Best Free Lightroom Presets for iPhone 2026
Best Free Lightroom Presets for iPhone 2026
Lightroom Mobile is free. Installing presets on iPhone is free. And the best film presets for iPhone photography? Also free — if you know where to find them.
This guide covers the best free Lightroom presets for iPhone in 2026, how to install them in under two minutes, and which free preset works best for your specific photography style.
What makes a free iPhone preset worth downloading?
Most free presets online are low quality — made quickly for a blog post, not calibrated for real photography. The ones worth downloading come from preset shops that offer a free sample of their paid collections.
A good free iPhone preset:
Works on iPhone JPEG and ProRAW files
Has consistent results across different photos — not just one specific scenario
Preserves natural skin tones
Doesn't blow out highlights in bright outdoor iPhone photos
Comes with installation instructions
What to avoid:
Presets that only work on one specific type of photo
Presets with no documentation
Presets that add heavy colour casts that are hard to remove
Presets designed for desktop RAW files that look wrong on iPhone JPEGs
The best free Lightroom presets for iPhone in 2026
1. Free Analog Film Preset — A6 (The Editing Studio)
The A6 is the most versatile free preset on this list. Clean, minimal analog film tones with lifted blacks, natural skin rendering, and soft highlight roll-off. Specifically calibrated to work well on iPhone photos — which tend to oversharpen and oversaturate compared to camera RAW files.
Best for: Everyday photography, portraits, travel, lifestyle content. Works in both bright outdoor light and indoor conditions.
Why it works on iPhone: The A6 has built-in negative clarity that removes the digital harshness of iPhone processing. The result feels like film rather than a filtered phone photo.
2. Free Moody Film Preset — M5 (The Editing Studio)
The M5 is the moody counterpart to the A6. Warm, dark, and atmospheric — the look that defined the moody iPhone editing aesthetic. Works particularly well on portrait and lifestyle photography in warm or low light.
Best for: Moody portraits, atmospheric travel, lifestyle content with depth and warmth.
Why it works on iPhone: The M5 is calibrated to lift shadows slightly rather than crushing them — which is important on iPhone because phone cameras produce more shadow noise than dedicated cameras.
3. Adobe's built-in Lightroom Mobile presets
Lightroom Mobile includes free presets in the Presets panel — under Adobe Presets and Lightroom Presets. Basic but useful for understanding how presets work before downloading third-party options.
Best for: Beginners learning how presets function. Limitation: Generic quality — not calibrated for specific film looks.
How to install free presets on iPhone — step by step
Installing presets on Lightroom Mobile takes about two minutes.
Step 1 — Download the DNG file Download the free preset DNG file to your iPhone. It will save to your Files app or Photos app depending on your settings.
Step 2 — Import into Lightroom Mobile Open Lightroom Mobile. Tap the + icon to add photos. Navigate to where the DNG file saved and import it.
Step 3 — Copy the settings Open the DNG file in Lightroom Mobile. Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Tap "Copy Settings" and select all settings.
Step 4 — Create a preset Tap the three dots again. Tap "Create Preset". Name it (e.g. "Analog A6") and save to a folder.
Step 5 — Apply to your photos Open any photo. Tap Presets at the bottom. Find your new preset and tap to apply.
Full guide with screenshots:How to Install Lightroom Presets on iPhone
iPhone-specific tips for using free presets
iPhone cameras process photos differently from dedicated cameras — and that affects how presets look. These adjustments make any preset look better on iPhone photos.
Reduce sharpening before applying iPhone adds aggressive sharpening by default. In Lightroom Mobile, go to Detail → Sharpening and reduce from 40 to 20-25. This gives the preset a softer base to work with.
Reduce Clarity iPhone's HDR processing adds micro-contrast that makes presets look harsh. After applying, go to Effects and set Clarity to -10 to -15 if the preset hasn't already done this.
Disable Smart HDR before shooting Go to iPhone Settings → Camera → Smart HDR and turn it off. This gives you a flatter, more film-like base image that responds much better to film presets.
Shoot in ProRAW when possible iPhone 12 Pro and later support Apple ProRAW. This gives you significantly more dynamic range and better highlight recovery — which makes any preset look more natural. Enable in Settings → Camera → Formats → Pro RAW.
Which free preset is best for your iPhone photography style?
You shoot portraits → Download the A6. Natural skin tones, soft highlight roll-off, works across diverse skin tones.
You shoot moody street or travel → Download the M5. Warm, atmospheric, adds depth to urban and travel photography.
You shoot bright lifestyle and Instagram content → Download the A6 and lift Exposure slightly (+0.2-0.3) after applying.
You shoot golden hour → Download the A6 — the warm base works naturally with golden hour light.
You want vintage film quality → Download the A6, then lift Blacks to +25 and add warm Color Grading to shadows.
Free vs paid presets for iPhone — the honest difference
The A6 and M5 free presets are genuine presets — not simplified versions of something better. They're individual presets from paid collections offered free as samples.
What the free presets give you:
One calibrated look each. Great for finding your editing direction.
What paid collections give you:
A complete system. Multiple variations of the same color philosophy for different lighting conditions — bright outdoor, overcast, golden hour, indoor. Consistent results whether you're shooting in morning light or candlelit restaurants.
For photographers who edit casually for Instagram, the free presets are often enough. For photographers who want a consistent look across a full gallery or professional work — a complete system works significantly better.
Ready for more than free?
If the free preset works for your photos and you want more variations — the Studio Archive gives you 130+ professional film presets for $0.68 each. Every preset collection we make, in one download. Works on iPhone, Android, and desktop.
The Studio Archive — 130+ presets, $89 →
FAQ
Are free Lightroom presets safe to install on iPhone?
Yes — presets are saved editing settings in a DNG file. They can't harm your phone or photos. Always download from reputable sources.
Do free presets work on iPhone JPEG photos?
Yes. The A6 and M5 free presets work on both JPEG and ProRAW iPhone photos. They perform best on ProRAW but work well on JPEG too.
Why does my free preset look different than in the examples?
Almost always because of different exposure or white balance starting points. Fix exposure and white balance before applying any preset. Full explanation: Why Do Presets Look Different on Mobile?
Do I need a Lightroom subscription to use free presets on iPhone?
No. Lightroom Mobile is free and supports preset installation without a subscription.
How many free presets should I download?
Start with one or two. Download the A6 and M5, test both on your photos, and choose the direction that feels right before downloading anything else. More presets doesn't mean better editing — it means more choices and less consistency.
Can I use free iPhone presets for professional photography?
Yes — the A6 and M5 are professional quality presets. The difference between free and paid is coverage across lighting conditions, not quality of individual presets.
