Download Adobe Lightroom Free or Subscribe with Creative Cloud: Here’s How

Download Adobe Lightroom Free or Subscribe with Creative Cloud: Here’s How

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Figuring out the best way to download Adobe Lightroom can be difficult if you’re new to it. With all the different sites out there, you might end up missing out on the best deal or pick the wrong plan.

And there is the question of what is the right fit for your business. But not to worry! We’ll clear up all those questions and cover everything you need to know about how to download Lightroom. If you are interested, you can check our post on Adobe Lightroom alternatives.

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Adobe Creative Cloud Discount

 

What is Adobe Lightroom used for?

Adobe Lightroom is an Adobe software for organizing photos and photo editing. This software comes in quite handy for photographers and designers looking to edit an enormous amount of images in bulk with presets created by professional photographers.

 

Lightroom vs Photoshop — What’s the difference?

Unlike Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom is great for editing and sharing photos on the go as it comes with 20GB of cloud storage and works well on mobile devices. This photo editing tool allows you to tweak images, organize, and share them as and when needed.

Adobe Lightroom is one of the best for increasing the quality of your images quickly. It comes with tools like super-resolution that enhance image resolution through AI, ensuring clarity. Lightroom is a good photo editor to have with you on your mobile to edit and share photos on the go.

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How to download Adobe Lightroom?

With Adobe, there are quite a few subscription plans and offers. Making sure you select the right one can be challenging, so we’ll take it one step at a time. One great way to download Lightroom is through the Creative Cloud app or website.

Adobe CC is perfect for downloading different creative programs and if you’re interested, you can have a look at our complete Adobe software list.

That said, the several options to download Lightroom can be a bit confusing when unfamiliar. But no need to worry! With everything we’ll cover in this article, you’ll know everything you need to know about downloading Lightroom.

Also, see our Adobe Creative Cloud Discounts to get 40-70% off.

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What are the System Requirements for Lightroom CC?

System Requirements – Windows

Minimum Recommended
RAM: 8 GB RAM: 16 GB
Processor: AMD Quad-Core or Intel Processor with 64-bit support
Hard Disk Space: 8 GB Hard Disk Space: 16 GB for cache
GPU: 2 GB VRAM GPU: 4GB or more, GPU that has DirectX Support
Operating system:  At least Microsoft Windows 10 (64 bit)
Other Requirements:  A minimum 1024 x 768 display and Internet for registration

System Requirements – macOS

Minimum Recommended
RAM: 8 GB RAM: 16 GB
Processor: M1 Apple Silicon processor or an Intel Processor with 64-bit support
Hard Disk Space: 8 GB Hard Disk Space: 16 GB for cache
GPU: 2 GB VRAM GPU: 4GB for 4k quality resolution
Operating system: macOS versions 10.15  or later
Other Requirements: a minimum 1024 x 768 display and Internet for registration

How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free or Subscribe with Creative Cloud

  • How to get Lightroom free
  • How to buy Lightroom CC
  • Price of Lightroom CC
  • Adobe Lightroom student discounts
  • How to get an Adobe Lightroom discount
  • How to get started with Lightroom
  • What you need to know about Lightroom
  • Lightroom CC — Pros and Cons
  • Lightroom alternatives
  • Where to download Lightroom

Can I Get Adobe Lightroom for Free?

Adobe CC Free Trials
Adobe CC Free Trials

Absolutely! You can download a free trial version of Adobe Lightroom for seven days.

This offers the complete version of Lightroom and comes with all the latest features and updates to make sure you experience the software in the best way possible. Through this route, you can experience Lightroom for free and without restrictions. A great way to find out if this software is the right fit for you.

Keep in mind that there are pirated versions of Lightroom out there that can be harmful to your system and lead to possible legal consequences.

Even though it might seem like a smart move now, using pirated software or an Adobe Lightroom crack version can prove disastrous. Pirated software opens your system to the risk of malware and viruses that steal personal information and damage other software on your system.

This can even lead hackers to your sensitive information, like your identity, data, and money. And if that isn’t enough, it is illegal and can lead to Adobe banning you permanently. We strongly recommend against it.

How to Download Lightroom for free

Finding out how to download Adobe Lightroom for free can be intimidating, however, we’ve compiled a clear step-by-step process to make things a whole to easier for you.

Step 1: Click on ‘Free trial’ on the Lightroom Page.

How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free - Step 1
How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free – Step 1. Image credit: Adobe

If you want to experience the software first hand, stop by the official Adobe website, and click on the “Try for free” button to get started with the download process.

 

Step 2: Click on any plan (you won’t be charged provided you cancel).

How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free - Step 2
How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free – Step 2. Image credit: Adobe

Follow the steps after ‘Free trial’ and select any plan. But don’t worry! you won’t be charged a penny provided you cancel it before the trial period ends (we’ll show you how).

 

Step 3: Enter your email ID and your payment (credit card) details.

How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free - Step 3
How to Download Adobe Lightroom Free – Step 3. IMage credit: Adobe

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Regardless of whether you have an Adobe account or not, you’re required to enter your email ID. If you already have an Adobe account you can go ahead and try out the trial version in the Creative Cloud application or on the site. After this, you’ll be prompted to either enter your credit card or PayPal details (As mentioned earlier, you will not be charged before the trial period ends). But once you’re done, you can go ahead and download Adobe Lightroom on your Mac or Windows device.

Step 4: Enter your email ID and your payment (credit card) details.

Step 4 - Cancel your subscription

Just before the 7-day trial period ends, visit the ‘Privacy’ section of your Adobe account and follow the steps to delete your adobe account. When doing this, there is the option to cancel your subscriptions and not delete your account but this is the best way to go about it. If you’d like a more thorough guide for this, you should check out our ‘How to delete your Adobe account‘ article.

 

How Do I Buy Lightroom?

One great way to get Adobe Lightroom would be through a Creative Cloud membership.

To do this, you’ll have to subscribe for a monthly or annual package after picking from the various options available. Generally, Adobe has four options to choose from based on what your requirements are.

The first two options are the most affordable. While the third option is at a slightly higher price, it comes with access to Adobe Photoshop and over 1TB storage space. The fourth and most pricey option would be the Adobe All Apps plan which comes with over 20+ Adobe apps that can make things much easier, especially for designers.

This plan comes with the most popular Adobe software, like Photoshop and Illustrator, and includes several niche apps like Adobe Effects and Fresco. So, depending on your needs, you can buy the plan that works best for you. See below for all the pricing details.

 

How Much Does Lightroom CC Cost?

Adobe Lightroom Plans
Adobe Lightroom Plans. Image credit: Adobe

The two most affordable plans would be the Lightroom Individual Plan, which costs $9.99 per month and comes with 1TB storage.

The Adobe Photography Plan (20GB) also costs $9.99 per month and includes Photoshop and 20GB of cloud storage, making it a good deal.

That said, for most designers and photographers, 20GB of storage space disappears almost immediately. So for that reason, there is also a Photography Plan (1TB)  $19.99/month plan that includes Lightroom along with Photoshop and over 1TB storage space!

The last plan would be the Creative Cloud All Apps plan, which offers the most value by far. This payment plan costs $52.99 a month but gives access to over 20+ applications on Adobe Creative Cloud. This plan is suitable for a variety of creative projects that photographers and designers may take up. Also, this plan gives you a chance to go in new, creative directions, definitely making it worth the price.

Though slightly expensive upfront, this plan also includes several mobile apps from Creative Cloud, necessary for any designer on the go.

That said, any of the four pricing plans could serve you well and definitely offer value for your money. You are bound to be satisfied with your pick, provided you keep your design requirements in mind.

Adobe Lightroom Student Discount

Adobe Discount for Students and Teachers
Adobe Discount for Students and Teachers

Adobe offers students and teachers a chance to buy Adobe products like Adobe Lightroom at a much lower price.

So if you’re a student or teacher, you’re in luck as you can get the Creative Cloud All Apps subscription with over +20 apps and 100GB free cloud storage for only $15.99 per month.

This Adobe student discount allows users to get the Creative Cloud apps at a discount of 60-70%. This package also includes applications like Adobe Spark, Adobe Portfolio, and Adobe Fonts.

To take advantage of this student discount, you must be at least 13 years old and enrolled in a school, college, or any accredited institute.

Homeschooled students are also eligible, but all applicants are required to have ID proof to authenticate their enrollment.

How do you get the Adobe Student Discount?

You can opt for the Creative Cloud student discount by visiting the CC app or website. When signing up for the discount, proof of ID verifying part-time or full-time enrollment, including homeschooling, is a requirement.

Who qualifies for the Adobe student discount?

Teachers and students above the age of 13, employed or enrolled in an accredited institution, including homeschooling, part-time or full-time, are eligible for the discount.

This discount offers nearly 60-70% off the original price and can be quite convenient. But if you don’t meet the above criteria and are wondering how you can take part in this discount, we have that information for you just below.

Become a Student And Save

Logocore Adobe Discount
Save up to 65% with the Adobe LogoCore course

If you want to get a 60-70% discount, you can sign up for the Adobe certified LogoCore Logo Design Course (just $80) to qualify officially as a student.

After you enroll in the course, you can visit the Students and Teachers discount page to take advantage of the discount and save over $400.

Creative Cloud Student Discount FAQs

Is Lightroom free for students?

Unfortunately, Lightroom is not free for students, however, students and teachers can get an impressive 60-70% discount on the All Apps plan. You will gain access to over 20+ Creative Cloud apps.

Can students still use the Adobe Student discount after graduation?

Yes! But only for a grace period of one year. Adobe allows you to continue to use the student discount up to one year after graduation. However, one month before the grace period ends, you will need to close your subscription or choose to continue with the Adobe CC on a regular price plan.

How to get an Adobe Teachers Discount?

With Adobe, teachers are also eligible for the Students and Teachers discount plan. So regardless of whether you’re employed part-time or full-time, work at an institution, or are a homeschool teacher, we’d recommend you opt for the Students and Teachers plan.

Adobe Discount for Individuals

Adobe Discount for Individuals
Adobe Discount for Individuals

Even though Adobe’s student discount is probably your best option, individuals can still save around 35% off the regular plan.

How to get the Adobe discount for individuals? Individuals can prepay for a full year in advance and save up to 35%, which can amount to a few hundred dollars.

Also, if you pay for the full year in advance, you’ll get Adobe Stock free for one month, and 10 free premium photos.

 

How to get the best Creative Cloud Discount

Adobe Creative Cloud Discount - Save 65%
Adobe Discounts — Save up to 65%

Want to know how you can get the best discount on the full Creative Cloud?

The best way to get great discounts on Adobe CC would be to follow industry experts and partners (like Just Creative) as they’re usually the first to know about Adobe’s latest offers and promote them on their sales pages.

From experience, Adobe Creative Cloud has discount sales every 3-5 months and for 3-5 days at a time.

If you want to know more about these offers, check the official Adobe coupons, promos, discounts, and special offers page and our Adobe discounts guide.

 

How To Get Started With Lightroom?

When you’re done downloading the Lightroom software, visit the guide published by Adobe to get the best hacks and techniques to use Lightroom more effectively.

Whatever your career path or level of skill as a designer, you’ll find these tips and instructions helpful for increasing your proficiency with the software. And you’ll learn some lesser-known features to improve your productivity too.

So when it comes to becoming the best designer you can be, getting comfortable with the software you’re working with can make all the difference.

About Lightroom CC: What You Should Know

Adobe lightroom User Interface
Adobe Lightroom User Interface. Image credit: Adobe

Adobe Lightroom was developed in 2006, and is now come to be known as the popular Image organization and image manipulation software we know today.

What makes Lightroom unique when compared with some of Adobe’s more popular apps, is the fact that it can be used on computers, laptops as well as mobile phones, and tablets and does not require heavy specs to run.

This image editing and organizing tool comes packed with several practical and quick-to-use features that are accessible to anyone with even more limited software knowledge. Lightroom enables you to control tone, white balance, presence, color grading, and also play around with several photo editing features.

And when it comes to organizing images, this software comes with all the functional features you would expect from an industry leader. It is worth mentioning that, unlike other Adobe software, this one is user-friendly and requires a lot less time to learn.

 

Lightroom CC — Pros and Cons

Adobe Lightroom Interface - Pros and Cons
Adobe Lightroom Interface – Pros and Cons. Image credit: Adobe

Pros:

➕ Powerful for processing RAW images. Several users have reported it as one of the most efficient to date.

➕ Comes with convenient, built-in file management and categorizing system.

➕ Easy for photographers to learn how to use, especially with its quick and simple syncing that makes photos accessible for designers and photographers on the go.

➕ Capable of limited image manipulation. With Lightroom, users can use cloning and healing tools on their images.

➕ Lightroom preserves the file data so you can revert/revisit the filter and edit at a later date.

➕ Comes with presets developed by experienced photographers who know what works with certain types of image lighting.

➕ Has a robust and user-friendly interface and a full range of easy-to-work-with options.

Cons: 

➖ Although priced at a relatively high price point, there are quite a few free applications out there that have similar functions

➖ Limited editability when it comes to more minute details. For more detail-oriented work, Photoshop is definitely the better fit.

➖ Despite being relatively light compared to other Adobe applications, Lightroom takes a significant amount of RAM.

➖ This software cannot do functions like layering or blending, which can be vital for photographers and designers alike.

 

Adobe Lightroom Alternatives

If you’re a more cautious person, consider looking into other options just to be sure of your choice. Whether you’re working with a smaller budget or just to cover all your bases, here are a couple of alternatives to Lightroom.

Some Lightroom alternatives include Dark Table, Skylum Luminar 4, Raw Therapee, and Exposure X6.

These applications are some of the most popular ones that people use instead of Lightroom and are more highly rated. Unlike Lightroom, these applications cannot integrate as well with other Adobe applications, but they’re still quite good.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to get Lightroom for free?

You can get Lightroom by downloading the trial version free of cost from the CC website or app.

Is Lightroom a good photo editor?

Definitely! Though it does come with its limitations, Lightroom is a great photo editor that works on Windows and Mac operating systems. It's also a great app to use on Android or iPhone mobile devices.

What is Adobe Lightroom 5.0?

Lightroom 5.0 is the latest version of Lightroom to be released by Adobe.

Is Lightroom compatible with Androids and iPhones?

One great thing about Lightroom is that it's an easily accessible app on both Android and iPhone mobile devices. It can come in quite handy when editing photos on the go.

What is the Adobe Photography plan?

The Photography plan is an affordable payment subscription that allows users access to Photoshop and Lightroom at $9.99/19.99 per month. This subscription also comes with 20GB or 1TB of cloud storage space free, depending on which plan you pick.

Can Lightroom be used on Windows and Mac operating systems?

Yes, Lightroom is one of the better photo editing tools as it can be used on both Windows and Mac operating systems.

What is the Adobe All Apps Plan?

The All Apps is an effective was for designers to access over 20+ creative applications from Adobe. The Adobe All Apps plan includes applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom and all the other popular Adobe creative software.

Is Adobe Lightroom included in the All Apps plan?

Yes, You can download Adobe Lightroom using the All Apps plan that comes along with over 20+ other applications.

Is Lightroom available for free?

No, you cannot access Lightroom without a subscription. You cannot buy Lightroom as a standalone program and own it forever. You must subscribe to a plan and continue it, if not you'll lose access. However, you can get a trial version for free.

What is the period for Lightroom's free trial?

You can enjoy Lightroom for seven days. Your trail will automatically get converted to a paid version after seven days unless you cancel it prior.

 


Where to download Lightroom?

Regardless of whether you’re a photographer or a designer looking to add to your skillset, Lightroom is definitely a good software to learn. For organizing, quick lighting fixes, using preset filters, and other image editing tools, Lightroom is a light and easy-to-use tool that is accessible anywhere.

That said, you now know everything you need to know to download Lightroom, and all about the different plans and pricing. You are well on your way to making the right decision for you!

 

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