What presets are and where to find them

A preset in Photoshop is a saved collection of settings — like color adjustments, filters, or brush shapes — that you can apply to your image with one click instead of adjusting each setting by hand. Presets save time when you want the same look across multiple photos or when you want to try a particular style without building it from scratch.

Presets come from three places: Adobe includes some built into Photoshop, you can download free or paid presets from websites like Creative Market or FilterGrade, and you can create your own once you understand how they work. Most presets you download come as a file with a .xmp, .lut, or .asl extension, depending on what type of preset it is.

The type of preset matters because different presets go in different folders. Lightroom presets (.xmp files) work differently from Photoshop adjustment presets, and brush presets (.abr files) are separate again. Before you download, check what the preset is designed to do — the description should tell you whether it's a Curves adjustment, a brush set, or a Camera Raw filter.

Key Takeaways

  • Presets are saved settings you can apply to photos in one click; they come as .xmp, .lut, .asl, or .abr files depending on their type.
  • To install presets, you either drag them into Photoshop's Presets folder or use Photoshop's built-in import menu, which varies slightly between Windows and Mac.
  • Adjustment presets (Curves, Levels, Hue/Saturation) appear in the Adjustments panel once installed, while brush presets appear in the Brushes panel.
  • You can create your own presets by adjusting an image the way you want it, then saving those settings as a preset for future use.
  • If a preset doesn't appear after installation, restart Photoshop and check that the file is in the correct folder for its type.

Installing adjustment presets on Windows

Most presets you download for Photoshop adjustments (like Curves, Levels, or Hue/Saturation) come as .xmp files. To install them on Windows, first locate your Photoshop Presets folder. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]\Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings\Presets. The AppData folder is hidden by default, so you may need to click View at the top of File Explorer and check "Hidden items" to see it.

Once you're in the Presets folder, create a new subfolder called "Adjustments" if one doesn't already exist. Drag your downloaded .xmp preset files into this Adjustments folder. Close Photoshop completely if it's open, then restart it. The presets should now appear in your Adjustments panel on the right side of the screen.

If you prefer not to navigate folders manually, you can also import presets directly in Photoshop. Go to Edit > Presets > Import Presets, then browse to your downloaded preset file and select it. Photoshop will place it in the correct folder automatically.

Installing adjustment presets on Mac

On Mac, the Presets folder is in a different location. Open Finder and press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog. Paste this path: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [Version]/Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings/Presets. The tilde (~) represents your home folder.

Create an "Adjustments" subfolder if it doesn't exist, then drag your .xmp preset files into it. Restart Photoshop, and the presets will appear in your Adjustments panel. Alternatively, use Edit > Presets > Import Presets in Photoshop to let the app handle the placement for you.

Installing brush presets

Brush presets come as .abr files and go in a different location than adjustment presets. On Windows, navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [Version]\Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings\Presets\Brushes. On Mac, use the Go to Folder path ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [Version]/Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings/Presets/Brushes.

Drag your .abr files into the Brushes folder, restart Photoshop, and the brushes will appear in your Brushes panel. You can also import brushes by opening the Brushes panel, clicking the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right of the panel, and selecting "Import Brushes" to browse for your file.

Using presets once they're installed

After installation, adjustment presets appear in the Adjustments panel. To use one, first select the layer you want to adjust. Then open the Adjustments panel (Window > Adjustments if it's not visible), find the preset you want, and click it. Photoshop applies all the saved settings to that layer at once.

You can adjust a preset after applying it — the settings are not locked. If you applied a Curves preset but want to tweak the shadows, click on the Curves adjustment in your Adjustments panel and modify the curve. This is useful when a preset is close to what you want but needs fine-tuning for your specific image.

Brush presets work the same way. Select the Paintbrush tool, open the Brushes panel, and click the brush preset you want to use. The brush shape, size, and texture are now active. You can still adjust the brush size with the bracket keys ([ and ]) or change the opacity in the tool options.

Creating your own presets

Once you've adjusted an image the way you like it, you can save those settings as a preset for future use. Make your adjustments using any of Photoshop's adjustment layers (Curves, Levels, Hue/Saturation, etc.). Then right-click on the adjustment layer in the Layers panel and select "Save as Preset". Give it a descriptive name like "Warm Sunset" or "High Contrast B&W", and Photoshop saves it to your Adjustments folder automatically.

For brushes, create or modify a brush using the Brush Settings panel, then go to Edit > Presets > Save Brush. Name it and save. The brush is now available in your Brushes panel whenever you open Photoshop.

Troubleshooting presets that don't appear

If you've installed a preset but it doesn't show up in Photoshop, first check that you put it in the correct folder for its type. Adjustment presets go in Adjustments, brushes go in Brushes, and Camera Raw presets go in a separate Camera Raw folder. If the file is in the right place, close Photoshop completely and restart it — Photoshop only reads the Presets folder when it launches.

If a preset still doesn't appear, verify that the file extension matches what Photoshop expects. Adjustment presets should be .xmp, brushes should be .abr, and Camera Raw presets should be .xmp as well. If a downloaded file has a different extension or no extension at all, the website may have packaged it incorrectly, and you may need to contact the creator or try downloading again.

On Windows, make sure you've enabled viewing hidden files (View > Hidden items in File Explorer), because the AppData folder is hidden by default and easy to miss. On Mac, the Library folder is also hidden, so use Command+Shift+G to navigate to it rather than trying to find it in Finder manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use presets from Lightroom in Photoshop?

Lightroom presets and Photoshop presets are not interchangeable. Lightroom presets are designed for Lightroom's workflow and won't work in Photoshop. However, if you own both programs, you can recreate a Lightroom look in Photoshop by manually adjusting the same settings, or you can export your edited photo from Lightroom and open it in Photoshop.

What if I download a preset as a .zip file?

A .zip file is a compressed folder. Right-click it and select "Extract All" (Windows) or double-click it (Mac) to unzip it. Inside, you'll find the actual preset files (.xmp, .abr, etc.). Move those files to the correct Presets subfolder in Photoshop, not the .zip file itself.

Can I share presets I create with other people?

Yes. Your saved presets are stored as .xmp or .abr files in your Presets folder. You can copy these files and send them to someone else, who can then place them in their own Presets folder. They'll need to restart Photoshop to see them.

Do presets work on all images the same way?

No. A preset applies the same settings to every image, but the result depends on the image's original colors, exposure, and contrast. A preset that looks great on a bright outdoor photo might look too dark on an indoor shot. You can always adjust a preset after applying it to match your specific image.

Where do Camera Raw presets go?

Camera Raw presets (.xmp files) go in a separate folder from adjustment presets. On Windows, navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings. On Mac, use ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings. Restart Photoshop, and they'll appear in the Camera Raw Filter dialog.