Luminar Neo vs Luminar 4: What’s the difference?

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Taking Luminar Neo further

Luminar Neo is the latest in the family of Luminar apps. The Skylum Team is committed to developing Luminar Neo and evolving it into an even more convenient one-step platform for creating photos you love. The new modular engine in Luminar Neo allows it to incorporate new functionality and allows us to focus on improving the user experience and developing the platform’s technologies. This opens the door for many possibilities, and with 20 updates and 7 new Extensions released in just the first year of its existence, Luminar Neo’s future is bright! However, this does mean that we will not be further developing Luminar 4 or Luminar AI.

What’s new in Luminar Neo compared to Luminar 4?

Luminar Neo boasts a new engine, incredible AI tools, and a more intuitive workflow. For example, Luminar Neo’s edit states are saved separately, so you can change each edit separately. And there are incredible tools to discover. Here are just a few of them.

Perfect the composition

Composition AI can show you how the pros would edit your photo. Discover an interesting composition that you may have missed.

Composition AI

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Place realistic fog, mist, or haze

Achieve a unique mood in your landscapes with the help of the content-aware Atmosphere AI tool.

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Add a touch of bokeh magic

Make your portraits even more entrancing with Portrait Bokeh AI that automatically creates an out-of-focus background behind your subject.

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Remove portrait backgrounds in a click

Portrait Background Removal masks a person in your photo and removes the background behind them. Get creative with what comes next!

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Light up dark photos with AI

Automatically fix backlit photos. Get realistic results with full control over exposure thanks to Relight AI.

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Mask objects in a single click

Tired of manual selections? Mask 9 types of objects automatically with the powerful Mask AI.

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Expand your power with paid Extensions

Get more editing power with 7 fresh Extensions for Luminar Neo. Easily achieve pro-level results with Supersharp AI, Upscale AI, Noiseless AI, HDR Merge, Magic Light AI, Focus Stacking, and Background Removal AI.

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And even more functionality…

Here are some of the things Luminar Neo does better.

Luminar 4
Luminar Neo
Layers functionality
Using raw images as Layers
Ability to apply one editing tool multiple times
Built-in library of Textures and Overlays
Speed of editing does not depend on number of tools applied
Flexible order of applying tools
Ability to save all layers with images and masks as Presets for future reuse
Ability to apply Presets to any layer independently
Pro-level Extensions
Dust Spots Removal AI
Powerlines Removal AI

An application & plugin.
For Windows & macOS

  • High-performance image editor
  • 24/7 technical support
  • 30-day money back guarantee
  • Join community of Luminar Insiders
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Luminar 4?

Luminar 4 is a stand-alone photo editing program that merges traditional photo editing and AI-powered tools into one program. From organizing, editing to exporting, Luminar 4 is extremely capable in all aspects. With a clean and easy-to-use interface, it’s a viable option for beginners to professionals alike. However, it is no longer available for purchase.

Which software is better for photo editing: Luminar 4 or Luminar Neo?

Even though they are both incredible photo editing software, Luminar Neo is the latest in the family of Luminar apps. The new modular engine in Luminar Neo allows it to incorporate new functionality and allows us to focus on improving the user experience and developing the platform’s technologies. This opens the door for many possibilities.

Can I download Luminar 4?

Sure! If you purchased Luminar 4, you should have received links for a Luminar 4 download. In any case, the download links for Luminar 4 are waiting for you in your Skylum account.

NOTE: Your Luminar 4 purchase is linked to the billing email address you provided. Use that email to log in to your Skylum Account or, if needed, create a new Skylum Account tied to that email address.

What is the Luminar 4 price?

We recommend purchasing the new Luminar Neo app, that boasts more editing capabilities. Find out the pricing here.

What are the main benefits of using the Luminar 4 photo editor?

Skylum Luminar 4 is an award-winning app designed to edit photos. If you already have Luminar 4, you may have noticed how easy and fast it is. However, if you’re looking for something new, we recommend trying the latest in the family of Luminar apps — Luminar Neo.

Is Luminar Neo an upgraded version of Luminar 4, or are they separate programs with distinct features?

Even though Luminar Neo continues the tradition of Luminar apps, they are separate programs with unique features. Luminar Neo boasts a new engine, incredible AI tools, and a more intuitive workflow. For example, Luminar Neo has a variety of AI tools designed to tackle issues that photographers often face in their photo editing.

Luminar 4 vs. Neo: What are the changes in performance and user experience?

Comparing Luminar Neo vs. Luminar 4, it’s safe to say that Luminar Neo has a modular engine, which means that Luminar Neo is faster, less resource-intensive, easier to update. Plus, it allows for the development of new tools to fix common problems faced by photographers. For example, it has AI Masking that helps save time with automatic object selections. Moreover, there is a Layers mode which allows you to easily make local adjustments. On top of that, Luminar Neo is constantly evolving thanks to Extensions, pro-level tools for specific editing problems.

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What is LuminarAI?

LuminarAI is an all-new application and plug-in and the first fully AI-powered image editing software in the world.


While Skylum is well-known for building software that taps into artificial intelligence for great results, LuminarAI is entirely different. 


We built LuminarAI with artificial intelligence at its core. Artificial intelligence saves you time and effort. Before, traditional editing software was outdated. It was time-consuming and hard to learn. It required effort and skills to get satisfying results. With LuminarAI, you can create great-looking photos much faster. It’s perfect for anyone, of any skill level. 


While other companies use artificial intelligence as a catchphrase, LuminarAI is packed full of truly smart technology. LuminarAI features many AI tools that allow you to get more done in less time. Innovations like SkyAI, FaceAI, BodyAI, IrisAI, AtmosphereAI and more give your images a memorable style and a competitive edge. Without sacrificing quality, speed or creative options.

How to download and activate LuminarAI?

Your download links will be waiting for you in your Skylum account.

NOTE: Your LuminarAI purchase is linked to the billing email address you provided. Use that email to log in to your Skylum Account or, if needed, create a new Skylum Account tied to that email address.

  1. Visit the login page here

  2. If you already have an account, sign in with Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, or your email and password.

  3. If you don’t have an account, you can create it here. Make sure to choose the same email used for the LuminarAI purchase. 

  4. If you have a Skylum account, but purchased LuminarAI using an email address not tied to it, you can merge your accounts into one in the My Software tab > Link my licenses section of your Skylum account. After that, please go to the inbox of your new email address and verify your email.

  5. In your account, you will see a My Software tab with all of your Skylum software, including LuminarAI.

  6. Find the tab with LuminarAI. Download LuminarAI by clicking the Download button. 


With LuminarAI we made the activation process easier and faster for you. There’s no need to remember your license number in order to use LuminarAI. Now you may activate LuminarAI directly from your account.

By default, all our software launches in trial mode when you first open it. When you start LuminarAI, you’ll see a window that prompts you to log in to your Skylum Account. 

To activate LuminarAI:


  • If you already have a Skylum account, sign in with a linked Google, Facebook, Microsoft, or Apple account, or sign in with your email and password.

  • If you don’t have a Skylum account, click Register and create a Skylum Account. You can sign up with a Facebook, Google, Microsoft, or Apple account, or you can sign up using your email and a password. 

  • If you have a Skylum account, but purchased LuminarAI using an email address not tied to it, you can merge your accounts into one in the My Software tab > Link my licenses section of your Skylum account. After that, please go to the inbox of your new email address and verify your email.

  • Congratulations! You’ve activated LuminarAI.

Still don’t see LuminarAI in your account? Our support team will help you with that.

What are the system requirements for LuminarAI?

LuminarAI should work on your computer as long as it meets the following minimum system requirements. 


For Mac:

    • MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, Mac mini, early 2010 or newer

      • CPU Intel® Core™ i5 or better

        • Memory 8 GB RAM or more (16+ GB RAM is recommended)

          • macOS 10.13.6 or higher. IMPORTANT: macOS 10.12 is not supported.

            • Hard disk 10 GB free space; SSD for best performance

              • Display 1280x768 size or better

              Starting from Update 3, LuminarAI runs natively on the M1 chip.


              For Windows:

                • Windows-based hardware PC with mouse or similar input device

                  • CPU Intel® Core™ i5 or better, AMD Ryzen™ 5 or better

                    • Open GL 3.3 or later compatible Graphics Cards

                      • Memory 8 GB RAM or more (16+ GB RAM is recommended)

                        • Operating System Windows 10 (only 64-bit OS) or higher. IMPORTANT: Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are not supported.

                          • Hard disk 10 GB free space; SSD for best performance

                            • Display 1280x768 size or better

                            Are third-party plug-ins supported? (including Aurora HDR and Luminar 4)

                            In our other applications, third-party plug-ins are supported and send back the processed image as a new layer. 


                            One of the changes in LuminarAI is the switch from layers to a Local Adjustments tool and smart segmentation of our AI-powered tools. This is why there will be no third-party plugin support in LuminarAI. If you need to merge bracketed photos, we suggest using Aurora HDR in its standalone mode.

                            Can I use LuminarAI as a plug-in?

                            LuminarAI is a universal solution that can function both as a standalone editor and a plug-in.

                            Using LuminarAI as a plug-in, you’ll be able to bring creative and timesaving workflow to your host application. LuminarAI allows you to revolutionize the way you enhance photos but conveniently fits into your current workflow. 


                            LuminarAI can be used as a plug-in or extension for: 


                              • Lightroom Classic (starting from version 6)

                                • Photoshop (from version CS5)

                                  • Photos for macOS


                                  Does LuminarAI handle RAW files?

                                  Of course! LuminarAI RAW processing is based on our own powerful RAW engine. We regularly update our library and make our own improvements to provide perfect support for new cameras. You can check the full list of supported cameras here.

                                  Can I use other skies/textures/objects in LuminarAI?

                                  Yes, you can use your own sky textures and objects in LuminarAI.


                                  SkyAI will work with your own photos if they are in one of the following formats: JPEG, PNG and TIFF. Here are guidelines on preparing skies for best results. Augmented SkyAI will work with your own objects if they are in PNG format with the Alpha channel or JPG format with a fully black background.

                                  App Requirements

                                  macOS

                                  Mac Model

                                  MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, Mac mini, early 2010 or newer

                                  Processor

                                  CPU Intel® Core™ i5 or better

                                  OS version

                                  macOS 11.0 or higher.

                                  RAM

                                  Memory 8 GB RAM or more (16+ GB RAM is recommended)

                                  Disk space

                                  Hard disk 10 GB free space; SSD for best performance

                                  Display

                                  1280x768 size or better

                                  Windows

                                  Hardware

                                  Windows-based hardware PC with mouse or similar input device

                                  Processor

                                  CPU Intel® Core™ i5 or better, AMD Ryzen™ 5 or better

                                  OS version

                                  10 version 1909 or higher (only 64-bit OS)

                                  RAM

                                  Memory 8 GB RAM or more (16+ GB RAM is recommended)

                                  Disk space

                                  Hard disk 10 GB free space; SSD for best performance

                                  Display

                                  1280x768 size or better

                                  Graphics

                                  Open GL 3.3 or later compatible graphics card