If there is one thing that kills editing momentum faster than a slow hard drive, it is a preset panel that looks like a junk drawer. I have been on both sides of this. Early in my commercial work, I let presets pile up in the default “User Presets” folder until scrolling through them felt like digging through a bin at a thrift store. Now, after fifteen years of processing everything from e-commerce product shots to full ad campaign retouches, I treat preset organization the same way I treat my backup drives: with obsessive structure and zero tolerance for chaos.
That shift started with paying closer attention to how experienced educators approach the problem. In this KelbyOne tutorial, Watch the full tutorial on YouTube, instructor Matt Kloskowski walks through exactly how to install presets correctly, avoid the most common import mistakes, and build a folder system that actually holds up over time. It is built around Lightroom 5, but the logic applies to modern Lightroom versions just as well. Here is the full walkthrough, expanded with the context I wish I had when I was building my first preset library.
Step 1: Understand Version Compatibility Before You Install Anything
Lightroom 4 and 5 preset compatibility being discussed
Before touching the import button, know what you are working with. When Lightroom moved from version 3 to version 4, core settings in the Basic panel changed enough that a preset applied in one version could produce a noticeably different result in the other. That is the kind of surprise that costs you time mid-deadline.
The good news Kloskowski confirms is that presets built in Lightroom 4 carry over cleanly to Lightroom 5, and Lightroom handles the upgrade automatically during installation. The practical takeaway: if you are migrating between versions in the same generation, do not panic. But if you are jumping across a major architectural shift, always test a preset on a sample image before rolling it out across a batch.
Step 2: Unzip Your Preset Files Before Importing
Zip file versus extracted preset file shown
This is the step that trips up almost everyone the first time. Presets downloaded from the internet almost always arrive inside a ZIP archive, especially when a creator bundles multiple files together. Lightroom cannot read a ZIP. It will not give you a helpful error message either, it will just refuse to recognize the file.
Unzip the archive first using your operating system’s built-in tool or any extraction utility. Once the files are extracted, you will see the actual preset files, typically with an .lrtemplate or .xmp extension depending on the Lightroom version. Only then are you ready to import.
Step 3: Right-Click the Correct Folder to Import Into
Right-click menu open on a preset folder in the Presets panel
Open the Develop module and locate the Presets panel on the left side. Right-click on the folder where you want the new preset to live. This part matters more than it looks. Whichever folder you right-click on is where Lightroom will place the imported preset. Right-click the wrong folder and you will spend the next five minutes hunting for where your preset disappeared to.
Once you right-click, choose “Import” from the context menu. Navigate to your unzipped preset file, select it, and confirm. If you have multiple presets to bring in at once, you can select all of them in the file browser before clicking Import. Lightroom will pull them all in together and drop them into the folder you targeted.
Step 4: Move Presets Between Folders by Dragging
Preset being dragged from one folder to another in the panel
After import, Lightroom lets you drag presets from one folder to another directly inside the Presets panel. This is useful when you realize you imported something into the wrong group, or when you are doing a periodic reorganization of your library. Just grab the preset and drag it over the destination folder. It will drop in and sort itself alphabetically within that folder.
Presets always sort alphabetically, so if you want a specific preset to appear near the top of a folder, prefix the name with a number or a letter like “A” or “01.” I rename presets when I import them if the original name is vague, something like “Preset 1” tells me nothing after six months.
Step 5: Create New Folders to Organize by Category
New folder creation via right-click menu in the Presets panel
The default destination for any imported preset is the “User Presets” folder, which Lightroom creates automatically. If you never build your own folders, everything accumulates there. Right-click anywhere in the Presets panel and choose “New Folder” to create a named group. Kloskowski demonstrates making a dedicated black and white folder, which is exactly the kind of categorical thinking that scales well.
A folder structure based on subject matter or style works better than one based on where presets came from. I keep folders for skin tone corrections, product backgrounds, high-contrast editorial looks, and desaturation treatments. When I sit down to edit, I know exactly which drawer to open.
Step 6: Create Folders Directly From the Preset Save Dialog
Preset save dialog showing folder list and new folder option
When you save a new preset by clicking the plus icon in the Presets panel, Lightroom opens a dialog that shows your existing folder list and gives you the option to create a new folder on the spot. You do not have to close out and right-click first. Build the folder and save the preset in a single step.
This is particularly useful when you are mid-edit and have landed on a look you want to save. Name the preset something descriptive, put it in the right folder immediately, and move on. Naming it well in the moment saves a reorganization session later.
What I Would Add From My Own Experience
The tutorial covers the mechanics cleanly, but there is one layer it does not go into: naming conventions. In a studio environment where multiple people might access the same Lightroom catalog, or where you are handing off work to another editor, preset names need to communicate intent without explanation. I use a simple format: Category - Descriptor - Intensity. Something like “BW - Matte - Heavy” or “Color - Warm Skin - Subtle.” Anyone opening that catalog knows what they are looking at without needing a guide.
I also export my entire preset library as a backup every time I do a major Lightroom update. It takes two minutes and has saved me twice when a Lightroom installation did not carry presets over correctly. Go to Preferences, find the Presets tab, and use “Show Lightroom Presets Folder” to locate the folder. Copy it somewhere safe. Treat it like a catalog backup, because functionally, it is one.
The single most important thing this tutorial reinforced for me is that folder structure is not optional if you want a fast editing workflow. A well-organized preset panel is the difference between reaching for a tool and searching for it. Get the import process right, build your folders intentionally, and your preset library becomes an asset instead of overhead.
Watch the full tutorial on YouTube to see Kloskowski walk through each step live inside Lightroom.
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