How Do I Move Photoshop Edits to Lightroom?

To move your edits from Photoshop back into Lightroom, the key is to save the file correctly in Photoshop after you've finished your work.

When you send an image from Lightroom to Photoshop for editing (often by right-clicking and selecting "Edit In Adobe Photoshop"), Lightroom usually creates a new file (like a TIFF or PSD) for Photoshop to work on. After you complete your edits in Photoshop, you need to save this file.

Saving Your Photoshop Edits Back to Lightroom

The standard and most effective method involves a simple save command within Photoshop:

• Edit the photo in Photoshop. Make all the adjustments, retouching, or creative effects you need.
• Once your edits are complete, go to the menu in Photoshop and choose File > Save.

That's it! Because the file was originally initiated by Lightroom (or Lightroom Classic), Photoshop saves the changes directly to that intermediary file.

As the reference states: "A new version of the photo with your Photoshop edits appears in Lightroom Classic; the original remains untouched by Photoshop."

This means:

• The new file (e.g., yourimage-edit.psd or yourimage-edit.tif) that Lightroom created and sent to Photoshop is updated with your work.
• This updated file automatically shows up next to your original image within your Lightroom catalog.
• Your initial, untouched image file stays exactly as it was before you sent it to Photoshop.

Why Does This Work?

When Lightroom sends an image to Photoshop using the "Edit In" command, it establishes a connection. Lightroom essentially tells Photoshop to work on a specific derived file. When you use File > Save in Photoshop on that file, Lightroom monitors the file's status and updates its catalog to reflect the saved changes.

Using File > Save As... is generally not recommended in this workflow unless you specifically intend to save it to a different location or format, as it can break the link with Lightroom's cataloging system.

Summary of the Process

Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. Start with an image in Lightroom.
2. Send it to Photoshop for editing (e.g., right-click > Edit In > Adobe Photoshop). Lightroom creates a new TIFF or PSD file.
3. Perform your desired edits in Photoshop.
4. Go to File > Save in Photoshop.
5. Close the image in Photoshop (optional, but good practice).
6. Return to Lightroom, and the updated TIFF or PSD file with your edits will appear in your catalog alongside the original.

This ensures your non-destructive edits in Lightroom (before sending to PS) and your pixel-level edits in Photoshop are preserved and organized within your Lightroom library.