Overview
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Lightroom External Editor Preset Instructions
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Important information about Lightroom setup:
- You CANNOT export PSD files from Lightroom to any of our software, it is not supported, and will likely cause a failure to operate correctly.
- Lightroom CC 2018 does not support any external host editors, whatsoever. We did not intentionally exclude this version.
- When setting up Topaz Studio, be sure to use the correct file to configure! If you do not, you may have issues using Lightroom.
- Topaz Studio, and all other products, do not support sequential image load from Lightroom, at this time. If you want to edit multiple images at once, and send them back to Lightroom, you'll need to send them to Topaz Studio at the same time.
Compatibility
Supported
- Lightroom 4
- Lightroom 5
- Lightroom 6
- Lightroom CC 2015
- Lightroom CC 2016
- Lightroom Classic CC 2018
Not Supported
- Lightroom 1
- Lightroom 2
- Lightroom 3
- Lightroom CC 2018
Note: Lightroom CC 2018 does not support ANY external editors.
Note: If your version of Lightroom is not supported, you may still be able to add the external editor preset and use your Topaz Labs software. However, any problems found when using these unsupported versions will not be addressed.
Different Products, Different Access Methods
We have many products, and as a result of that breadth and the number of approaches we've employed through the years, there are three possible ways you'll access your software. Those are through Fusion Express, direct access into the plugin, or through Topaz Studio. All products that use either Fusion Express or direct access (with the exception of the standalone Topaz Studio application) are considered traditional plugins.
1. About Fusion Express
Fusion Express is a small and simple utility that allows several of our products to run in Lightroom as external editors. This utility simply provides you with a window to select the items you want to launch, then opens the plugin. There's not much else to it! Fusion Express 2, the current version, can be downloaded on the Topaz Plugins Downloads Page. Fusion Express works only with our traditional plugin products. Here is a screenshot of Fusion Express 2's simple interface! |
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Where do I find Fusion Express 2?
Macintosh
On Mac, many users accidentally go to the User Library when looking for Fusion Express. This won't work! You must go to the System Library to find the file you need to launch Fusion Express. Here's an easy three step process to get there!
1. START HERE: Computer/Macintosh HD/
2. TOPAZ FOLDER: Library/Application Support/Topaz Labs/
3. INSTALL LOCATION: FusionExp2/Topaz Fusion Express 2.app
Windows
On Windows, many users will head into the wrong folder looking for Fusion Express. Often, the Common Files folder is overlooked, and... well, you can't find it! Take careful note of this file location below!
32bit:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Topaz Labs\tlfusionexpress2.exe
64bit:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Topaz Labs\tlfusionexpress2_x64.exe
Please note, there are some products that stopped using Fusion Express when they were updated. For example, Simplify 4.1 uses Fusion Express, but Simplify 4.2 does not. DeNoise 5 uses Fusion Express, but DeNoise 6 does not. If you're missing something in your list, make sure you're looking in the right place!
Products that require Fusion Express:
Adjust 5.1, B&W Effects 2, Clarity 1, Clean 3, Detail 3, DeJPEG 4, DeNoise 5, InFocus 1, Lens Effects 1, ReStyle, Simplify 4.1, Star Effects
2. About Direct Access
Several of our products have been updated in a manner that means they no longer require the use of Fusion Express. In order to access these products in Lightroom, you'll simply select them from the Edit In menu.
Where are the files I need?
Mac
Adjust 5.2: | /Applications/Topaz Labs/Topaz Adjust 5.app |
DeNoise 6: | /Applications/Topaz DeNoise 6.app |
Glow 2: | /Applications/Topaz Glow 2.app |
Impression 2: | /Applications/Topaz Impression 2.app |
photoFXlab: | /Applications/Topaz Labs/Topaz photoFXlab.app |
ReMask 5: | /Applications/Topaz ReMask 5.app |
Simplify 4.2: | /Applications/Topaz Labs/Topaz Simplify 4.app |
Texture Effects 2: | /Applications/Topaz Texture Effects 2.app |
Windows
Please note, your plugins may be in either of these two locations:
C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Topaz Labs\
Our examples will use the first of these locations
Adjust 5.2: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Adjust 5\tladjust5.exe |
DeNoise 6: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\tldenoise6.exe |
Glow 2: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Glow 2\tlglow2.exe |
Impression 2: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Impression 2\tlimpression2.exe |
photoFXlab: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz photoFXlab\photofxlab.exe |
ReMask 5: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz ReMask 5\tlremask5.exe |
Simplify 4.2: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Simplify 4\tlsimplify4.exe |
Texture Effects 2: | C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Texture Effects 2\tltextureeffects2.exe |
Please note, as products have been updated to In Studio versions, they will no longer use the direct access feature. They will require that you launch Topaz Studio, first, to access them. For example, Simplify 4.2 uses its own external editor preset, but in Simplify in Studio, the product is accessed by launching Topaz Studio.
Products that have direct access:
Topaz Studio, Adjust 5.2, DeNoise 6, Glow 1 & 2, Impression 1 & 2, photoFXlab, ReMask 5, Simplify 4.2, Texture Effects 1 & 2
3. About Topaz Studio
As we've moved forward in our product updates, we have started to move into Topaz Studio. Products that have been updated to In Studio versions will need to launch the Topaz Studio entry from the Edit In list. Topaz Studio needs to use a specific configuration to work properly, so please make sure you choose the files we list here, exactly.
Macintosh
/Applications/Topaz Studio/Topaz Studio.app
Windows
C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Studio\TopazStudioLightroom.lnk
Note: Windows does not show the ".lnk" part of the file name, by default. This file is a Shortcut. Click here to see exactly what it looks like in Windows Explorer
Products that require Topaz Studio:
Clarity in Studio, Detail in Studio, Simplify in Studio, Impression In Studio, Glow in Studio, Texture Effects in Studio
Configuration Steps
Using the file locations we provide you above, you can add your plugins to Lightroom, to be accessed from the External Editor list. In our example, we will use Topaz Adjust 5, but you can follow the same steps for any of the locations you are told to use above, with the same results! To be clear, these instructions work the same for every single product Topaz Labs makes, whether that's Topaz Adjust, Topaz Studio, Topaz photoFXlab, or Fusion Express.
Click to Expand Panel
Open PreferencesMac: Select Lightroom → Preferences... from the top menu Win: Select Edit → Preferences... from the top menu |
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Open File Chooser WindowSelect the External Editing tab, then select the Choose button, as shown here |
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Find the ApplicationUsing the locations provided above, find the application you want to add to Lightroom. Once you locate the application file, select it, then press the Choose button. |
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Open PreferencesMac: Select Lightroom → Preferences... from the top menu Win: Select Edit → Preferences... from the top menu |
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Open File Chooser WindowSelect the External Editing tab, then select the Choose button, as shown here |
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Find the ApplicationUsing the locations provided above, find the application you want to add to Lightroom. Once you locate the application file, select it, then press the Choose button. |
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Open PreferencesMac: Select Lightroom → Preferences... from the top menu Win: Select Edit → Preferences... from the top menu |
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Open the Preset MenuClick the preset menu bar, shown here, then select the preset you want to remove. |
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Known Issues
Star Effects
You might encounter a problem loading Star Effects in Fusion Express 2, through Lightroom, on Mac. If this is the case for you after installing Star Effects into LIghtroom, please download and run this small utility to correct the problem:
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