While Luminar is a full featured stand-alone application, some users also choose to install and run it as a plug-in for other popular photo editing software.  If you installed after downloading from our website, you should be prompted to install the plug-ins for detected software you already have installed.

If you choose to install as a plug-in at a later time, you can easily do so.

1. Make sure Luminar is open. You may need to right-click on the application and choose to Run as administrator.
2. Simply choose Luminar > Install Plug-ins… to start.

3. A new dialog box appears to show you which supported host applications you have currently installed on your PC. The host applications supported by Luminar are:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (Classic and version 6, not CC)

4. Click the Install/Uninstall button for the corresponding apps in which you’d like Luminar to run.

For best results, quit the host application (such as Photoshop) before you install a plug-in. You may be prompted to input your Administrator password to complete the installation.

Using Luminar with Adobe Photoshop

Luminar is a powerful addition to Adobe Photoshop.  To apply Luminar as a filter, follow these steps:

1. Make sure Adobe Photoshop is open.
2. Open an image you’d like to enhance.
3. Choose Filter > Skylum Software > Luminar 2018… 
A new dialog appears to indicate that Luminar is running.
4. Luminar should automatically open the image you were editing. 
If needed, click the Luminar icon in your Dock to switch to Luminar.
5. Make any edits or adjustments as needed in Luminar.  Use presets to speed up your editing workflow.

When done, click the Apply button to send the adjusted image back to Photoshop.

Using Luminar with Adobe Lightroom Classic CC

Images in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC (or Lightroom 6) can be easily handed off for editing in Luminar. To exchange a file from Lightroom Classic CC to Luminar, follow these steps:

1. Make sure Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC or Lightroom 6 is open.
2. Choose your image(s) in Lightroom Classic CC or or Lightroom 6 from the Library or Develop modules that you want to work on with Luminar.  Do not use the Previous Import collection or you won’t be able to see your edits.
3. Choose File > Export with Preset > Luminar 2018 Open Source Files or Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments.

• Open Source files. This sends the original image without any Lightroom edits made to the file.  A new image is returned to Lightroom after editing in Luminar.
• Edit a Copy with Lightroom Adjustments. This sends a copy of the image with all Lightroom adjustments applied. A new image is returned to Lightroom after editing in Luminar.

        4. If it doesn’t switch automatically, click the Luminar icon in your Taskbar to switch to Luminar.

        5. Make any edits or adjustments as needed in Luminar.  Use presets to speed up your editing workflow.

        6. When done, click the Apply button to send the adjusted image back to Lightroom.

        7. Switch back to Lightroom. 
A new file is added to your Library and stacked with the original in your Library.

Download the full Luminar 2018 User Guide for Windows in PDF Format