Adobe unveils major updates to Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro and more

Adobe has announced a host of new features rolling out across its Creative Cloud desktop and mobile apps. It also released the new Photoshop Camera app for iOS and Android. Here is everything that’s new.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe has used Sensei AI and machine learning to make Select Subject smarter than ever before. The tool is now subject aware, applying custom algorithms if it detects a person is in the scene, as well as much more precise controls when selecting hair. It’s a small change but could save hours of fiddling around in Photoshop.

Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) has been given an interface makeover, with a UI that will feel eerily familiar to any Lightroom user.

Image adjustments and batch processing are more intuitive and sliders resemble those found in Lightroom. The crop tool is more convenient and the Curves UI makes it easier to visualise changes. Controls can also now be stacked vertically to reduce the number of clicks needed to find specific functions.

Fonts will be automatically activated, with any Adobe Fonts featured in a .psd instantly loaded into your document. Meanwhile, Match Fonts uses Sensei AI to identify any unknown fonts that crop up in your images.

Photoshop on iPad also features better Lightroom integration for moving between the two apps.

Adobe Lightroom

Local Hue is a hue editing control for local adjustments. It can be used for anything from clearing up uneven skin tones for corrective purposes to turning purple flowers orange in more creative projects.

You can now create and save different edits of the same image with Versions – for example, a black and white version and a colour version of the same landscape. Versions will sync in Lightroom so you can access them all across your devices. 

ISO Adaptive Presents allow you to use one present with different edit settings depending on an images ISO. This means that you can automatically adjust the amount of noise reduction in an image depending on ISO. Meanwhile, Centred Crop Overlay helps you to improve composition when cropping.

Adobe is also introducing a dedicated watermark feature. You can now create and sync your Watermark across devices and add it to images when you’re ready to export.

Once you’re done, the new ‘Share Edits’ menu option allows you to share your editing process with the world. Other users can see before and after images and even save your settings as a preset.

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Adobe XD

Stacks is a new feature for Adobe XD that affects how you work with groups and components. Stacks are columns or rows of objects with set spacing between them. If you change any object in a stack, the other will adjust automatically to maintain spacing in your design.

Adobe is also introducing Scroll Groups, a tool that makes your prototypes behave like live websites and apps. You can turn any part of your design into a Scroll Group and set it to scroll vertically, horizontally or both.

Premiere Pro

Adobe Stock audio is being integrated into Premiere Pro. This means you’ll now be able to search, preview, edit and license thousands of music cues from top stock providers without stepping out of the editorial workflow.

Premiere Pro is also getting the Adobe Sensei treatment with Scene Edit Detection. This feature analyses exported or archived video files to identify edits. It will then automatically add cuts or markers at each edit point, transforming rendered files into editable timelines and enabling adjustments to each clip, including colour correction and reframing.

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Adobe Premiere Rush

Premiere Rush has a new Effects Panel, where Transitions and Motion Effects will live. It’s also getting two new Motion Effects: Auto Reframe and Pan and Zoom.

Auto Reframe uses Adobe Sensei to automatically reframe your videos. The feature identifies the point of interest and tracks it throughout the video to make it the focus of the frame. It also allows you to adjust the aspect ratio quickly and easily to fit different platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.

Pan and Zoom lets you animate still images to fit into videos, changing the scale and position of the frame over time. All you need to do it set the focus and drag a box to where you want the clip to land, bringing the static image to life.

Adobe Photoshop Camera

Adobe also launched its new Photoshop Camera app last week. The app allows you to snap photos and experience the Photoshop magic in real time with Sensei-powered filters that range from standard portrait mode to surrealist animations and star collaborations (Billie Eilish, anyone?).

Adobe Photoshop Camera is available to download on iOS and Android right now.