What Does Photoshop for iPhone Mean For Lightroom Mobile Users?

If you love editing photos on the go, Lightroom Mobile has probably become an essential tool in your workflow. Whether you're tweaking shots from your smartphone or working with RAW files from a high-end mirrorless camera, Lightroom Mobile offers powerful editing features that make it easy to achieve professional-quality results.

But now, Adobe has expanded the possibilities even further by bringing Photoshop to the iPhone. This means you can now take your mobile editing workflow beyond Lightroom, using Photoshop’s advanced tools to fine-tune your images in ways that weren’t possible before. In this article, I’ll walk you through a complete Lightroom and Photoshop workflow using a bird photo I captured with my Sony A1 II and 100-400mm lens.

Starting in Lightroom Mobile

1. Applying Adaptive Profiles for a Quick, AI-Powered Edit

One of the first steps in my editing process is applying an adaptive profile. This is a new feature across Lightroom Desktop, Lightroom Classic, Lightroom Mobile, and Lightroom Web. Unlike the Auto setting, Adaptive Profiles use AI to analyze and enhance an image's color and tone dynamically.

To access them:

• Tap Edit → Profiles
• Choose Adaptive Color or Adaptive Black & White

In just one tap, the colors and tones are dramatically improved. In many cases, this step alone provides a solid foundation for the final image.

2. Cropping for a Stronger Composition

Next, I adjust the crop. Keeping the original 2:3 aspect ratio helps maintain consistency across my images. Here’s my approach:

• Tap the Crop tool and keep the aspect ratio locked
• Adjust the framing to give the subject (in this case, a Red-Winged Blackbird) enough breathing room
• Position elements like branches to naturally lead the viewer’s eye through the frame

3. Removing Distractions with Generative AI

Lightroom’s Gen Remove tool is a game-changer for eliminating unwanted elements in an image. In my case, I wanted to remove a leaf near the bird and an out-of-focus branch behind its tail.

To use Gen Remove:

• Tap the Remove icon
• Ensure Generative AI is enabled
• Adjust the brush size and paint over distractions
• Lightroom will generate multiple versions—choose the one that blends best

With just a few taps, distractions disappear seamlessly, keeping the viewer’s focus on the subject.

4. Enhancing Contrast with a Custom Tone Curve

While Lightroom offers a contrast slider, I prefer using an S-curve in the Tone Curve panel to fine-tune contrast more precisely. A subtle lift in the shadows and a slight increase in highlights create depth without making the image look overly processed.

5. Quick Background and Subject Adjustments

To make the bird stand out, I use Lightroom’s Quick Actions (found under the magic wand icon):

• Darken the background: Select Background and slightly lower the exposure
• Brighten the subject: Select Subject and apply the Pop preset

This targeted approach ensures the bird remains the focal point without manually creating masks.

Expanding the Edit in Photoshop for iPhone

At this point, the image looks great, but one thing bothers me—the bird’s tail is too close to the bottom edge, making the composition feel a bit cramped. This is where Photoshop for iPhone comes in.

1. Sending the Photo to Photoshop

• Tap Share → Edit in Photoshop
• The image opens as a PSD file in Photoshop for iPhone

2. Using Gen Expand to Add Space

Gen Expand is a powerful tool that allows you to extend an image’s edges seamlessly. Here’s how I used it:

• Tap Size → Original (to maintain aspect ratio)
• Drag the bottom middle handle downward to create more space
• Tap Gen Expand → Generate

Photoshop intelligently fills in the extra space while maintaining natural textures and colors. With just a few seconds of processing, I have a much better composition without needing to crop in Lightroom.

3. Adding and Styling Text

Sometimes, I like adding stylized text to my images for social media. Photoshop for iPhone makes this easy:

• Tap + → Type Layer
• Type the text and move it into position
• Customize it with a bold font and a color that complements the image

To make the text interact with the scene, I use layer masks:

• Duplicate the image layer and place it above the text layer
• Tap Create Mask → Select Subject
• Photoshop isolates the bird, allowing the text to appear behind it

This subtle layering effect makes the text feel naturally integrated into the photo rather than just sitting on top of it.

Bringing the Image Back to Lightroom

Once I’m happy with the Photoshop edits, I tap Back to Lightroom, and the Photoshop file is automatically synced alongside the original RAW file. This ensures I can access the final edit across all my Lightroom devices.

Why This Mobile Workflow Matters

With Lightroom and Photoshop now working seamlessly on iPhone, mobile editing has never been more powerful. Whether you're removing distractions, fine-tuning color, or extending your composition, these tools allow you to edit high-quality RAW files anywhere. And with Photoshop coming soon to Android, this workflow will be accessible to even more photographers.

Looking for more Lightroom tips? Check out my Lightroom Everywhere course, where I dive deep into mobile, desktop, and cloud-based workflows. Links are below!