What is Lightroom mobile?

Adobe Lightroom mobile is a powerful photo editor for your smartphone or tablet. The app offers professional editing options that used to be available only on a computer. Whether you're on the go or relaxing on the couch at home, Lightroom mobile lets you edit your photos to perfection.

The free version of Lightroom mobile is surprisingly extensive. You get access to all basic editing tools and a large share of the advanced features. With a paid Creative Cloud subscription, you get extra features such as selective adjustments and cloud storage that syncs with the desktop version.

Download and set up Lightroom mobile

Download Lightroom for free from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Google Play Store (Android). Open the app and create an Adobe account or sign in with an existing account. You can also continue with Google or Facebook.

After you sign in, you see the home screen with your photo library. Lightroom can import photos from your camera roll, or you can shoot directly within the app. The built-in camera gives you more control than the standard camera app.

Import and organize photos

Tap the plus icon at the bottom right to add photos. Choose 'From Camera Roll' to import existing photos. Select one or more photos and tap 'Add'. Your photos now appear in your Lightroom library.

Organize photos into albums by long-pressing a photo, selecting it and choosing 'Add to Album'. Albums help you keep projects separate and make it easy to find specific photos again.

Basic edits in Lightroom mobile

Tap a photo to open it for editing. At the bottom you see the editing menu with various categories. Let's go through the most important ones.

Adjust light

Under 'Light' you'll find sliders for exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites and blacks. Exposure makes the whole photo lighter or darker. Highlights and shadows specifically adjust the light and dark parts.

Drag a slider to the right to increase and to the left to decrease. Double-tap a slider to reset it to zero. Experiment with the values to see how they affect your photo.

Edit color

The 'Color' section contains temperature, tint, vibrance and saturation. Temperature makes your photo warmer (more yellow) or cooler (more blue). This is perfect for correcting unnatural colors or creating a mood.

Vibrance boosts the intensity of muted colors without oversaturating skin tones. Saturation strengthens all colors evenly. Use vibrance for subtler adjustments and saturation for more dramatic effects.

Add effects

Under 'Effects' you'll find texture, clarity, dehaze and vignette. Texture emphasizes fine details and is great for landscapes and architecture. Clarity increases midtone contrast for a punchier image.

Dehaze is essential for misty or hazy photos. It cuts through fog and restores contrast and saturation. Vignette adds a dark or light edge around the photo to draw attention to the center.

Crop and straighten

Tap the crop icon (rectangle) to crop or rotate your photo. Drag the corners to crop, or use the aspect ratio picker for exact sizes. The 'Auto' button tries to straighten the horizon automatically.

With the rotation angle at the bottom, you rotate the photo in small steps for precise correction. This is essential for horizon correction in landscapes or for straightening architecture photos.

Use presets

Presets are predefined edits that you apply with a single tap. Lightroom includes default presets, and you can create or download your own. Tap 'Presets' in the editing menu to see the available options.

Presets are a great way to quickly apply a consistent style to multiple photos. If you've made an edit you like, turn it into a preset via the three-dot menu. That way you can apply the same look to future photos.

Advanced features

Selective adjustments

With selective adjustments you edit specific parts of your photo. Tap 'Selective' and choose a brush, linear gradient or radial gradient. Draw over the area you want to edit, then apply settings that affect only that area.

This is powerful for brightening faces, darkening a sky or saturating specific colors. This feature requires a paid subscription in the mobile app.

Healing tool

The healing tool removes unwanted elements from your photo. Tap the bandage icon and paint over a spot, blemish or distraction. Lightroom automatically replaces it with surrounding pixels. Adjust the brush size for precise work.

Export and share photos

When you're done editing, tap the share icon at the top right. Choose 'Export As' for full control over format and quality. You can share directly to Instagram, WhatsApp or other apps.

When exporting, you can set the image size and quality. For social media, the default quality is fine. For printing, choose the maximum size and highest quality.

Tips for better editing in Lightroom mobile

Edit in this order: crop, light, color, effects. This keeps you from having to redo adjustments. Always start subtle and increase the intensity gradually. Overdone edits rarely look professional.

Use the before-and-after preview regularly by tapping and holding the photo. This helps you judge whether your improvements are really improvements or whether you've gone too far.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lightroom mobile free?

Yes, Lightroom mobile has an extensive free version with most editing tools. Premium features such as selective adjustments, healing and cloud sync require an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription (about 12 euros per month).

What is the difference between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic?

Lightroom (without Classic) is the cloud-based version that syncs between mobile and desktop. Lightroom Classic is the traditional desktop software with local storage. Lightroom mobile works with the cloud version, not with Classic.

Can I use Lightroom presets on my phone?

Yes, you can import presets into Lightroom mobile. Download the preset file (DNG), open it in Lightroom mobile and copy the settings to save them as a preset. You can find plenty of free presets online.

Are my edits saved when I close the app?

Yes, Lightroom saves all your edits automatically and non-destructively. Your original photo stays unchanged, and you can always go back to the original or change adjustments. With a subscription, edits are also synced to the cloud.

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