Where are my profiles?
Question
Where do I place DNG Camera Profiles (DCP) and Enhanced Profiles (XMP) for Adobe Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and Photoshop Camera Raw?
Answer
Profiles are used to modify the look of an image in Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, or Photoshop Camera Raw. If you are expecting to see a profile that is not appearing, there are a few potential reasons.
1. Profile Location
The profile(s) may be stored in the wrong location.
Info: Profile Installation Instructions
CameraRaw Folder
The CameraRaw folder is where Adobe stores a variety of data, including profiles, presets, custom curves, and more. The CameraRaw folder can be found in a variety of locations for macOS and Windows.
macOS
On macOS, CameraRaw is located in your Home folder.
- Open Finder.
- In the Go menu, select Go to Folder… or type
shift + command + G. - Copy the following folder and paste into the Go to Folder dialog.
~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/
- Hit the return key.
- The
~/in the above path is shorthand for/Users/(username)/. The following path will get you to the same location, where (username) is your system username./Users/(username)/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/
Windows
On Windows, there are a couple of locations where the CameraRaw folder can be found.
- Open File Explorer.
- Copy the following path and paste into the Path or Quick Access box.
C:\Users\%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\
- Hit the enter key.
- On some Windows systems, an additional CameraRaw folder can be found at this path. Your profiles can use either path.
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\CameraRaw\
CameraProfiles & Settings Folders
There are two key directories within CameraRaw; CameraProfiles and Settings. Within CameraRaw, the folders are the same for macOS and Windows.
CameraProfiles Folder
The CameraProfiles folder is where you save DNG Camera Profile *.dcp files. You can create folders with CameraProfiles to keep your profiles organized, such as .../CameraRaw/CameraProfiles/My Infrared Profiles/. If you are using profiles from the Infrared Profile Pack, you can unzip the entire zip file into CameraProfiles or into it’s own folder within CameraProfiles, such as .../CameraRaw/CameraProfiles/Infrared Profile Pack/.
Settings Folder
The Settings folder is where you save Enhanced Profile and Preset *.xmp files. You can also create folders within Settings to organize your Enhanced Profiles and Presets. For example, if you are using LR IR Color Swap profiles, you can store camera specific files in a folder such as .../CameraRaw/Settings/Canon R6/.
Moving Profiles Between Computers
If you are looking to move between computers, you can simple copy the CameraRaw folder. Same for backups, if you want to backup your profiles and presets, backup the CameraRaw folder.
2. Profile Must Match Camera Model
Your profiles may not match the camera model of the raw image you are editing.
Some profiles are camera-specific; they will only appear for images with metadata that matches the camera model stored in the profile. For example, profiles for a Nikon Z6 will only appear when viewing a raw file shot with a Nikon Z6. Ensure that the camera supported by the image matches the camera in the profile. Profiles created with the Adobe DNG Profile Editor will only work for the camera they are created for.
3. XMP Profile Requires DCP
If you are trying to view a .xmp profile, you may not have installed the required .dcp profile from the same camera model.
Enhanced or .xmp profiles are built on top of the .dcp profiles from the same model camera. If the .dcp profiles are not in the correct location or for the same camera model, the .xmp profiles will not appear.
Lightroom Infrared Color Swap Profiles require the same camera model profiles from the Infrared Profile Pack.
4. Restart Software
Lightroom and Photoshop Camera Raw only load profiles when they are launched. If you manually add a profile to the appropriate location while the program is open, the program may not see the profile. You must close and restart Lightroom or Photoshop to see the profile within that program.
5. Storing Presets in your Lightroom Catalog
Storing presets in your Lightroom catalog (Lightroom Classic only) may conflict with new profiles appearing in Lightroom.
- In Lightroom Classic, open Preferences.
- Under the Presets tab, in the Location group, uncheck the box labeled
Store presets with this catalog. In this context, “Presets” is referring to preset or profile files stored in the Settings directory. - Restart Lightroom Classic.
- Optionally, you can re-check Store presets with this catalog. Restart Lightroom. Profiles should appear correctly.
