that application, and when you’re ready, select File > Save.

See Open photos in Photoshop
Return to Lightroom Classic.

You can also switch back to Lightroom Classic. In the Library Grid view, a new version of your photo appears next to the original. The new photo contains the edits you made in Photoshop. The original photo is untouched.

Note:

When saving from Photoshop, be sure to turn on the Maximize Compatibility option so that Lightroom Classic can read the images. Photoshop automatically saves PSD files from Lightroom Classic with maximum compatibility.