Reset Preferences

Last updated on 20 June 2024

Learn how to restore your preferences to default settings.

One way to troubleshoot issues in Lightroom Classic is to reset preferences. By resetting preferences, you start Lightroom with a clean slate, which can often resolve various issues or simply give you a fresh start with your settings.

Restore preferences to default settings

Presets

When you attempt to restore Preferences and the Store presets with your catalog option are selected, Lightroom Classic will not point to the presets stored with the catalog. As a result, it may appear that you've lost your presets, but they are still stored with the catalog.

To resolve this, do one of the following:

Disable Store presets with your catalog. If you've already restored Preferences, then enable this setting.
Copy the contents in the Lightroom Settings folder to the following folder:
- macOS: Macintosh HD/Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Camera Raw/Settings
- Windows: C:\users\<user name>\appdata\roaming\Adobe\Camera Raw\Settings

Plugins and Plugin Settings

Plugins might go missing after one restores Preferences. To avoid this, store the plugins in the following folder:

macOS: Macintosh HD/Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules
Windows: C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Modules

Publish plugin settings do not reset as they are stored with the catalog, however, any other plugin settings or presets will be restored to default. Any missing plugin will need to be added to Lightroom Classic after restoring Preferences.

Use any one of the following methods to restore Lightroom Classic preferences to their default settings:

Method 1: Use keyboard shortcut

Quit Lightroom Classic.
macOS: Press and hold the Shift + Option keys.

Windows: Press and hold the Shift + Alt keys.

Note:

The Windows shortcut can be used in the Creative Cloud desktop app while the macOS shortcut works from both the Creative Cloud app and the Dock.
While holding down the keys, launch Lightroom Classic. The following dialog box appears:

For macOS:

(macOS) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

For Windows:

(windows) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

Method 2: Manually delete the preferences file

Navigate to the following location:

macOS: /Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/

Windows: Users\[user name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom\Preferences\

Note:

macOS: The user Library file is hidden by default. For temporary access to the user Library file, press Option and choose Go > Library in the Finder.

Windows: The AppData folder is hidden by default. To view it, choose Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Folder Options. In the Advanced area of the View tab, make sure that Show Hidden Files and Folders is selected. Then click OK.
Drag the following files to the Recycle Bin on Windows or to the Trash on macOS:

macOS: com.adobe.LightroomClassicCC7.plist

Windows: Lightroom Classic CC 7 Preferences.agprefs
Restart your computer and launch Lightroom Classic.

Note:

For more information, see Preference file and other file locations | Lightroom Classic.

Method 3: Reset all Preferences and Relaunch

In the Preference dialog box > General tab, press and hold:

For Mac: Option key

For Windows: Alt key

Note:

By default, the Reset Preferences and Relaunch button is hidden and is only visible by selecting the mentioned button both in Mac and Windows.
Select the Reset all Preferences and Relaunch button in the General tab of the Preference dialog box.
For macOS, select Reset Preferences from the pop-up box.

(macOS) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

For Windows, select the Yes button from the pop-up box.

(windows) Reset Lightroom Classic Preferences

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