Lightroom Presets Not Showing Up? Your Comprehensive 2026 Troubleshooting Encyclopedia!

Lightroom Presets Not Showing Up in 2026? Here’s the Fix (Classic, Desktop, Mobile)

If your Lightroom presets not showing up after you downloaded a new pack, you’re not crazy—and you’re definitely not alone. “Missing Lightroom presets” usually comes down to one of a few practical issues: importing the wrong file type (XMP vs DNG), installing into the wrong Lightroom app (Classic vs Desktop), hidden preset groups, or a sync/import step that didn’t fully finish. Let’s break it down and get your presets visible again—fast.

If you want a reliable set that works across lots of photo types (portraits, travel, weddings, lifestyle), start with the 1000+ Master Lightroom Presets Bundle and browse the AI-Optimized Lightroom Presets for Mobile and Desktop collection. And if you’re building a toolkit, you can Buy 3, Get 9 FREE when you add 12 items to your cart.

Rule of thumb: If Lightroom can’t “see” your presets, it’s almost always because they weren’t imported through the correct method for your version—or the preset group is hidden.

The 60-Second Checklist (Do This First)

Confirm which app you’re using: Lightroom Classic vs Lightroom (Desktop/Cloud) vs Lightroom Mobile.
Confirm file type: .XMP (modern) vs .DNG (often for mobile) vs .LRTEMPLATE (older Classic).
Import through the app (don’t just drag files into random folders).
Check hidden preset groups (Classic can hide entire sets).
Restart Lightroom after importing.
Cloud users: confirm you’re signed into the same Adobe ID and sync is on.

Step 1: Make Sure You’re in the Right Lightroom App

This is the sneakiest “not my presets” trap: you import into Lightroom Desktop (cloud) but you’re looking inside Lightroom Classic—or you installed for Classic and you’re checking Mobile.

Lightroom Classic: “Develop” module, Presets panel on the left.
Lightroom (Desktop/Cloud): “Edit” view, Presets button/panel.
Lightroom Mobile: Presets inside the editing tools, often imported as a file (XMP/DNG) depending on the pack.

Quick win: if you’re unsure, open your preset pack folder. If it contains .lrtemplate, that’s usually older and intended for Classic. If it contains .xmp, it’s modern and works with Classic and Desktop. If it contains .dng, it’s often intended for Mobile import workflows.

Step 2: Import Presets the “Official” Way (Not by Moving Files Around)

Lightroom Classic (Best Method)

Open Develop.
In the Presets panel, click the + icon and choose Import Presets.
Select the .xmp files (or a .zip if your pack supports it), then import.
Restart Lightroom Classic.

If you want Adobe’s official step-by-step, see Adobe’s Lightroom Classic presets FAQ (import and manage presets).

Lightroom Desktop (Cloud)

Open any photo and go to Edit.
Open the Presets panel.
Use the menu (three dots) and select Import Presets or Import Profiles & Presets.
Choose the .xmp files (or compatible zip), then import.
Restart Lightroom Desktop.

Adobe’s official reference: Install third-party presets and profiles in Lightroom (Adobe Help).

Lightroom Mobile

Mobile is where confusion explodes, because packs may include XMP (cloud sync route) or DNG (create preset from a sample photo). If your presets are meant to sync from desktop, import them into Lightroom Desktop first (same Adobe ID) and let them sync.

Adobe’s official mobile import guide: Import presets in Lightroom for mobile (Adobe Help).

If your pack is DNG-based, this walkthrough helps: How to install DNG preset files in the Lightroom Mobile app.

Step 3: Check if Your Presets Are Hidden (Classic “Manage Presets”)

Sometimes the presets are installed correctly—but Lightroom Classic is simply hiding the group. This happens a lot after updates or when you’ve installed many packs over time.

Go to Develop > Presets panel.
Click the + icon in the Presets panel.
Select Manage Presets.
Make sure the relevant preset groups are checked.

Pro tip: if your pack imported into a new folder name (like “Moody Tones 2026”), scroll the preset list—sometimes it’s there, just lower than your usual favorites.

Step 4: File-Type Fixes (XMP vs LRTEMPLATE vs DNG)

Why XMP is the “safe” modern format

.xmp presets are the modern standard and generally behave best across Lightroom Classic, Lightroom Desktop, and Adobe Camera Raw. If your pack includes XMP, import those first.

What to do with .lrtemplate

.lrtemplate is older. Lightroom Classic can still handle many older presets, but if you’re on a modern version and the pack is very old, it may not appear or may convert weirdly. If you only have LRTEMPLATE files, look for an updated XMP version from the creator, or try importing through Classic (not Desktop).

DNG “presets” on mobile

Many mobile packs include DNG photos that “contain” the look. You import the DNG, open it, then create a preset from its settings. It works—but it’s a different workflow than importing XMP.

Step 5: When Presets Import but Still Don’t Show

If you imported correctly and still see nothing, these are the most common real-world causes:

Import didn’t finish: the pack was still zipped, or the download was incomplete.
You imported into the wrong Lightroom: Classic vs Desktop confusion.
Preset panel didn’t refresh: a full restart fixes this more than people expect.
Sync is paused: Desktop/mobile presets won’t appear until syncing completes.

I’ve had this happen mid-deadline—once after importing a pack for a wedding reception edit. I restarted Lightroom Classic and the entire folder appeared instantly. It felt silly, but it saved the night.

Make Presets Work Better Once They’re Visible (So They Don’t Look “Wrong”)

Sometimes the real complaint isn’t “they’re missing”—it’s “they show up, but they look awful.” That’s usually because presets assume a starting point. If exposure/white balance is far off, the preset will look too heavy or too weird.

The 60-second “normalize first” workflow

Exposure: set your subject brightness first (especially faces).
White balance: get skin/whites close before the creative look.
Highlights/Shadows: recover extremes lightly (don’t overdo it).
Enable lens corrections if you rely on consistent geometry and vignetting.
Apply the preset once, then tweak (don’t preset-hop).

When I pushed a film-style preset on a sunset travel set, this “normalize first” habit made the look feel consistent across the whole album—less time fighting the preset, more time finishing the story.

Comparison: Presets vs Manual Editing (When to Use Which)

Presets are best when you want speed, consistency, and a repeatable style. Manual editing is best when a photo needs rescue work (mixed lighting, extreme exposure issues, color casts) before it’s ready for a look.

Use presets when: you’re batch-editing weddings, events, travel, portraits, or social content and you want a consistent vibe quickly.
Edit manually first when: the image has hard mixed lighting (warm indoor + cool window), heavy color casts, or clipped highlights/shadows.
Hybrid sweet spot: do a quick baseline (exposure/WB), apply a preset, then make tiny finishing tweaks (skin, greens, highlights).

If you want an easy, genre-spanning starting point for that hybrid workflow, the 1000+ Master Lightroom Presets Bundle is designed to cover a wide range of scenes without feeling like one “same look” on everything.

Advanced Fixes (Only If Nothing Else Works)

Update Lightroom

Major Lightroom updates can change how presets and profiles are handled. If you’re behind on updates, import behavior can get inconsistent. Update via Creative Cloud, then import again using the in-app method.

Reset preferences (last resort)

If Lightroom is behaving strangely across the board (not just presets), resetting preferences can help—but it will reset custom settings. If you go this route, back up first, then re-import presets cleanly.

Rebuild your “preset library” so this never happens again

Keep a master folder on your drive: “Preset Library (Original ZIPs)”
Keep extracted XMP/DNG folders separate: “Preset Library (Ready to Import)”
Name folders clearly by use case: “Portrait Film,” “Wedding Clean,” “Street Moody,” “Travel Teal.”

When You Need Help Fast

If you’re stuck mid-project and want quick help, you can reach the team here: AAAPresets Contact. It’s also smart to keep a couple of “safe” packs installed so you always have a working baseline—like a clean portrait set and a cinematic travel set.

Closing Note (And a Simple Way to Upgrade Your Workflow)

Missing presets are frustrating—but the fix is usually straightforward: import the correct file type through the correct Lightroom app, ensure preset groups aren’t hidden, and restart so Lightroom refreshes its list. Once they’re visible, your real speed boost comes from pairing presets with a quick baseline (exposure + white balance) so the look lands cleanly every time.

If you’re ready to build a “covers-everything” toolkit, explore the 1000+ Master Lightroom Presets Bundle, add a couple of focused packs like AI-Optimized Home Studio Clean Lightroom Presets or AI-Optimized Vintage Portrait Lightroom Presets, and browse the AI-Optimized Lightroom Presets collection. Remember: you can Buy 3, Get 9 FREE when you add 12 items to your cart—perfect for testing a few looks and keeping only what fits your style.

FAQs

Why are my Lightroom presets not showing up after import?

Most commonly, the presets were imported into the wrong Lightroom app (Classic vs Desktop), the file type isn’t compatible (wrong XMP/DNG workflow), or the preset group is hidden in “Manage Presets.” Restarting Lightroom after import also helps refresh the preset list.

Should I move preset files into folders manually?

It’s safer to import presets using Lightroom’s built-in Import option. Manual file moves can work, but they’re easier to misplace and can lead to duplicates or presets not being recognized until a full restart.

What’s the difference between XMP presets and DNG presets?

XMP presets are the modern standard and are imported directly into Lightroom. DNG “presets” are usually sample photos you import (often on mobile) and then create a preset from its settings.

Why do presets show on desktop but not on Lightroom Mobile?

This usually means cloud sync hasn’t completed, sync is paused, or you’re signed into a different Adobe ID on mobile. Importing into Lightroom Desktop first (then syncing) is often the smoothest method for mobile access.

My presets show up, but they look different on every photo—why?

Presets assume a starting point, so exposure, white balance, camera profiles, and RAW vs JPEG differences can change the result. Do a quick baseline (exposure + WB) before applying the preset, then make small finishing tweaks.

Written by Asanka — creator of AAAPresets (10,000+ customers).