What's the difference between general, layer, tool, AI, special effects, and brush presets?
FollowWhat is a global preset?
What is a tool preset?
Tool presets make global changes to an image. They can be stacked and should be applied alone or after using a general preset. Tool presets change one preset setting, but keep all other previous changes constant. Tool presets are also known as post add presets. You can adjust tool preset "strength" to taste via the Amount Slider.
What is a layer preset?
Layer presets make global changes to an image. They create a solid mask, layer, or color wash over an image. They can be stacked and should be applied alone or after using a general preset. Note: Layer presets are not to be confused with Photo Overlays which are incompatible with Lightroom.
What is an AI Adaptive or Special Effects preset?
AI Adaptive & Special Effects presets apply localized changes as non-destructive Masks via the latest Masking tool. AI Adaptive presets apply our specialized settings to specific zones of your image as detected by Adobe Sensei AI (isolating subject, background, sky, and various "Person" zones). Special Effects presets may or may not feature AI Adaptive masking, but are applied as unique light, global corrective, or atmospheric masks. They can be stacked, are amount-slider compatible, and can be applied alone or after using a general preset. Note: Special Effects presets are not to be confused with Photo Overlays which are incompatible with Lightroom. AI Adaptive presets are not brush/local adjustment presets and are applied directly from the presets panel.
What is a local adjustment brush?
Brushes make local changes to an images. By comparison, presets make global changes to an image. Brushes may be used in addition to any type of preset, although we recommend using them after application of a preset. Brushes are only compatible with Adobe Lightroom Classic, so they are not compatible with Lightroom (CC, cloud-based) or Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw (ACR). This compatibility is established by Adobe.
Local Adjustment Brush Presets are not found in the same location as general, layer, and tool presets. Rather the Local Adjustment Presets are located as Effect options for the Local Adjustment Brush:
In the latest versions of Lightroom Classic this brush is found under the "Masking Tool":
Once "Brush" is selected, you can find installed Local Adjustment brushes under "Effect:" options:
In earlier versions of Lightroom Classic this brush is found as it's own icon underneath the Histogram, and installed local adjustment brushes are available under "Effect:" options:
For some great examples of brushes in action, check out the following posts over on our blog:
How to use the Local Adjustment Brush
Using Brushes as a last step in Retouching