Instagram presets are effortless for any social media marketer.
Not only do they help speed up your workflow, they also add that extra polish that sets your brand apart. And with over 25 million businesses on Instagram, a little polish can go a long way.
Whether you’re new to presets or consider yourself a preset expert, here’s plenty for every skill level, such as:
- Free Instagram presets from Moyens I/O
- A breakdown of what Instagram presets are
- Why should you use presets for Instagram?
- How to use Lightroom presets
- The best Instagram preset tips and tricks
Are you ready to start? Ready, preset, go!
What are Instagram Presets?
Instagram presets are predefined edits that allow you to convert images with one click. In other words, they are basically filters. Presets can be downloaded to your computer or phone and are available from a variety of sources.
You can also create your own presets for Instagram using the photo editing app Lightroom. This can come in handy when you like the edits you’ve made to a particular photo and want to remember them later. Or it saves time if you find yourself making the same edits to photos over and over.
Why use Instagram Presets?
Here are the top three reasons to consider using presets for Instagram:
saves you time
No messing around with photos for hours and minutes. The whole point of presets is for them to be seamless. They can be applied to images individually or to batches of similar photos.
The nice thing about using Lightroom presets through Instagram’s editing tools is that you can resize and save your photos in high quality.
This way, you can easily format it for a post or Instagram Story where editing options are limited. You can also share the photo on other social media sites with minimal effort.
Bookmark this social media image size guide for future reference.
Strengthens your brand identity
Instagram filters allow you to create a cohesive aesthetic. This may not seem so important. However, it can be the difference between someone following or not following your company.
Images carry a lot of information. Without a modern style, your brand’s personality can get lost in confusion. Worse, it can appear chaotic and disorganized.
Presets can help you define your brand’s visual identity. For example, a dark and moody editorial look might suit a premium clothing company. It may be more suitable for a bright and sunny travel or childcare job.
Once you’ve identified a preset that works for your Instagram photos and fits your brand, you can use the same setting for all your photos instead of struggling to get the same look every time you create a new post.
Adds polish to your creative
The days of #nofilter are long gone, especially if Instagram is an important channel for your business. Presets add polishing touches that make your content look professional.
Creating powerful visuals was once expensive. Now, with so many free tools available, there’s no excuse for a brand to post below-average content. Low quality images reflect on your brand. The good news is that high-quality images can have the opposite effect.
Show your customers and clients that your business cares about details. Take advantage of Moyens I/O’s free Instagram presets to sharpen your visual game.
How to use free Instagram Presets
If you’re new to using presets for Instagram, it can seem a little daunting. But our simple, step-by-step guide takes away all the mystery.
1. Download Adobe Lightroom Photo Editor application on your mobile device.
2. On your desktop, download the zip file below for our free Instagram presets, then unzip it.
3. Open each folder to make sure it contains .png and .dng files.
4. Send .dng files to your phone using email or Airdrop. Open them on your mobile device.
5. Open each file. Tap the save icon (on Apple devices it’s a box with an up arrow) to save it to your phone. then choose Save Image. You may see a message that says “Unsupported file type”. This is normal.
6. Open Adobe Lightroom. If you don’t have an account yet, sign up. To import .dng files, tap the import icon in the lower right corner.
7. Moyens I/O’s free Instagram presets should now be in your Lightroom photo library.
8. Select the preset you want to use. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner. click copy settings and then the checkmark ✓ in the upper right corner.
9. Click the arrow icon in the upper left corner to return to your Lightroom photo library. Select the photo you want to edit. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and Paste settings. If you don’t like the effect, just tap the bottom arrow at the top of your screen.
10. When you are satisfied with your picture, click the save icon and save the picture to your camera roll. Make sure you choose the maximum size available.
Now you are ready to share your photo on Instagram or any other social media network.
Tips for using Instagram presets
Lightroom presets for Instagram do most of the work for you, but there’s always room for a little tweaking. Use these tips for maximum preset potential.
Start with a good photo
Even the best Instagram presets can’t save a bad photo. So before we get started, be sure to brush us up on photography 101.
Image quality is important. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need a fancy digital camera. If you have access to one and know how to use it, you should. If not, use your phone. Smartphone cameras are getting better and better.
Here are some basic photography information:
- Focus on one subject and frame accordingly
- Use as much natural light as possible
- Avoid using flash if possible, especially for portraits
- Clean your lens to avoid blurry images
- Make sure your original file is not too small
Here are some tips for creating engaging visual content on social media.
Make adjustments as needed
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all Instagram preset. Some presets do not work with certain photos, in which case you should not use them.
In other cases, minor adjustments may be required. For example, the Instagram preset might be making the photo too dark. Something like this can be easily fixed by increasing the exposure or reducing the shadows in the image. Light tab.
You can also use Lightroom to fix crooked photos or crop unwanted photo bomb. These features can be found at: Crop tab.
Do not oversaturate images
The greatest sin in the creative world is oversaturation. There is hardly any situation where an oversaturated image is required, and these times are best left to the professionals.
Pay particular attention to high volumes of blues and reds, or lime greens and neon pinks caused by chromatic aberration. Navigate through the menu at the bottom of your screen and select optics to eliminate chromatic aberration. then tap Remove Chromatic Aberration.
Vibrant colors can be created in a variety of ways. In most cases, it may be a matter of lighting the exposure photo taken in a dark environment. You can also adjust the color temperature and vibrancy. Colour tab of the menu.
Stick to a few styles
Remember that one of the best reasons to use Instagram presets is to make sure your feed has a cohesive look. This won’t work if you use too many different types.
Have a few filters that work for the different styles of photos you post. This way, you can add variety to your feed without sacrificing overall cohesion. Take the checkered pattern approach to switch between presets and styles evenly.
With Instagram tools like UNUM or the Preview App, you can plan and preview how your feed will look. Or do it the free old fashioned way and in storyboard. Simply copy images into a three-square grid in a Google Doc or related program.
After that you can go ahead and schedule your posts. Here’s how to do it.
Our free Instagram preset downloads
Basic Instagram presets
dark (01)
dark (02)
Light (01)
Light (02)
Sepia
Bonus Instagram presets for certain vibes
Neon
City
Gold
Mountain
Beach
Save time managing your Instagram presence using Moyens I/O. From a single dashboard, you can schedule your perfectly edited photos and post directly to Instagram, engage with your audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles. Try it for free today.
To start