Sunday, February 8, 2026

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) • PhotoTraces


Whether or not you’re capturing in RAW or JPEG, Lightroom supplies highly effective instruments that can assist you convert your photographs to the format that most closely fits your wants. On this article, I’ll present you the way to convert RAW to JPEG in Lightroom in only a few easy steps.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) • PhotoTraces

By now, each photographer is aware of that to maximise picture high quality, dynamic vary, and coloration accuracy, it’s essential to set your digital camera to RAW picture format and keep it up. 

It’s also evident while you import your new photographs to Lightroom; you retain them within the authentic RAW format. And solely after performing all obligatory enhancing steps, on the very finish of the photograph enhancing workflow, do you exchange RAW recordsdata to JPEG for publishing.

To transform RAW to Jpeg in Lightroom, choose the picture in Libray or Develop Module, right-click on it (Possibility Click on on Mac) and select the Export choice from the menu. Within the export settings window, set picture format to JPEG, and for high quality, select 100% to maximise picture high quality or set high quality to 80% for net publishing.

Nondestructive Modifying and RAW to JPEG Conversion

If we need to be utterly correct, there is no such thing as a solution to convert RAW to JPEG in Lightroom.

Let me clarify.

Lightroom makes use of nondestructive enhancing when coping with RAW recordsdata. It signifies that the unique file at all times stays intact and is rarely modified by this system. 

For instance, shifting enhancing sliders in Develop Module don’t change the unique RAW file. As an alternative, Lightroom writes all enhancing steps to the sidecar file in XML format. And for the preview, Lightroom generates a JPEG picture by studying and making use of enhancing values from the sidecar file. The unique RAW file at all times stays untouched.

XMP sidecar file in Lightroom
XMP sidecar file in Lightroom
Sony RAW picture with the sidecar XMP file subsequent to it. The sidecar incorporates all of the enhancing directions for the RAW picture.

After we say “changing RAW to JPEG,” it signifies that Lightroom creates a brand new model of the edited picture in JPEG format. You find yourself with 2 picture recordsdata, one authentic RAW file and one other in JPEG format, with all edits utilized.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom 

1. Choose the RAW Picture Meant for JPEG Conversion

Earlier than changing RAW to JPEG, choose the RAW picture you propose to transform.

You’ll be able to provoke RAW to JPEG conversion in each Library and Develop Modules of Lightroom.

You’ll be able to choose any RAW file in Lightroom by merely clicking on it. The spotlight across the picture is a affirmation that it’s chosen.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 1How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 1
The chosen picture is highlighted. Filmstrip of the Develop Module.

2. Activate the Export Module

Proper-click (Possibility-click) on the chosen RAW file and select the Export choice from the menu.

Convert RAW to JPEG - the Export OptionConvert RAW to JPEG - the Export Option

Finally, you possibly can provoke the export course of by going to the Essential High Menu and deciding on the ‘Export…’ choice. Or you need to use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+E.

I at all times use the “proper click on” choice whereas changing RAW recordsdata to JPEG. I discover it extra handy. However it’s a private choice.

3. Set the Conversion Format to JPEG

Clicking the Export choice (step 2) will activate the Export Setting Window.

First, it’s essential to choose the export picture format below the File Settings panel.

  • Picture Format: from the drop-down menu, choose the JPEG choice
  • Shade Area: choose the sRGB choice.
  • High quality: for picture high quality, transfer the slider all the best way to 100%. It tells Lightroom to save lots of the JPEG picture in the absolute best high quality.
How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 2How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 2

Saving the JPEG picture at 100% high quality is right while you want your JPEG picture for archiving or printing functions.

4. Specify the Vacation spot for the Transformed JPEG Picture

Lightroom presents loads of choices the place to retailer transformed JPEG photographs. In our case, we’ll save the ultimate picture to the native folder of the pc’s exhausting drive.

First, choose the Arduous Drive choice from the ‘Export To’ high menu. It signifies that you simply need to save the exported file to the native exhausting drive.

Subsequent, from the Export Location part, choose the ‘Desktop’ choice. It tells Lightroom that you simply need to save the JPEG file to your laptop’s desktop. You’ll be able to in all probability guess that saving the transformed JPEG picture to your Desktop will not be the one choice in Export Module. Nonetheless, it’s the easiest and quickest manner of choosing Export Location with out going into the rabbit gap of limitless Lightroom choices.

And to make it simpler to find the transformed picture in your Desktop, test the choice ‘Put in Subfolder’ and provides it a reputation, say ‘JPEG Export.’ The choice tells Lightroom to routinely create the JPEG Export folder in your Desktop and sage the ultimate JPEF picture there.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 3How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 3

5. Hit the Export Button

And eventually, you press the Export button to provoke the RAW to JPEG conversion.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 4How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 4

Whenever you convert just one picture, the conversion goes quick, nearly instantaneously. However if you happen to convert numerous photographs, the conversion course of can take some time. 

As you in all probability discover, the Export Setting Window has quite a lot of export settings. Nonetheless, for the present tutorial, we used solely a barebone of settings to transform RAW to JPEG.

If you’re searching for a mo detailed data on Lightroom export settings, test the next tutorials:

How To Convert RAW to JPEG In Lightroom Utilizing Presets

One of many predominant strengths of Lightroom is the ability of presets. Lightroom has 9 forms of presets: Develop Presets, Import Presets, Meta Information Presets, Copyright Presets, and so forth. The Lightroom presets permits you to automate repeated duties making a whole enhancing workflow quick and environment friendly.

It isn’t a shock the Export Setting Window has preset performance. As an alternative of fidgeting with limitless export settings each time you exchange RAW to JPEG, it can save you the specified configuration as a preset and reuse it each time you exchange a picture.

Let me present you ways simply you possibly can create an export preset in Lightroom.

Choose the RAW picture within the Library or Develop Module.

Proper-click (choice Click on) on the chosen picture and select the Export choice from the menu.

From the Export Settings Window, choose the next choices:

  • File Settings:
    Picture Format: JPEG
    Shade Area: sRGB
    High quality: 100%

Hold the remainder of the conversion choices untouched.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 5How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 5

Whenever you end with the conversion settings, it’s time to save them as a preset.

On the backside left nook of the Export Settings Window, find the Add button and press it.

The New Preset menu will seem.

Give the identify to your new preset, one thing like ‘JPEG 100%’, and choose the ‘Person Presets’ for the folder.

Lastly, click on the Create button.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 6How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 6

New export preset ‘JPEG 100%’ below Person Presets will likely be created.

Subsequent time it’s essential to convert the RAW file to a JPEG picture, you possibly can altogether bypass the Export Settings Window. You’ll be able to set off the RAW to JPEG conversion immediately from the Library or Develop Modules.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 7How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 7

How To Batch Convert RAW recordsdata to JPEG Pictures

Within the first a part of the tutorial, you discovered the way to manually convert the RAW file to JPEG within the Export Module of Lightroom.

Within the second half, we coated the way to automate the method of RAW to JPEG conversion by utilizing the export preset.

And now, I need to present you how one can take the automation even additional by combining export presets and batch conversion.

Butch conversion means changing a number of RAW recordsdata to JPEG photographs in a single go.

Choose a number of recordsdata within the Library or Develop Modules of Lightroom by holding does CTRL-key.

Proper click on on chosen RAW recordsdata, select the Export, after which Export preset ‘JPEG 100%’, which you created earlier.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 8How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 8

Now Lightroom takes all the RAW recordsdata you chose and converts them to JPEG utilizing export settings from the export preset.

That is the method I take advantage of after I must convert a number of RAW recordsdata to JPEG photographs.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG: Ultimate Ideas

As you possibly can see, Lightroom presents us just a few methods to transform RAW recordsdata to JPEG. The quickest and most handy manner for the conversion is to make use of the export presets.

If you’re subscribed to my mailing record, you possibly can entry the members’ space, the place you possibly can obtain free Export Presets I created for the PhotoTraces group.

How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 9How To Convert RAW To JPEG In Lightroom (Step by Step) 9

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