Adobe Max always brings major updates, and this year’s release of Lightroom Classic 15 adds several tools that quietly change how you edit. These aren’t cosmetic tweaks. They’re small, functional updates that save time and make editing more precise without forcing you to rethink your workflow.
Coming to you from Matt Kloskowski, this detailed video walks through the key upgrades in Lightroom Classic 15. The first thing you’ll notice after updating is the required catalog upgrade. It’s automatic, but Kloskowski points out that you should rename your catalog after the update to avoid years of confusing version numbers. The first major feature shown is Variance, a new adjustment now available under the Color Mixer. It lets you even out color inconsistencies caused by light angles or filters. Used on a mask, it helps balance skies or skin tones without affecting the entire image. Kloskowski recommends applying Variance to a sky mask and adjusting from there, then creating a separate mask for other edits like brightness or saturation. It’s simple but powerful, and it feels like one of those quiet additions you end up using constantly.
The next update is the new Dust removal feature under Distraction Removal. It automatically detects and removes sensor dust and small blemishes. It’s especially helpful if you shoot landscapes or use older sensors prone to spots. The tool runs automatically, then lets you visualize any remaining spots for manual cleanup. It’s not perfect, but it’s faster than the old method and cuts down the tedious part of retouching. Kloskowski also highlights an improvement to Detect Objects under the Remove tool. It now does a better job handling edges, reflections, and shadows. It’s subtle, but it’s a sign that Adobe’s machine learning cleanup tools are getting smarter.
Another significant change is the expansion of Adaptive Masks. Adobe added “Snow” to the Landscape masking options, joining sky, mountains, water, vegetation, and other regions. It’s a simple addition that makes winter editing faster since the software can now automatically detect and isolate snow. It’s worth noting because these adaptive masks now appear across Lightroom Classic, Lightroom, and Camera Raw, allowing consistent results no matter which one you prefer.
One of the biggest new features, and the one Adobe is likely emphasizing most, is Assisted Culling. It’s still in early access, found in the Library module, and focuses on portrait selection. It can flag images where subjects have closed eyes or are out of focus. Kloskowski describes it as useful but limited. It’s slow with large folders and sometimes marks sharp photos as soft. The more interesting part is Auto Stacking, which lets you group images by visual similarity. It works beyond portraits, useful for landscape or wildlife sequences, and can automatically cluster similar frames. That could become a quiet time-saver for sorting large shoots once the feature matures. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Kloskowski.
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