Luminar has a really cool Quick Edit command that lets you edit a single image or several images, but not add or import them into your library. This is great in situations where someone wants you to develop a few of their photos or even when you have a photo you want to quickly process, but not have it remain in your Luminar Library after you are done editing it. Here’s how to process an image using Luminar’s Quick Edit command without adding it to your Luminar Library.

Where is the Quick Edit image stored?

When you open an image in Quick Edit from a memory card, USB thumb drive or from a folder on your computer, the image remains in its original location. Luminar puts a reference to the image into a special collection in your Library Panel under Shortcuts called Quick Edits. Keep in mind, the Quick Edits shortcut will not appear unless you have added at least one photo using the Quick Edit command.

Where Quick Edit images are located
Where Quick Edit images are located

Three ways to add a photo to Quick Edit

There are three ways to add a photo to Quick Edit. Select the option that works best for your workflow.

  1. Open button
  2. File menu
  3. Keyboard shortcut

Open button: Click the Open button on the top toolbar and select Open Images for Quick Edit. Browse your computer for an image and click the Open button to add it to Quick Edit.

Open Menu-Open image for quick edit
Open Menu-Open image for a quick edit

File Menu: Click File from the top menu and select Open Images for Quick Edit. Browse your computer for an image and click the Open button to add it to Quick Edit.

File open for quick edit
File open for a quick edit

Keyboard shortcut: Press keyboard shortcut Cmd+O (macOS) or Ctrl+O (Windows) to launch the system dialog box. Browse your computer for an image and click the Open button to add it to Quick Edit.

Open dialog
Open dialog

Selecting multiple images

Choose your favorite method to open an image. When the system dialog box appears, select an image you want to edit then, using modifier keys like Shift or Cmd/Ctrl, select multiple photos. Click the Open button to add them to Quick Edit.

Selecting multiple images
Selecting multiple images

The images appear on the Filmstrip side panel. If multiple images are selected, the first image selected will be opened in the main window ready to edit. To select another image to edit you can scroll through the Filmstrip on the left or click on the Navigate Up button on the upper left area of the toolbar to get back to the Gallery view.

Luminar Filmstrip
Luminar Filmstrip

Managing images in the Quick Edit collection

Images will stay in your Quick Edit shortcut collection until you remove them. This is a collection that builds automatically. You can use the Showing and Sort By menus at the top of the window to reduce the number of images shown or change their display order. To remove an image from Quick Edit, right click on the image to select it and choose Remove from Quick Edit. This removes it from your library but keeps it safely in the image’s original location.

Remove from quick edit
Remove from quick edit

Processing images fast with Accent AI 2.0

Select an image you want to process. Click the Edit button to reveal the Edit Panel. Quick and Awesome is the default workspace. This workspace adds the Accent AI 2.0, AI Sky Enhancer, Saturation/Vibrance and Clarity filters. All filter values are set to zero by default. Notice the filter’s name is White and when an adjustment is made, its title color changes to gold. Remember to File > Export to save your edited image for use in other applications.