You can get the Adobe Lightroom download for Windows 11, Windows 10 and Mac straight from Adobe, and start with a 7-day free trial. The small setup file installs Lightroom through the Creative Cloud desktop app and signs you in with an Adobe account.
This guide covers which file to pick, installing on Windows and Mac, trial costs, choosing between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic, system requirements, and fixes for Lightroom not installing.
Which Adobe Lightroom download do you need?
Adobe serves one web installer per platform for each edition. Match your computer and workflow to a row.
| Your setup | Get this | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, cloud-synced editing | Lightroom_Set-Up.exe from the free trial page | 2.0 MB |
| Mac with Apple silicon or an Intel chip, cloud-synced editing | Lightroom_Installer.dmg from the free trial page | 2.3 MB |
| PC or Mac with photos kept on a local drive | Lightroom Classic from its product page | 2.0 MB on Windows, 2.3 MB on Mac |
| PC or Mac that already has Creative Cloud | Install from the Apps tab in Creative Cloud | No separate file |
Every setup file is small because it fetches the app during installation. Keep the computer online until setup finishes.
Download Adobe Lightroom from the official links
Adobe distributes Lightroom only from adobe.com and the Creative Cloud desktop app. A copy on any other site is repackaged.
- Lightroom free trial and download — starts the 7-day trial and the installer
- Adobe Lightroom product page — plans for individuals, students and businesses
- Adobe Lightroom Classic product page — the desktop-only edition
- Lightroom system requirements — Windows, macOS, iOS and Android minimums
- Lightroom release notes — what each update changed
Adobe asks you to sign in or create an Adobe account before the setup file downloads.
How to install Adobe Lightroom on Windows 11 and 10
The installer needs an internet connection the whole way through, because it downloads Lightroom as it runs.
- Open the Lightroom free trial page in your browser.
- Select Start free trial.
- Sign in with your Adobe account, or create one, and confirm the plan for your trial.
- Wait for Lightroom_Set-Up.exe to save to your Downloads folder.
- Double-click the file and select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Wait while the installer sets up the Creative Cloud desktop app and downloads Lightroom.
- Open Adobe Lightroom from the Start menu.
- Sign in again if Lightroom asks, then import your first photos.
Already running Creative Cloud? Open it, select Apps, and select Install next to Lightroom or Lightroom Classic. The Creative Cloud setup guide covers that app in full.
Which Adobe Lightroom download do you need for your Mac?
Adobe ships one disk image for every supported Mac. Both Lightroom editions run natively on Apple silicon.
| Your Mac | Get this | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Apple silicon M-series chip on macOS 14 Sonoma or later | Lightroom_Installer.dmg | Runs natively |
| Multicore 64-bit Intel Mac on macOS 14 Sonoma or later | Lightroom_Installer.dmg | Installs and runs on Intel |
| Mac on macOS 13 Ventura or earlier | Install a previous version | Current Lightroom 9 and Lightroom Classic 15 need macOS 14 or later |
Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac to read your chip and macOS version.
Double-click the disk image, then double-click Lightroom Installer and enter your Mac password when asked. Install to your internal drive: Lightroom will not install on case-sensitive file systems or removable flash storage.
Is Adobe Lightroom free?
No. Lightroom is a subscription, and only the first 7 days are free. The trial gives you the full app with the latest updates for desktop, web and mobile. Billing begins on day 8 unless you cancel, and Adobe allows another 14 days to cancel for a full refund. Adobe lists separate plans for students, teachers and businesses, and the membership includes Adobe Express. Any site offering Lightroom free forever is not Adobe.
Check current prices on the Adobe Lightroom product page before the trial ends.
How to choose between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic
Install Lightroom if you edit across a phone, tablet and computer. Install Lightroom Classic if you keep a large library on a local drive. Lightroom stores originals in the cloud, backs them up automatically and finds photos through automatic tagging and search. Lightroom Classic is desktop only, keeps originals on your hard drive, includes no file backup and relies on manual keywords. Adobe recommends Lightroom for everyone and Lightroom Classic for photography experts.
Lightroom Classic has its own Start free trial button on the Lightroom Classic product page. You can install both editions side by side from Creative Cloud.
How to check your Lightroom version and update it
Creative Cloud delivers Lightroom updates, so you never need to download the setup file again.
- Open Lightroom and select Help on Windows, or the Lightroom menu on a Mac, then choose the About entry.
- Read the version number in the window that opens.
- Compare it with the newest entry on Adobe’s What’s new page.
- Close Lightroom and open the Creative Cloud desktop app.
- Select Updates and select Update next to Lightroom.
- Reopen Lightroom when the update finishes.
Lightroom Classic updates the same way. Its version history is on Adobe’s Lightroom Classic What’s new page.
Check the Adobe Lightroom requirements before you download
These minimums apply to Lightroom desktop 9.0 and later, released from October 2025.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Software | Adobe Lightroom |
| Developer | Adobe Inc. |
| Latest version | 9.5 (August 2026); Lightroom Classic 15.5 |
| Licence | Paid subscription with a 7-day free trial |
| Windows | Windows 10 version 22H2 or Windows 11 version 23H2 or later |
| macOS | macOS 14 Sonoma or later |
| Processor | 64-bit Intel or AMD with SSE 4.2, 2 GHz or faster on Windows; multicore 64-bit Intel or Apple silicon on Mac |
| RAM | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended |
| Disk space | 10 GB, plus extra space during installation and sync |
| Display | 1280 x 768 minimum, 1920 x 1080 recommended |
| GPU | DirectX 12 with 2 GB VRAM on Windows; Metal with 2 GB VRAM on Mac |
| Mobile | iPhone and iPad on iOS 17.0 or later; Android 8 or later |
| Installer | Lightroom_Set-Up.exe 2.0 MB; Lightroom_Installer.dmg 2.3 MB |
| Offline installer | No; setup and activation need the internet |
| Official source | adobe.com |
| Last verified | 2026-09-19 |
Press Windows + R, type winver and select OK to read your Windows version.
Lightroom Classic needs 8 GB of disk space and a 1024 x 768 display, and it runs on Windows ARM processors through emulation. Adobe lists the rest on its Lightroom Classic requirements page.
Fix Adobe Lightroom not installing on Windows or Mac
Setup says your operating system is not supported
Lightroom 9 needs Windows 10 22H2, Windows 11 23H2 or later, or macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
- Run winver on Windows, or open About This Mac on macOS.
- Install pending updates from Settings > Windows Update or System Settings > General > Software Update.
- Restart and run the installer again.
- Install an earlier version from Other versions in Creative Cloud if your system cannot update.
Setup stalls or fails partway through
The web installer loses its connection or runs out of disk space.
- Switch to a stable network and turn off any VPN.
- Free at least 10 GB of disk space, plus extra room for setup.
- Delete the old setup file and download a fresh one from the free trial page.
- Right-click the file and select Run as administrator on Windows.
Setup refuses the target drive on a Mac
Lightroom will not install on case-sensitive file systems or removable flash storage.
- Open Disk Utility and check the format of the target volume.
- Choose your internal drive, or a volume that is not case-sensitive, as the install location.
- Run Lightroom Installer again.
Lightroom installs but will not open or activate
Activation needs an internet connection and a signed-in Adobe account with an active trial or plan.
- Open the Creative Cloud desktop app and confirm you are signed in.
- Check that your trial or plan is active in your Adobe account.
- Sign out of Creative Cloud, sign back in, and open Lightroom again.
- Update your graphics driver if Lightroom closes at launch.
How to uninstall Adobe Lightroom
Remove Lightroom from the Creative Cloud desktop app, which manages the install on Windows and Mac.
- Close Lightroom and let any sync in progress finish.
- Open the Creative Cloud desktop app and select Apps.
- Select the three-dot menu next to Lightroom and choose Uninstall.
- Wait for Creative Cloud to confirm the removal.
- Cancel your plan from your Adobe account if you no longer need it.
Uninstalling Lightroom leaves the Creative Cloud desktop app in place.
Which alternative should you use instead of Lightroom?
Each option covers part of what Lightroom does, from quick edits to detailed retouching.
| Tool | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Lightroom Classic | Paid subscription | Large photo libraries kept on a local drive |
| Adobe Photoshop | Paid subscription | Detailed retouching, compositing and layered edits |
| Adobe Express | Free Plan, paid premium | Quick edits and social graphics |
Pick Lightroom for organising and editing a photo library across devices. Adobe Express is the free option for quick one-off edits.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Adobe Lightroom download free?
The download and the first 7 days are free. Lightroom is a paid subscription, and billing begins on day 8 unless you cancel. Adobe allows a further 14 days after that to cancel for a full refund.
Is Adobe Lightroom free for students?
No free student edition is listed. Adobe sells separate plans for students and teachers, and it links to them from the Lightroom free trial page.
Where is the official Adobe Lightroom download page?
Adobe hosts it at adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom/free-trial-download.html. If the Creative Cloud desktop app is already on your computer, install Lightroom from its Apps tab without a separate file.
Does Adobe Lightroom work on Windows 11?
Yes. Lightroom 9.0 and later support Windows 11 version 23H2 or later and Windows 10 version 22H2. You need a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor, 8 GB of RAM and 10 GB of free disk space.
How big is the Adobe Lightroom download?
The Windows setup file, Lightroom_Set-Up.exe, is 2.0 MB, and the Mac disk image is 2.3 MB. Lightroom itself then needs 10 GB of free disk space, plus extra room during installation and sync.
Can I use Lightroom offline?
Only partly. Setup and activation need the internet, and Lightroom tries to validate your subscription every 30 days. Lightroom Classic keeps your originals on a local drive rather than in the cloud.
Is Lightroom only for Mac?
No. Adobe ships Lightroom for Windows 10 and 11 as well as macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It also runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later and on Android 8 or later.
Does Adobe Lightroom run on 64-bit and ARM64 computers?
Lightroom for Windows needs a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor with SSE 4.2. Lightroom Classic runs on Windows ARM processors through emulation. Both run natively on Apple silicon Macs.
Is Adobe Lightroom safe to download?
Yes, when it comes from adobe.com or the Creative Cloud desktop app. Copies on download portals or sites promising Lightroom free forever are repackaged and can carry malware, so avoid them.
What is the latest version of Adobe Lightroom?
The latest desktop release is Lightroom 9.5, from August 2026, which added Generative Expand and new Feather and Edge masking controls. Lightroom Classic reached version 15.5 in the same month.
What is the difference between Lightroom and Lightroom Classic?
Lightroom stores originals in the cloud and runs on desktop, mobile and web. Lightroom Classic is desktop only, keeps originals on your local drive and uses manual keywords for organising photos.
Why can’t I download or install Adobe Lightroom?
The common causes are an unsupported Windows or macOS version, too little disk space, a case-sensitive or removable Mac drive, and a dropped connection during setup. Fix the cause, then run a fresh installer.
How do I uninstall Adobe Lightroom?
Open the Creative Cloud desktop app, select Apps, open the three-dot menu next to Lightroom and choose Uninstall. The Creative Cloud desktop app stays installed.
