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How to install the Format Publisher plugin for Adobe® Photoshop Lightroom® Classic

Updated

Save time and steps by uploading directly to your site with the Format Publisher plugin for desktop versions of Adobe Lightroom LrC

Save time and the number of intermediate steps required by directly uploading images to your site with the Format Publisher plugin for desktop (WindowsOS and macOS) versions of Adobe Lightroom Classic LrC.

  • Simplifies the tasks of uploading and updating your Gallery Pages and Client Galleries.

  • Does not upload to Custom Pages, Blog Posts or Store Products.

  • The plugin is not compatible with the web based version of Lightroom CC.

Download the Format Publisher plugin

You can use this link https://www.format.com/lightroom/download/ for the latest version of the Format Publisher for Adobe Lightroom plugin or:

The following screenshots are from macOS, but the steps are the same for WindowsOS computers.

Navigate to the More Apps panel

  1. From the lower left sidebar click More Apps

  2. Click 'Download Plugin'

Locate the downloaded plugin

  1. Your web browser should have an icon or link to help you navigate to where the downloaded plugin was saved to

  2. Click the icon to 'Show in Finder' (macOS) or 'Show in Explorer' (WindowsOS)

Extract the plugin from the ZIP file

Depending on how your web browser is configured, the ZIP file may have already been unzipped automatically on download, and the ZIP file deleted leaving you with just the plugin file. If the file is already showing as format-1.5.11.lrplugin go to the next step.

  1. Navigate to where the downloaded plugin was saved to

  2. Single-click to select the plugin file which should be named something similar to format-1.5.11.lrplugin.zip

  3. Right-click (hold down 'Option' (macOS) to activate the contextual menu and select the 'Open With > Archive Utility app (default)' and unzip the file

WindowsOS Download Settings

If you are on a WindowsOS computer, please do not use the 'autozip' extracted files but instead open the ZIP file in a File Explorer window and then drag the contents from within this window into your Documents (or other) folder.

Move the unzipped plugin to your Documents folder

We recommend moving the Format Publisher plugin to your 'Documents' folder.

This is to ensure that the plugin does not get deleted from the Download location in error, as this would stop the plugin working in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (once installed and configured).

Install the plugin through the Lightroom Plug-in Manager

Start or change applications to have Lightroom Classic running in the foreground.

  1. Use Lightroom Classic’s 'File' menu

  2. Select 'Plug-in Manager…'

Add a New Plugin

  1. Click 'Add' option from the lower-left corner of the Lightroom Plug-in Manager window

Select the Format plugin file

  1. Navigate to the Documents folder (or where you saved the plugin to)

  2. The Format plugin you download may have a different version number to the screenshot above but it will be named similar to: format-1.5.x.lrplugin

  3. Select the plugin and click 'Add Plug-In'.

Format Plugin Installed and Running

  1. Format plugin should show as Installed and running

  2. Plugin update area: Local and Latest versions should match, as you have just installed, there should be no need to click the 'Check for updates' button at this time

  3. This is the file directory path to where the plugin has been saved and added

  4. Status showing that the plug-in is enabled

  5. Click 'Done' to close the Lightroom Plug-in Manager window

Set up the Format Publisher Service

Now that the plug-in has been installed and enabled you now need to set up the Publish Services by logging in with your Format account details.

Social Media sign-in

If you log into your Format Account using a social log in from Google or Facebook, you will need to turn this off and change to using an email address with password.

Please see our How to turn off social log in guide.

Navigate to the Library > Publish Services area

  1. Navigate to the Library Module of Lightroom Classic

  2. Ensure the left sidebar area is visible and open the 'Publish Services' pane

  3. You should see 'Format Publisher' as being visible, click 'Set up…' on the right

Log in to your Format Account

  1. From the Publish Services list on the left, select 'Format Publisher'

  2. Under Format account, add your Format account email address and password

  3. Click 'Login' button

  4. Can't Save Changes: Authorize before save message

  1. Logged in as email address will be shown here

  2. Now you can 'Save' which will sync with your Format account

  1. Format Site Name (dropdown opened to show pages inside this website) if you have more than one website, it will show here (even if inactive)

  2. Client Galleries and Gallery Page names displayed

  3. Image counter, this will show as ‘0’ for any images not unloaded via the plugin.

One-way synchronization

The Format plugin only UPLOADS images from Lightroom to your Format website. Any images already added to Client Galleries or Gallery Pages do not get downloaded or added to your Lightroom Collection/s.

Edit Settings before Publishing

  1. Right-click on the main 'Format Publisher' Publish Services name to get the contextual menu to appear

  2. Click 'Edit Settings…'

All Format Publisher Settings Overview

  1. Format Publisher service selected so all related Settings appear on the right side (use the triangle toggle button next to the Setting name to open or close)

  2. Syncing: Update your list of galleries on Lightroom by clicking “Sync with Format” every time you add or delete galleries on your Format site(s). Syncing will not import images from your galleries

  3. Favorited Images: Mark favorited images in Client Galleries projects with flags (do not use this feature if your personal workflow already uses 'flags' for other reasons as this might cause a conflict)

  4. File Settings: The image format is JPEG by default, you can set the Quality or limit the File Size published

  5. Image Sizing: Publish at the original dimensions or resize with a range of options available including Resolution (The Resolution set does not affect the image quality. Setting at 72, 96, 200 or 300ppi will produce exactly the same image size and quality)

  6. Output Sharpening: Sharpen for Screen or Print media with Amount variations

  7. Metadata: Various options available

  8. Watermarking: Option available here, or you may want to add a watermark only to Workflow Client Galleries following our Watermark Editor guide.

Further Information

To reduce the length of this help article we have created separate, detailed guides on how to use the Format Publisher for Adobe® Photoshop Lightroom® Classic LrC plugin.

Please also see:

How to use the Format plugin with Gallery Pages

How to use the Format plugin with Client Galleries

Still have questions? Reach us on our live chat or email us at info@format.com We’re here to help!

Adobe, Photoshop and Lightroom are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

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