If you aren’t familiar with Adobe software, figuring out how to use Lightroom presets to edit your Instagram photos can sound intimidating.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be!
Thanks to a recent update to Lightroom CC, you can now edit your Instagram photos like a pro on your mobile device.
In this post, we explain how to edit photos in Lightroom CC mobile and round up a few of our favorite Lightroom presets to take your photos from good to great:
Why Lightroom Presets Can Help You Upgrade Your Instagram Photos
Lightroom presets are one-click photo editing tools that can dramatically speed up your workflow and give your Instagram photos a professional look.
While mastering Adobe Lightroom on desktop takes time and practice, using Lightroom presets on the mobile app is a quick and easy way to take your Instagram photos to the next level.
Since many presets are offered in “packs” or collections, you can choose from a selection of filters for each of your photos while still maintaining a cohesive look on your Instagram feed.
This year, many popular Instagrammers are even coming out with their own preset collections, making it easy for you to achieve the same look and feel as your favorite influencers!
As we’ve said before, creating a cohesive Instagram aesthetic for your feed is super important if you want to attract more followers and engagement. Your Instagram followers are much more likely to convert into fans when they know exactly what they can expect from your feed, and continue to see the same consistent, quality content from your account!
Want to learn more about creating a great Instagram aesthetic? Watch our free course on How to Create Your Instagram Aesthetic, and learn everything you need to know in 30 minutes!
How To Use Lightroom Presets on Your Mobile App
Previously, Lightroom presets were only accessible on the Lightroom desktop application — but that all changed recently!
Last month, Adobe announced the launch of preset and profile syncing across all devices, meaning you can (finally) use Lightroom presets on your mobile device!
The long-awaited feature release is a game-changer for photo editors, making it easier than ever before to edit and share on-the-go.
Lightroom is by far one of the most powerful photo editing tools out there. Using Lightroom presets on your mobile device can help you create high-quality Instagram Stories content and give your Instagram feed a serious upgrade.
Ready to get started? Here’s how to use Lightroom presets to edit your photos on your mobile device:
First, make sure you have the latest update of Lightroom CC desktop (version 1.4 or later) and Lightroom mobile (version 3.3.0 or later) and sign in using your Adobe ID.
Once your presets have been installed in Lightroom CC on your desktop (your purchased presets will come with instructions), they can be synced with the Lightroom CC mobile application.
Once your presets are installed, make sure that Lightroom CC is synced by clicking on the cloud icon.
Your presets should now be synced with Lightroom mobile!
Now when you open your Lightroom CC mobile app, you should find your presets and recently added photos (you may need to wait a few minutes for it to sync with your desktop):
First, browse through your Lightroom photo library and select the photo you’d like to edit. Once you’ve selected your image, select Edit from the dropdown menu, then tap the Preset button on the bottom menu to open a list of your presets.
Next, just click on the preset of your choice. If you’re not happy with the effect, just tap the “undo” arrow at the top of the screen or choose a new preset to be applied instead.
To apply your preset, click the “✓”, or press the “X” to close the preset menu without saving.
If you’d like to make some tweaks to your preset selection, you can then adjust the photo settings in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. For example, by selecting “Light,” you can adjust the exposure, contrast and highlights, shadows and other common photo settings to make any final tweaks to your photo.
Finally, click “Export” to save your photo.
Now you’re ready to add your beautifully-edited images to your media library, Instagram Stories, or where ever you’d like to share them!
You can also use ’s visual Instagram planner to help plan the look of your Instagram feed after you’ve edited your photos!
Just drag and drop your photos onto the visual planner, rearrange them to see how they’ll look in your Instagram feed, and then save to schedule them!
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7 Lightroom Presets to Take Your Instagram Feed to the Next Level
Ready to give your Instagram feed an upgrade?
We’ve rounded a few popular Lightroom presets that will help you create a more cohesive Instagram aesthetic and upgrade your Instagram marketing strategy:
#1: DoYouTravel’s Cool & Crisp Presets
Jack Morris has truly set the standard for travel bloggers with his constant stream of travel inspo and dreamy destinations. His feed is nothing short of #travelgoals, taking his 2.8M followers along for his adventures:
You can buy his Master Collection, which includes all of his presets, or shop individual preset packs depending on what look you’re going for. He includes a variety destination-specific collections, including Tahiti, Greece, Morocco, Bali, and more to seamlessly fit all of your travel photos!
Aesthetic: Light and brightHow to get it: Shop the DoYouTravel presets here.
#2: Elsa’s Wholesome Life Colorful & Vibrant Presets
Nobody makes healthy-living look better than plant-powered food blogger, Ellie Bullen. Her Instagram feed is filled with vivid colors, dreamy hues, and bright whites that will have breaking out your blender in no time:
This year, Elsa collaborated with DoYouTravel’s Jack Morris to create a collection of ten of her favorite presets that she uses to edit her vibrant food photos, flatlays, and tropical adventures. If you’re hoping to achieve her signature aesthetic, look no further.
Aesthetic: Bright with vivid colorsHow to get it: Shop the Elsa’s Wholesome Life presets here.
#3: Jaci Marie’s Dreamy Pastel Presets
Popular Instagram influencer, Jaci Marie, is well-known for her Instagram feed filled with dreamy pastels and pink hues. Her Pastel Pack includes five presets with a light and creamy-feel to help you copy her signature look.
Jaci’s preset pack includes a classic moody black and white, cool and warm filters for whatever type of scene you’re shooting!
Aesthetic: Dreamy, pink, pastelsHow to get it: Shop Jaci Marie desktop and mobile presets here.
#4: Phil Chester’s Clean & Simple Presets
Created by photographer Phil Chester, this collection of presets is great for Instagrammers looking to keep things simple. The presets are described as “avoiding trends” and focuses on clean and simple earth tones.
Aesthetic: Minimalist, earthyHow to get it: Shop the Phil Chester preset collections here.
#5: Ty French’s Warm & Vibrant Presets
The TYFRENCH01 collection includes all 3 presets that popular blogger Ty French uses on his Instagram feed. The presets are extremely versatile and can be tweaked to work with many different types of photos.
The Ty French preset pack will give your Instagram feed a much more “refined” look, adding contrast, depth, and a warm glow to your photos.
Aesthetic: Warm and contrastedHow to get it: Shop the Ty French desktop and mobile preset collections here.
#6: Claire Huntsberger’s Bright & Beachy Presets
Photographer Claire Huntsberger created a set of presets you may recognize from the popular California bloggers she shoots, like Payton Sartain, Fancis Lola, and Cassie Brown:
Huntsberger perfectly captures the “California-look” with her light and bright photos with perfectly muted tones.
Aesthetic: Warm and contrastedHow to get it: Shop Claire Huntsberger’s presets here.
#7: Maddy Corbin’s Minimalist Presets
Blogger Maddy Corbin also released a set of presets this year, including 5 ready-to-go (and affordable!) presets that work well with a variety of images.
The collection is sure to brighten up your feed and, according to Corbin, will “take your photos and give them just the right amount of magic as you first perceived them.”
Aesthetic: Bright and glowing, orange and pink huesHow to get it: Shop Maddy Corbin desktop and mobile presets here.
Learning how to use Lightroom presets a great way to attract new followers, grow your engagement, and make your brand shine on Instagram — and now it’s easier than ever. This summer, take your images to the next level by upgrading your photo editing strategy!
Need some extra help creating a great Instagram aesthetic? Watch our free course on How to Create Your Instagram Aesthetic, and learn everything you need to know in 30 minutes!
