As a Lightroom user, have you ever wondered whether you need to save your edited images inside the program? Here’s the answer: you don’t have to save your adjustments inside Lightroom. All of the adjustments you make only exist within the program.
For example, if you open an image and make some changes to it, those changes won’t have any effect on the original file. If you check the original file outside of Lightroom, you’ll see that it’s still untouched. However, once you’re ready to use it for something else, like printing it or sending it to a friend, you’ll need to export it.
To export an image, go to the Library module and click the export button at the bottom left corner. Then, choose to export it as a full-size JPEG and specify where you want it to be saved. You can also rename the file to include a specific editing name. Once you’ve made these settings, click export.
After exporting, the edited file will be saved as a new file in the location you specified. The original file will remain untouched, so you’ll have the best of both worlds. You can keep the original file for future editing and have the edited version saved separately.
It’s important to note that Lightroom stores all of the adjustments you make in its catalog. If you don’t save your Lightroom catalog to a separate hard drive, you risk losing all of your adjustments if something happens to your main hard drive.
In conclusion, saving your edited images inside Lightroom isn’t necessary. You only need to export them when you’re ready to use them for something else. Make sure to save your Lightroom catalog to a separate hard drive to avoid losing all of your adjustments.