How to Get Adobe Lightroom for Free (100% Legal!)

For many professional and amateur photographers alike, Adobe Lightroom is an indispensable part of their digital imaging toolkit. A pioneer in the realm of "non-destructive editing", the software has garnered a reputation as the go-to choice for streamlined RAW image processing, organization, and photo management.

But while Lightroom‘s feature set makes it a dream for serious shutterbugs, the $9.99/month price tag for the full program can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for those just starting their photographic journey. Shelling out $120 a year for software—on top of all the other expenses of photography—is a serious commitment!

Luckily, there are a couple ways you can take Lightroom for a spin without spending a dime. In this article, we‘ll show you exactly how to download and use Lightroom 100% free, legally. And for those looking for a more budget-friendly long-term option, we‘ll also highlight some of the best free alternatives to this industry-standard software. Let‘s get into it!

Why Is Lightroom So Popular?

First, a bit of background. Originally released in 2007, Lightroom has grown to become one of the most widely-used digital photography applications in the world. But what exactly makes it so popular? Here are a few key reasons:

• Non-destructive editing – Lightroom keeps your original image files untouched, with edits stored in separate files, meaning you can always revert to the unedited master images
• Robust RAW processing – Lightroom is built from the ground up to handle high-quality Camera RAW files, preserving maximum editing flexibility and image quality
• Intuitive interface – With its modular design and customizable layout, Lightroom has a logical flow that‘s quick to learn and easy to tailor to your preferences
• Powerful organizing tools – Lightroom‘s Library module lets you efficiently sort, keyword, and manage your entire photo collection
• Convenient presets – The software supports a wide variety of presets to instantly apply your favorite looks to images or batch process entire sets of photos
• Mobile and cloud integration – Your Adobe Creative Cloud subscription syncs your photo library across desktop and mobile devices and backs up your files to the cloud

Together, these features (and many more) make Lightroom uniquely suited for the photography workflow, from importing to organizing to editing to exporting the final images. As renowned landscape photographer Scott Kelby explains:

"Lightroom is the one application I can‘t imagine being without as a photographer. It‘s my hub for organizing, editing, and outputting all my photos. There‘s simply nothing else that comes close to its level of integration."

But as essential as Lightroom may be for many photographers, not everyone can justify the ongoing cost of an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. So what‘s a cash-strapped shutterbug to do? Here are your options for getting Lightroom without cracking open your wallet.

Option 1: Sign Up for a Free Lightroom Trial

The simplest method for getting your hands on the full desktop version of Lightroom is to sign up for a free 7-day trial through Adobe‘s Creative Cloud service. Here‘s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

1. Navigate to the Lightroom product page on Adobe‘s website.
2. Click on the "Start free trial" button in the top-right corner.
3. On the next page, scroll down and select the "Photography" plan (the one that includes Lightroom and Photoshop).
4. If you don‘t already have an Adobe account, click "Create account" and fill in your info. Otherwise, just sign in.
5. Enter your credit card details when prompted. You won‘t be charged until after the 7-day trial period ends.
6. Once your account is created, click the "Download" button to install the Creative Cloud desktop app.
7. After the Creative Cloud app is installed, sign in and select Lightroom from the list of apps to download and install it.

And that‘s it! You now have a fully-functional version of Lightroom Classic to use free for 7 days. The trial includes all the latest features and performance optimizations found in the release version of the software. It‘s the perfect way to explore Lightroom‘s robust toolset and see how it fits into your editing workflow.

Of course, the free trial does come with a few limitations to keep in mind:

• Once the trial period is over, the software will become read-only, meaning you can view but not edit or export your images
• Lightroom needs to verify its subscription status by connecting to the internet at least once every 99 days, so extended offline use isn‘t possible
• The free trial of the desktop Lightroom program doesn‘t include access to the premium features in the Lightroom mobile app or Lightroom cloud storage

Still, 7 days is plenty of time to take Lightroom for a test drive and see if it meets your needs. Adobe even offers a special Photography Plan that bundles Lightroom, Photoshop, and 20GB of cloud storage for just $9.99/month after the trial ends—a fantastic value for those serious about digital photography.

Option 2: Use the Lightroom Mobile App (Free Version)

Got an iPhone or Android device? Then you‘ve already got access to a surprisinglycapable version of Lightroom for the low, low price of zero dollars. That‘s right,unlike the desktop program, the Lightroom mobile app is free to downloadand use in its basic configuration.

Now, the free tier of the mobile app does lack some of the features foundin its desktop counterpart. However, itstill retains an impressive set of tools that cover most on-the-gophoto editing needs. Here‘s a quick rundown of what you can do in thecamera and editing modules of the free app:

• Capture images in Adobe‘s DNG RAW format using the in-app Pro mode camera
• Make global adjustments to exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, vibrance, and saturation
• Tweak the tone curve for more precise tonal control
• Adjust the hue, saturation, and luminance of individual colors in your image
• Apply sharpening and noise reduction to perfect the details
• Crop, rotate, and straighten the perspective of your photos
• Add gradients and radial filters for targeted local adjustments
• Alter the portrait with a suite of AI-powered retouching tools
• Apply Adobe‘s default presets or create and save your own custom looks
• Export directly to your device, share to social media, or send to other apps

Not too shabby for a freebie, right? By the waythe numbers suggest that plenty of people are happily using Lightroom mobileto edit their photos. According to Adobe, the app has been installed on over500 million devices globally and racks up more than 18 million active monthlyusers. As professional photographer and influencer Jessica Whitaker puts it:

"I‘m constantly amazed by how much I‘m able to do in the Lightroom mobile app, especially when I‘m traveling or on location without my laptop. The editing tools are nearly as comprehensive as the desktop version and the results look just as professional. It‘s a game-changer for mobile workflows."

Of course, there are a few key features you‘ll have to live without in the free version:

As you can see, the premium tier of Lightroom mobile (available for $4.99/month) fills in many of the gaps in the free version with more advanced tools and integrations. But honestly, the basic app has more than enough functionality for most mobile photo editing needs.

To get started, simply search for "Adobe Lightroom" in your device‘s app store and hit the download button. Once it‘s installed, you can begin importing and editing images immediately—no account creation or subscription required!

Totally Free Lightroom Alternatives

Maybe neither flavor of Lightroom is quite your cup of tea. In that case, you‘ve still got options! Here are four of the best totally free alternatives to Lightroom for all your photo editing and organizing needs:

1. Darktable (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Darktable is a powerful open-source RAW image editor that many see as the closest direct analog to Lightroom. Its non-destructive workflow, deep catalog management features, and extensive editing toolset make it a top choice, especially among Linux users. The learning curve is a bit steeper than with Lightroom, but the degree of control Darktable offers is hard to beat, especially for a free program.

2. RawTherapee (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Another popular open-source option, RawTherapee was one of the first free RAW processing programs on the scene. While not quite as fully-featured as Darktable, many users find RawTherapee more approachable thanks to its simple, tabbed interface. One-click auto adjustments and batch processing help speed up your workflow, while powerful lens and perspective correction tools keep your images looking tack sharp.

3. Capture One Express (Windows, Mac)
A relative newcomer compared to the first two options, Capture One Express is a free, stripped-down version of the popular (and pricey) Capture One Pro editing suite. True to its name, Express keeps things simple, doing away with the more advanced tools while retaining the essential editing functionality and sleek interface Capture One is known for. Keep in mind that Express only supports image files from Fujifilm and Sony cameras, so Canon/Nikon/etc. shooters will need to look elsewhere.

4. GIMP (Windows, Mac, Linux)
No free photo editing software roundup would be complete without a mention of the GNU Image Manipulation Program, a.k.a. GIMP. As a general raster graphics editing program, GIMP is more akin to Adobe Photoshop than Lightroom. However, its expansive feature set can handle the vast majority of photo editing tasks (RAW processing being the notable exception). For quick, destructive edits and image compositing work, GIMP is hard to beat.

Making the Most of Free Lightroom: Tips and Tricks

Whether you‘re rocking the Lightroom free trial, mobile app, or one of the above alternatives, you‘ll want to make sure you‘re taking full advantage of the software‘s capabilities. Here are a few expert tips to level up your Lightroom game:

1. Shoot RAW – To maximize editing flexibility, set your camera to capture images in RAW format rather than JPEG. RAW files contain the full, uncompressed data from your camera‘s sensor, giving you way more latitude for adjustments in Lightroom compared to "cooked" JPEGs.

2. Use Presets – Lightroom‘s preset feature lets you save an adjustment or group of adjustments as a one-click "look" that can be instantly applied to any image. Using presets is a great way to speed up your editing and maintain a consistent style across your photos. Plus you can download and install thousands of free presets shared online by the Lightroom community!

3. Perfect Your Workflow – Lightroom works best when you embrace a consistent workflow for importing, sorting, editing, and exporting your images. Spend some time customizing your workspace and adjustment settings to suit your needs, and stick with your preferred flow for a more efficient editing experience.

4. Back Up Your Catalog – Since Lightroom uses a database system to store all your edits and rating metadata, you‘ll want to make sure to back up your master catalog file regularly. Set up an automated system for duplicating the catalog to an external drive or use a cloud backup service to avoid losing all your hard work (and photos!) to a hard drive failure.

5. Explore the Lightroom Community – As popular as Lightroom is, there‘s an incredible wealth of knowledge shared freely by its users online. From in-depth tutorials to discussion forums to downloadable presets, you can find answers and inspiration for just about anything Lightroom-related. Adobe‘s own Lightroom YouTube channel is a great place to start, with hours of educational content for beginners and experts alike.

Parting Shots

So there you have it–everything you need to know about scoring Adobe Lightroom for the low price of nothing. Between the fully-functional free trial of the desktop app and the forever-free Lightroom mobile, you‘ve got some compelling $0 options for organizing and perfecting your photos.

Of course, the premium upgrades for both versions offer some significant benefits for power users, as do the paid Lightroom alternatives like Capture One Pro and Skylum Luminar. But now that you know how to get your foot in the door for free, you can invest your photo editing budget where it really counts (like on that shiny new lens you‘ve been eyeing).

At the end of the day, the best photo editing solution is the one that fits your unique needs, budget, and workflow. Whether that‘s a tricked-out Lightroom subscription or a completely free option like Darktable, what matters is that you‘re creating work you‘re proud of and enjoying the process along the way. So go forth and edit without limits–your next great shot awaits!