How to make presets look brighter or softer

The fastest way to fine-tune any preset is Lightroom's built-in Amount slider — no manual slider chasing required. Drop it below 100% to soften a preset, push it above 100% to intensify. Everything else on this page is optional polish once the Amount slider is where you want it.

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Apply the preset, then use the Amount slider (0–150%) to dial the whole look up or down. On mobile, it appears above the checkmark after you tap a preset. On Desktop/Classic, hover a preset in the Presets panel and the slider appears in the preview strip.

2. 2

   For a brighter finish on top of that, open the Light panel and raise Exposure and Whites slightly.

3. 3

   For a softer, more filmic finish, lower Contrast, lower Clarity, and slightly raise Shadows.

4. 4

   For a faded film look, lift the Blacks slider (raise it into positive numbers).

5. 5

   For softer color, reduce Saturation by 5–10 points or drop Vibrance a touch.