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Export photos from Lightroom Classic

Last updated on 14 October 2024

Lightroom Classic User Guide
Introduction to Lightroom Classic
1. What's new in Lightroom Classic
2. Lightroom Classic system requirements
3. Lightroom Classic | Common Questions
4. Lightroom Classic Key Concepts
5. Lightroom Classic tutorials
6. Set Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
7. Reset Preferences for working in Lightroom Classic
Workspace
1. Workspace basics
2. Display the Library on a second monitor
3. Personalize identity plates and module buttons
4. Watermark your photos in Lightroom Classic
5. Color management
Import photos
1. Specify import options
2. Set import preferences
3. Import photos from a camera or card reader
4. Import photos from a folder on a hard drive
5. Import photos automatically
6. Import photos from Photoshop Elements
7. Import photos from a tethered camera
8. The Filename Template Editor and Text Template Editor
Organize photos in Lightroom Classic
1. Face recognition
2. Work with photo collections
3. Group photos into stacks
4. Flag, label, and rate photos
5. Use keywords
6. Metadata basics and actions
7. Find photos in the catalog
8. Work with video in Lightroom Classic
9. Advanced metadata actions
10. Use the Quick Develop panel
Process and develop photos
1. Develop module basics
2. Create panoramas and HDR panoramas
3. Flat-Field Correction
4. Correct distorted perspective in photos using Upright
5. Improve image quality using Enhance
6. Work with image tone and color
7. Masking
8. Apply local adjustments
9. HDR photo merge
10. Develop module options
11. Retouch photos
12. Cure red eye and pet eye effects
13. Use the Radial Filter tool
14. Adjustments with Lens Blur
15. Edit and Export in HDR
16. Remove Tool
Viewing photos
1. View photos
2. Browse and compare photos
3. Set Library view options
4. Share photos for comments and feedback
5. Smart Previews
Export photos
1. Export files to disk or CD
2. Export photos from Lightroom Classic
3. Publish photos online
4. Export to hard drive using publish services
5. Presets for export, and other settings
Work with external editors
1. External Editing preferences
2. Open and edit Lightroom Classic photos in Photoshop
Manage catalogs and files
1. How Lightroom Classic catalogs work
2. Create and manage catalogs
3. Back up a catalog
4. Locate missing photos
5. Create and manage folders
6. Manage photos within folders
Maps
1. Work with the Map module
Photo books
1. Create photo books
Slideshows
1. Create slideshows
2. Slideshow module panels and tools
3. Specify the slide layout
4. Add overlays to slides
5. Play and export slideshows
Print photos
1. Print module basics
2. Print module layouts and templates
3. Work with print job options and settings
Web galleries
1. Create web galleries
2. Use the Web module panels and tools
3. Work with web gallery layouts
4. Work with web gallery templates and settings
5. Preview, export, and upload web photo galleries
Keyboard shortcuts
1. Keyboard shortcuts
Content Authenticity
1. Content Authenticity in Lightroom Classic
Lightroom and Adobe services
1. Creative Cloud Libraries
2. Using Adobe Stock in Creative Cloud apps
Troubleshooting
1. Fixed Issues
2. Known Issues
Technical Support
1. Performance Guidelines
2. Technical issues
  1. GPU Issues
    1. Troubleshoot graphics processor (GPU) and graphics driver issues | Lightroom Classic
    2. Lightroom Classic GPU FAQ
  2. Startup Issues
  3. Rendering Issues
    1. Troubleshoot issues with Develop module
  4. Stability Issues
    1. Troubleshoot crash or freeze in Lightroom Classic
  5. Miscellaneous Issues
    1. FAQ | Color in Lightroom Classic
    2. Lightroom desktop and mobile apps unavailable to Education memberships | Kivuto
3. Workflow Issues
  1. Catalog Issues
  2. Sync Issues
    1. Lightroom Classic sync FAQ

In Lightroom Classic, you don't save photos in the traditional sense. Instead, you export photos. You can export photos in various file formats that are suitable for various uses.

For example, you can:

Export photos as JPEGs to share online or as TIFFs for a print publication.
Export to a folder on a computer or to an attached or networked drive, such as a Flash drive.
Burn the photos to a disc after exporting to share them on a CD or DVD.

When you export photos, you create new files that include Develop module adjustments and other changes you’ve made to the photos’ XMP metadata. You can choose a photo’s filename, color space, pixel dimensions, and resolution. You can also save export settings as presets for reuse.

In addition, you can use the Publish Services panel to export and upload JPEG photos directly from Lightroom Classic to photo-sharing websites. You can also upload layouts from the Book module to Blurb.com. See Post photos online using publish services.

Export photos

To export photos from Lightroom Classic to a computer, hard drive, or Flash drive, follow these steps:

Select photos from the Grid view to export. See Select photos in the Grid view and the Filmstrip.
Choose File > Export, or click the Export button in the Library module. Then, choose Export To > Hard Drive in the pop-up menu at the top of the Export dialog box.

The top of the Export dialog box indicates how many photos will be exported. Expandable panels provide options to rename files, select a file format, and more.

To export to a Flash drive, choose Export To > Hard Drive, and in the Export Location panel, choose Export To > Specific Folder. Then, click Choose and navigate to the Flash drive.
(Optional) Choose an export preset. Lightroom Classic has several presets to make it easier to export photos to disk in specific file formats. For example, the For Email preset generates a 72-dpi JPEG image and automatically sends the email from Lightroom Classic. If desired, select a preset from the left side of the Export dialog box and skip to step 6. See Export photos using presets.
Specify a destination folder, naming conventions, and other options in the various Export dialog box panels.

For example, use the File Settings panel to choose a format for your exported photos — JPEG, PSD, TIFF, PNG, DNG, or the original format, — and choose a color space. See File settings. Enable HDR output to save in HDR.

In the Image Sizing panel, specify how to size the image — dimensions and resolution. See Image sizing.

For information on settings in the other panels, see Export files to disk or CD.

The File Settings and Image Sizing panels in the Export dialog box
(Optional) Save your export settings. To save your export settings for reuse, click Add at the bottom of the Preset panel on the left side of the Export dialog box. See Save export settings as presets.
Click Export.

Saving HDR photos

Once you've finished editing a photo in HDR mode, select File > Export > File Settings > Select the file format from the drop-down menu > Enable HDR Output checkbox and then select Export.

Supported non-Raw HDR file formats include:

AVIF
JPEG XL
JPEG
TIFF
PSD
PNG

Gain Map provides a solution for a consistent and adaptive display of HDR images. To learn more about Gain Map, click here. To include Gain Map in the exported image, select Maximize Compatibility.

HDR file formats with Gain Map support:

AVIF
JPEG XL
JPEG
TIFF

Export HDR setting — Enable HDR Output and Maximize Compatibility checkbox

Recommendations

Use AVIF or JPEG XL for sharing and web applications, such as online web galleries.
Use TIFF or PSD for workflows where additional HDR work is required, such as compositing.

Note:

Converting a raw photo to DNG preserves all the raw information and enables the DNG to be edited in HDR mode too.

AVIF and JPEG XL

The new AVIF and JPEG XL format offers several advantages over JPEG, including higher bit depth support and smaller file sizes, making it a great choice for HDR photos.

When the HDR Output feature is enabled, Lightroom Classic 13 and later supports opening and saving photos using AVIF, JPEG or JPEG XL.

When you save HDR images in JPEG, it reads the screen used and renders SDR or HDR images accordingly.

Note:

AVIF and JPEG XL are new formats and therefore, support across apps and platforms is limited.

Multi-Batch Export

You can perform multiple export jobs for the same set of images simultaneously. When you select multiple presets and export a photo, Lightroom Classic exports one image for every preset selected.

If you want to export your photos in a specific preset, you can select and export the preset. For more information, see Export photos.

To export your photos using multi-batch export, follow the steps below:

Select photos from the Grid view to export. See Select photos in the Grid view and the Filmstrip.
Choose File > Export, or click the Export button in the Library module. Then, choose Export To > Hard Drive in the pop-up menu at the top of the Export dialog box.
Choose the presets, in which you want to export your photos, by selecting the checkbox in front of the preset names. Once you select a checkbox for a preset, all the settings in the Export dialog box panels are disabled.

If you want to see or update the export settings of a preset, clear all the checkboxes, and click the preset for which you want to update the settings.

Click Batch Export.

Note:

You cannot select Email and CD/DVD export presets and the checkboxes for these presets are disabled.
In the Batch Export dialog box, do one of the following:
- Select destinations for each preset individually if you have not defined them earlier.
- Select Choose Parent Folder to specify a main folder for all the presets. Selecting the parent folder overrides any destinations saved in a preset and changes the Destination option for each preset to Put in Subfolder.
You can also change the Custom Text and Start Number options for the selected presets from this dialog box if you have specified these options while creating the preset.
Select Choose Parent Folder to specify a main folder for all the presets

Select individual destinations for each preset if not defined earlier
Click Export.

Note:

If there is any conflict in file naming while performing multi-batch export, the name of the preset is appended to the name of the exported file.

FAQ

When you select one or more export presets in the Export dialog, Post-Processing section and other sections created by third-party plug-in are hidden in the Export Settings. However, the export settings defined for Post Processing and other sections from third-party plug-ins in the export preset are respected and images are exported accordingly.

Clicking the preset name does not select the checkbox, it updates the export settings in the Export dialog based on the settings defined in the selected preset.

Selecting the checkbox for one or more presets removes the selection from the preset name to avoid confusion with existing preset selection behavior.

Selecting the checkbox for a preset does not update its export settings in the Export dialog. You need to click the preset name to see its export settings.

Have a question or an idea?

If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in the Adobe Lightroom Classic community. We'd love to hear from you!

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