Adobe Photoshop Lightroom preview
File type: Various data file
An lrpreview file is a proprietary preview file created by Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
It contains preview data used by Lightroom when displaying photographs.
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: October 6, 2026
The lrpreview file extension is associated with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Adobe's digital photo management and editing software for Microsoft Windows and macOS (Mac OS X).
An lrpreview file stores a generated preview of a photograph. Lightroom uses these previews to display images in its library and editing views without repeatedly loading the original photo.
These files are part of Lightroom's preview cache and are managed by the application alongside its catalog and other supporting data. They are not intended to be edited as independent image files.
The format is proprietary and is primarily used internally by the Windows and Mac versions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
An lrpreview file is normally opened automatically by Adobe Photoshop Lightroom when the application accesses its preview cache. It is not intended to be opened directly as a regular image file.
Use the corresponding Adobe Photoshop Lightroom application on Microsoft Windows or macOS (Mac OS X) to access the photographs and their previews.
An lrpreview file is a Lightroom preview-cache file, so it is not normally converted independently. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom does not use it as a general-purpose image export format.
To create a usable image file, open the photograph in Lightroom and export it to a supported image format. The exported file is generated from the photograph and Lightroom's adjustments rather than by converting the preview file directly.
Software apps that create lrpreview files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
Software applications that handle other tasks involving lrpreview files:
Microsoft Windows
Apple macOS / Mac OS X
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