The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Presets in 2022

Do you want to quickly create aesthetic Instagram images? Here's a complete guide to Instagram presets. You will learn what they are and how to use them...

The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Presets in 2022

Ever came across a profile that's so aesthetically pleasing that you kept coming back to get a glimpse again? Well, now you can also make your Instagram profile a standout with Instagram presets.

It is a great way to flaunt your photos with a much-needed professional touch. The best part is there are tons of free presets available for that glorious makeover in just one click.

Sounds exciting? Let's dive right in!

instagram presets

Source: Pixgrade

What are Instagram presets?

Instagram presets are edited templates to give your account a cohesive look and feel. They bring uniformity and consistency to your Instagram feed when applied to multiple images.

These predefined edits are like filters that can be simply downloaded and incorporated into your masterpieces to get the likes and comments you’re looking for.

Using the picture editing program Photoshop Lightroom, you can also make your own presets. It is helpful to save the modifications you made on a particular photo for later use.

Instagram presets are a great way to make your photos look professional without hiring a professional photographer and investing a decent sum. However, you might require a little practice to learn this skillful art of transformation.

Why should you use Instagram presets?

Presets eliminate any guesswork needed when editing your images. They allow you to present the very essence of the picture by dropping the tedious work that goes into highlighting it. Presets create that defined dramatic effect, making the background subtle and objects sharp and smooth.

presets on instagram

Source: ThePreviewApp

1. Adds an aesthetic touch to usual clicks

If you’re a photographer or blogger who heavily relies on Instagram for promotion, then using presets is vital. Tweak your images in Lightroom and save the presets on the go. You can focus more time on shooting and less time editing.

2. Establishes a unique brand authority

Instagram is the perfect outlet for your brand to highlight its personality and attract followers. And that’s possible through Instagram presets. Now, Instagram has expanded outside of the backdrops and borders that a preset creates. However, the main focus on aesthetics still remains an integral part.

Instagram presets allow you to create a cohesive aesthetic for your company that may not seem super important. But it could be the determining difference between someone following your company or not. It’s great to be able to pinpoint your brand’s visual identity. Presets help you define your brand’s visual identity with color tones that suit your business aura, creating a unique brand identity.

3. Be distinguishable from the crowd

There are a few things more critical than phenomenal visuals in today’s world. Consumers will think you’re not a serious brand if your images are low-quality and lack continuity. While it’s true that poorly lit images won’t win any awards for Instagram — no amount of filters will work if the image itself lacks substance.

However, Instagram presets can uplift your game with their built-in awesomeness. With visual content being the mood of the day, creativity options are literally endless with presets. This is the only way to stand out and flourish in a market with 30 million businesses.

4. Save your precious hours

No more tinkering with images for minutes or hours when you have the power of presets! It is one of the most popular content marketing strategies for bloggers and brand enthusiasts. These are easy-to-use photo editing templates that quicken the process and get amazing results in seconds.

The fundamental concept of presets is that they take care of everything for you. Presets can be applied to individual images or groups of related photos. Use Lightroom presets to size and save your photographs in high quality. Most people who rely solely on Instagram's editing tools often have to compromise with poorly edited snaps because of limited options. But this isn't the case with presets. You can easily style an Instagram Story or any social media post.

Who should use Instagram Presets?

If you are pondering if only photo buffs should use presets, here's the answer. Instagram presets should be used by everybody.  No, seriously! There's no reason why you shouldn't be leveraging presets for your Instagram brand.

Instagram presets are a complete game-changer for your feed. In general, they can be used by any content creator. Whether you are a blogger or photographer, I am sure that Instagram presets can help accounts on varying niches to develop a striking presence on social media with ease. However, here’s a list of professionals who should be mandatorily using presets to make a lasting impression on their followers.

1. Budding influencers

Instagram influencers are the talk of the town today, and their posts are worth the hype. Considering how hectic and demanding an influencer job role can be, Instagram presets provide a simple, hassle-free quick to amp up your feed game.

insta presets

Aspyn Ovard, a lifestyle influencer, uses Instagram presets to woo her followers. She also sells her preset packs in case you want to use them for your profile.

2. Trendy travel bloggers

If taking travel photos is your passion, Instagram presets can be of great help to you. For the travel bloggers who are always on the run, using these stunning presets becomes necessary. It gives you the simplest way to maintain an aesthetic Instagram profile.

travel presets

Jack Morris, an avid travel blogger, showcases eye-popping images of his travel destinations. That’s his secret to 2.5 million followers.

3. Classy corporates

Big businesses run on authenticity and uniqueness, and Instagram has been transforming the game for creative marketing for the past few years. So how can corporations make the best use of available tools and give a new angle to their brand image? Simple. Using smart and stunning Instagram presets that just require you to tap and transform.

4. Playful photographers

For all the newbie or professional photographers out there, getting a picture right is probably the hardest thing to nail. But if you’ve just started experimenting with light, shadows, and color, or even if you’re a pro looking for something that can save you some precious hours, Instagram presets won’t disappoint you. With enough practice and skill in the game, Instagram presets can help you create masterpieces in one go.

playful presets

Here’s how Adrian Maria is stealing the limelight with her astounding preset-infused feed. You can also check multiple presets and filters created by her.

5. Small business owners

Have you just started the business of your dreams, or are you looking for ways to explode your orders? Instagram is definitely a place you’d have peeped in to shoot up your small biz. Instagram presets can help you transform your stakes within seconds. Considering how you must be managing creation, packaging, logistics, social media, and customer service all on your own or with a small team, these presets can be really worth a shot. It will help you go a long way in saving you time and providing a solid creative outlook to your brand.

business presets

Douglas Cosmetics has a tantalizing feed for displaying their offerings. Their well-edited images make the essential cut to impress their million followers.

Instagram filters vs. presets: What’s the big difference?

Even for pro marketers, these terms are pretty confusing. Filters and presets are incredible ways to add that extra oomph to your pictures and take your creativity to the next level.

Social photographers create Instagram filters to enhance their images. On the other hand, Presets are generally made by creators, social media agencies, photographers, and everyone else. They’re called presets because, with one click, you change numerous settings on your image at once.

Photo filters add saturation, contrast, and other effects to your photos. Instagram presets affect the texture, grain, and tone of high-quality images. These presets can also improve exposure and reduce noise.

Lightroom presets are used to apply global modifications to an image. They alter 30-50 settings on average. Filters cannot be modified and are often integrated into Instagram or smartphones. They are more personalized and flexible to the specific characteristics of photographs. Compared to filters, lightroom classic presets offer far more advanced editing options and control.

While filters might be your go-to option when clicking a quick selfie, presets will help you achieve a more refined and elegant look with a bit of dedication.

How can I make a preset on Lightroom?

Want to create your own presets but are intimidated? Here’s our easy, step-by-step tutorial to simplify your job. You can use this software on android and iPhone to edit your Instagram photos.

Step 1: On your mobile device, install the Adobe Lightroom Photo Editor app.

Step 2: Download and unzip the zip file for your favorite Instagram settings to your desktop.

Step 3: Open each folder and check for.png and .dng files.

Step 4: By email or Airdrop, send the .dng files to your phone. Open them on your mobile device.

Step 5: Tap the save symbol to store it on your phone (on Apple devices, this is a box with an upward arrow). After that, choose the Save Image option. A notice stating "Unsupported file type" may appear. This is very normal.

Step 6: Open Lightroom mobile app next. Create an account if you don't have one already. To import the .dng files, tap the import icon in the lower right-hand corner.

Step 7: Your Lightroom photo library should now contain your Instagram presets.

Step 8: Select the preset that you want to use. In the top right corner, tap the three dots. Then, in the upper right corner, click Copy settings and then the checkbox.

Step 9: To return to your Lightroom photo library, click the arrow icon in the upper left corner. Choose the photo you want to work on. Select Paste settings from the three dots in the top right corner. Simply tap the under arrow at the top of your screen if you don't like the effect.

Step 10: Once you're satisfied with your image, save it to your camera roll by clicking the save symbol. Make sure to select the largest size available.

And voila! That's how you create a customized preset for your Instagram account quickly. If your workflow is oriented towards desktop lightroom presets, use Lightroom cc instead.

8 Top Free Instagram Presets

Looking for stunning Instagram presets for your next post? We’ve got you covered!

  1. Etsy
etsy presets

Source: Etsy

2. VSCO

vsco presets

Source: Girlstyle

3. Pastel

pastel presets

Source: Pinterest

4. Teal

teal presets

5. Golden

golden filter

6. Neon

neon

Source: Pinterest

7. City

city image

8. Matte

matte

Source: Fixthephoto

Best 6 Free Lightroom Mobile Presets That You’ll Love

Take a look at our favorite free lightroom preset picks. There are multiple preset collections with hundreds of preset packs and templates.

  1. Summer Madness
summer madenss

Source: Photography Course

2. Popular Film Essentials

film filter

3. Fashion Vintage

fashion presets

4. Cold Beauty

wedding presets

5. Nostalgic

nostalgic filter

6. Slide Films

slide films filter

Bonus Tips To Jazz Up Your Insta Game

Do you want to spice up your Instagram with some best Lightroom presets? Follow these simple dos and don'ts to skip the hassle.

  1. Use sites like Light Glow, Etsy, 123 Presets for free presets.
  2. Don’t overspend on expensive presets, as what might look great on one picture might not impact the same way on others.
  3. Use different presets for different occasions, but ensure that you’re using the right one for the right mood.
  4. Don’t skimp on photo quality. Presets can’t make a lousy photograph look astonishing, no matter how much time you spend on it.
  5. Use a pretest, even to amp up your simple pictures.
  6. Don’t set unrealistic expectations.

Now make the most of Instagram presets

If you're an avid Instagrammer, then surely presets can save your day. No more spending long hours picking the best filters. You can end your editing loops with Instagram presets. Distinguish yourself in your customer’s feed with stunning photos that reflect your unique brand identity. It's a total no-brainer for all the Instagram buffs out there.

It is the quickest approach to save time and share a consistent image on Instagram. They accentuate the best aspects of your feed, but they aren't a magic bullet. Always keep in mind that quality content always comes first.