Adobe Lightroom Classic 2026: What’s New Update
Therefore, Lightroom Classic 2026 (Version 15.0), which launched in late 2025 at Adobe MAX, focuses heavily on AI-driven automation for culling and cleaning up images.
Adobe Lightroom Classic 2026: What’s New Update
In other words, here are the key highlights of what’s new:
1. Assisted Culling (Public Beta)
Therefore, this is a major workflow shift. Lightroom now uses AI to help you sort through large shoots (especially portraits).
Automated Evaluation: It analyzes photos for focus, closed eyes, and facial expressions.
Quick Sorting: Therefore, it marks images with green checkmarks (selects) or red Xs (rejects) based on your chosen sensitivity levels.
2. Advanced AI Removal Tools
Adobe Lightroom Classic 2026: What’s New Update
Therefore, the removal tool has been expanded with three specific AI-powered modes:
Automatic Dust Removal: One of the most requested features. It scans the sky or solid backgrounds to find and delete sensor dust spots automatically.
Reflection Removal: Specifically designed to remove glare from windows or glass.
People Removal: An “Identify and Remove” feature that can spot distracting people in the background and wipe them out with one click.
3. Color Variance Slider
In other words, found inside the Point Color tool, this new slider allows for finer control over color transitions.
Landscape: Use it to increase color contrast (e.g., making autumn leaves pop while keeping the sky natural).
Portrait: Move it to the left to smooth out skin tones and reduce color splotchiness.
4. Smart Stacking & Organization
Visual Similarity Stacking: In other words, you can now auto-stack images not just by time, but by how similar they look. This is perfect for grouping bursts of the same scene.
Millisecond Precision: Capture times are now recorded and displayed down to the millisecond, which helps with perfectly syncing multi-camera shoots.
5. Masking & Editing Upgrades
Adobe Lightroom Classic 2026: What’s New Update
Snow Mask: In other words, A new “Snow” element has been added to Landscape Masking, allowing you to isolate and edit snow-covered areas easily.
HDR Limit Slider: Replaces the old dropdown menu, giving you granular control (down to 0.1 stops) over HDR headroom.
Zoom while Cropping: In other words, you can now use the zoom shortcut (Cmd/Ctrl + +/-) while the Crop tool is active.
6. Video & Export Improvements
4K Slideshows: In other words, you can finally export both videos and slideshows in full 4K resolution.
Expanded Color Profiles: New support for HDR sRGB, HDR Rec. 2020, and HDR Display P3 when sending files to Photoshop or exporting.
Would you like me to walk you through how to use the new Assisted Culling tool or help you set up the new HDR export settings?
