Applying Develop adjustments to other photos



As you make adjustments to a photo in the Develop module or in the Quick Develop panel of the Library module, Lightroom keeps a record of the settings. You can copy these settings and apply them to different versions of the photo and to other photos selected in the Filmstrip.

    Copy and paste the current photo’s Develop settings

    In the Library and Develop modules, you can copy and paste individual settings from the current photo to other photos in the Filmstrip.

    1. To copy the current photo’s Develop settings, do one of the following:

      • In the Develop module, click the Copy button to the left of the toolbar, choose Edit > Copy, or choose Settings > Copy Settings. Select the settings you want and click Copy.

      • In the Library module, choose Photo > Develop Settings > Copy Settings. Select the settings you want and click Copy.

      Note: The Edit > Copy command in the Library module (Mac OS only) is designated for copying text and metadata. In the Develop module, the Edit > Copy command copies selected text in a panel or copies the Develop settings of a selected photo.
    2. Select one or more photos in the Filmstrip that you want to apply the settings to and do one of the following:

      • In the Develop module, click the Paste button, choose Edit > Paste, or choose Settings > Paste Settings.

      • In the Library module, choose Photo > Develop Settings > Paste Settings.

      Note: The regular Paste command in the Library module is designated for pasting copies of text and metadata.

    Apply Develop settings using the Painter tool

    1. In the Grid view of the Library module, select the Painter tool in the toolbar, and then choose Settings from the Paint menu in the toolbar.
      Note: If the Painter tool does not appear in the toolbar, choose Painter from the toolbar menu.
    2. Choose a Develop preset, such as Creative - Aged Photo, from the pop-up menu in the toolbar, and then click or drag across photos to apply the setting.
    3. To disable the Painter, click the circular well in the toolbar. When disabled, the Painter icon is visible in the toolbar.

    Synchronize settings with multiple photos

    Whether you are working in the Develop or the Library module, you can use the Synchronize command to apply selected Develop settings of the current photo to other selected photos in the Filmstrip. (The current photo is indicated by a brighter white border in the Filmstrip thumbnail.)

    Note: When only one photo is selected in the Filmstrip, the Sync Settings command is not available. In the Develop module, the Sync button becomes the Previous button; in the Library module, the Sync Settings button is inactive.

    Shift-click to select the other photos in the Filmstrip to synchronize with the current photo, and then do one of the following:

    • In the Develop module, click the Sync button, or choose Settings > Sync Settings. Select the settings to copy and click Synchronize.
    • In the Develop module, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the Sync button to change it to the Auto Sync button. Then, drag sliders or make adjustments to the current photo, and the same adjustments are automatically made to the other selected photos. Click the Auto Sync button to exit Auto Sync mode.
    • In the Library module, click the Sync Settings button, or choose Photo > Develop Settings > Sync Settings. Select the settings to copy and click Synchronize.
      Any settings that you may have previously selected or deselected in the Copy Settings dialog box are also set by default in the Synchronize Settings dialog box.

    Apply settings of previously selected photo

    You can copy all the settings of the photo you last selected in the Filmstrip (even if you didn’t make any adjustments to it) and apply them to the currently selected photo. Do one of the following:

    • In the Develop module, click the Previous button to the right of the toolbar, or choose Settings > Paste Settings From Previous.
    • In the Library module, choose Photo > Develop Settings > Paste Settings From Previous.
      Note: When multiple photos are selected in the Filmstrip, the Previous button in the Develop module turns into the Sync button.