XMP vs DNG: which Lightroom preset file do you actually need?
A plain explanation of the two Lightroom preset formats, which app reads which, and why a pack that only ships one of them is a problem.
14 September 20265 min read
Two file types, one job. Which one you need depends entirely on which Lightroom you are running, and the answer is not obvious from the file itself.
XMP, the real preset
.xmp is Adobe’s sidecar format. It is a small text file describing develop settings, and it is what a preset genuinely is under the hood. Open one in a text editor and you will see the actual numbers: exposure, tone curve points, HSL values, split toning.
Reads XMP: Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC desktop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom Mobile on a paid plan.
Cannot read XMP: Lightroom Mobile on the free tier.
That last line is the whole problem.
DNG, the carrier
.dng is a raw image format. A preset DNG is a tiny, intentionally plain photograph with develop settings baked into its metadata.
You do not use it as a photo. You import it, open it, copy its settings, and paste them onto your own frame. Then you save that as a preset and never open the DNG again.
Reads DNG: every version of Lightroom, including the free mobile app.
So which do you need?
| You are using | Take |
|---|---|
| Lightroom Classic (desktop) | XMP |
| Lightroom CC (desktop) | XMP |
| Lightroom Mobile, paid | XMP, or DNG if you prefer |
| Lightroom Mobile, free | DNG, no alternative |
If you are not sure which mobile tier you are on, check whether Presets, three dots, Import Presets exists in your app. If it does not, you are on the free tier and you need DNG.
Why some shops only ship one
Producing DNG versions takes extra work: you have to apply each look to a carrier photograph and export it individually. A shop selling eighteen looks has to do that eighteen times.
Shops that skip it are optimising for their own effort. The cost lands on buyers who are on a phone, which in practice is most buyers.
What to check before you buy
Ask one question: does this pack include DNG files? If the answer is no and you shoot on a phone, do not buy it. No amount of troubleshooting will make an XMP import into the free mobile app, because the function does not exist.
Every pack in our catalogue ships both, in separate folders, with an install guide for each.
A note on quality
Neither format is “better quality”. They carry identical settings. A DNG is slightly larger because it contains an actual image; an XMP is a few kilobytes of text. The grade you get is the same either way.
What does differ is convenience. XMP presets appear directly in your preset panel. DNG presets require the copy-paste-save dance once, after which they behave identically.
Written by the Graded By colour lab. Every pack ships both the desktop and the mobile preset file, plus this guide in print.