How to Batch Edit in Lightroom (Without Ruining Crops)

Editing photos one by one is fine for a handful, but not for a whole shoot. Lightroom gives you several ways to apply the same edit to many photos, and the difference between them matters. The trick that saves the most grief is choosing which settings to copy, because copying everything, crop and spot removal included, is how batches go wrong.

Ways to batch edit in Lightroom Classic

Method	How it works	Best for
Sync Settings	Copies chosen settings from one photo to the selected ones	Applying a finished edit to a set
Auto Sync	Every change you make applies to all selected photos live	Editing a set taken in the same light
Copy and Paste	Copy settings from one photo, paste onto others	Moving an edit between photos at different times
Presets	Apply a saved look, including on import	A consistent style across every shoot

How to batch edit with Sync Settings

1. In the Develop module, edit one photo until you're happy with it.
2. In the Filmstrip, keep that photo selected and Ctrl-click on Windows or Command-click on a Mac to add the others.
3. Click Sync at the bottom of the right-hand panel.
4. In the dialog, tick only the settings you want copied.
5. Click Synchronize.

The photo you edited first is the one settings are copied from, so make sure it's the highlighted photo in the selection.

How to batch edit with Auto Sync

1. Select all the photos you want to edit in the Filmstrip.
2. Flick the small switch next to the Sync button so it changes to Auto Sync.
3. Edit as normal. Every slider you move is applied to all the selected photos.
4. Turn the switch off again when you're done.

Auto Sync is quick, but forgetting it's on is a classic mistake. You move on to edit one photo and quietly change twenty others.

The catch: settings you shouldn't copy

Some edits only make sense for the photo you made them on. If you copy them across a batch, you'll get odd results:

• Crop: each photo is framed differently, so a copied crop can cut off heads.
• Spot removal and healing: a blemish removed on one face becomes a smudge in the same place on every other photo.
• Masks: a mask drawn round one subject won't line up on photos where the subject moved.
• Straighten and geometry: each photo usually needs its own correction.

In the Sync or Copy Settings dialog, untick these. On Lightroom desktop, Adobe's Default option already leaves out Tools and Geometry settings for exactly this reason.

How to copy and paste edits

1. Select the edited photo and choose Copy Settings from the Develop module or the right-click menu.
2. Choose which settings to include and click Copy.
3. Select the photos you want to change in the Filmstrip.
4. Choose Paste.

Batch editing in Lightroom desktop and mobile

In the cloud-based Lightroom desktop app, choose Photo, then Copy Edit Settings, pick the settings, select your other photos and choose Photo, then Paste Edit Settings. On your phone, tap the More icon on an edited photo, choose Copy Settings, select the other photos and tap Paste edits.

Make your batch edit a preset

If you like a look, save it as a preset from the Presets panel. You can then apply it to any photo in one click, or even apply it as photos are imported. That's the fastest batch edit of all, because the work is done before you start. Treat a preset as a starting point and adjust exposure per photo afterwards, since light rarely stays the same through a whole shoot.

A simple batch editing workflow

1. Group photos taken in the same light, such as one room or one time of day.
2. Edit the best photo in each group.
3. Sync the global settings, like white balance, exposure and colour, to the group.
4. Go through each photo for crop, straightening and spot fixes.
5. Export them all together.

Checking your batch before you export

After syncing, switch to the Library module's grid view and look at the whole set together. Photos that are too dark, too warm or oddly cropped jump out much more in a grid than one at a time. Fix those few individually, then export. It's a two-minute check that stops a whole batch going out with the same mistake.

If your batch is for social media, see my guide on editing posts with multiple pictures for what to check after posting.

My verdict

Edit one photo, select the rest, and use Sync with only the global settings ticked: exposure, white balance, colour and tone. Leave crop, spot removal and masks out, then finish each photo by hand. Auto Sync is faster for photos taken together, as long as you remember to switch it off. And turn your favourite look into a preset so the next batch starts half done. For showing off the results, see website builders for photographers.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply the same edit to multiple photos in Lightroom?

Edit one, select the others in the Filmstrip with it, click Sync and choose the settings to copy.

What's the difference between Sync and Auto Sync?

Sync copies settings once. Auto Sync applies every change you make to all selected photos as you go.

Why did syncing ruin my crops?

Crop was ticked in the Sync dialog. Untick it and sync again, or reset the crop on each photo.

Can I batch edit in Lightroom mobile?

Yes. Copy Settings from an edited photo, select others and tap Paste edits.

What's the keyboard shortcut to copy edit settings?

In Lightroom desktop it's Control and Shift and C on Windows, or Shift and Command and C on a Mac.

Should I use presets for batch editing?

Yes, as a starting point, then adjust exposure and white balance per group.