Adobe Lightroom Returns to the Mac App Store - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Adobe Lightroom Returns to the Mac App Store

At WWDC 2018, Apple introduced a redesigned Mac App Store alongside changes to sandboxing parameters on macOS Mojave. Since then, several well-known apps have launched on or returned to the ‌Mac App Store‌, including the Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft To-Do, BBEdit, Transmit, and others.

mac app store adobe lightroom
Next up is Adobe Lightroom CC, which is available on the Mac App Store as of today. The professional photo editing software is free to download, but requires a $9.99 monthly subscription via Apple's in-app purchase system after a one-week trial. 1TB of cloud storage is included with a subscription.

As noted by The Verge, Lightroom was previously available on the ‌Mac App Store‌ for a one-time purchase of $149.99 in 2012:

This isn't the first time that you've been able to get Lightroom in the Mac App Store. Back in 2012, when Adobe sold its apps as standalone purchases before starting to push Creative Cloud subscriptions, Lightroom 4 was available for $149.99. Lightroom 5 never came to Apple's store, however, and even Adobe itself doesn't sell standalone versions of Lightroom today.

This news is a win-win for Apple and Adobe. Apple has landed another major app on the ‌Mac App Store‌, which faced years of criticism, and will generate revenue from its split of in-app purchases. Adobe, meanwhile, has made Lightroom available to a very broad audience of potential customers.

Lightroom CC remains available outside of the Mac App Store as well, with subscription pricing starting at the same $9.99 per month. One benefit of switching to the ‌Mac App Store‌ version is a more streamlined update process.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

Top Rated Comments

Plutonius Avatar
93 months ago
I'm not interested in a subscription.

If they ever sold the newer version as stand alone, I would consider it.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
93 months ago
I’m switching to this model. I’d rather have updates come through the Mac App Store than through some adobe applet that’s always running in the background 24/7, doing god knows what.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Greenmeenie Avatar
93 months ago
I much prefer affinity photo for my ipad pro. One time $20 purchase. Such a fantastic program.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aaronhead14 Avatar
93 months ago
Adobe really needs to provide a non-subscription based version of their software. People are fed up with this subscription nonsense.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
93 months ago
I'm not interested in a subscription.

If they ever sold the newer version as stand alone, I would consider it.
I would be willing to spend $150 for a one time fee.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
93 months ago
Don't get too excited, folks. This is just Lightroom CC—not the real deal. Not Lightroom Classic.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors