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The Ultimate Guide to Luminar Neo Plugin in Photoshop

hitpaw editor in chief By Daniel Walker
Last Updated: 2026-02-10 22:37:01

Most photographers hate switching between programs just to finish one image. You start in Lightroom, jump to Photoshop for layers, then realize you need better AI tools and have to export again. It breaks your flow and kills productivity.

The Luminar Neo Photoshop plugin fixes this problem. Install it once, and you get AI-powered editing right inside Photoshop's filter menu. No more exports or imports - just quick access to sky replacement, portrait fixes, and lighting adjustments while your layers stay intact.

This guide shows you exactly what the plugin does, how to use it, and introduces another option that handles the technical side of photo editing better than creative filters alone.

What Is Luminar Neo Plugin

what is luminar neo plugin for photoshop

Skylum built Luminar Neo around AI automation for common editing tasks. The software detects skies, finds faces, analyzes lighting, and applies adjustments that used to need manual masking and layer work. A sky replacement that took 20 minutes in Photoshop happens in under a minute here.

Photographers picked it up because it makes advanced techniques accessible. You don't need to know how to create perfect masks or understand complex adjustment layers. The AI figures out what you're trying to do and handles the technical execution.

Its Relationship with Photoshop

When you launch the luminar neo plugin for photoshop, it grabs a copy of your active layer and opens it in a separate window. You work in that window, apply whatever AI edits you want, then click apply. Luminar Neo sends the edited version back to Photoshop as a fresh layer sitting above your original.

Think of it like an external processor. Photoshop remains your main workspace. Luminar Neo acts as a specialist you consult for specific jobs. Your file structure, masks, smart objects - everything stays exactly where you put it. Only the layer you sent gets modified and returned.

Who Is It Suitable For

Wedding photographers processing 500 images appreciate consistent results across an entire set without individually masking every face.

Landscape work benefits from the sky tools. Shoot in flat light, replace the sky later, and the plugin handles horizon detection plus blending automatically.

If you already invested time learning Photoshop, the plugin lets you keep that knowledge while gaining AI features. No need to master new software or change your established workflow patterns.

How to Use Luminar Neo Plugin in Photoshop (Step-by-Step)

Using the plugin takes three basic steps that fit naturally into normal Photoshop work.

1. Launch Luminar Neo from Photoshop

launch luminar-neo from photoshop

Open your image and select the layer you want to enhance. Go to Filter, find Skylum Software in the menu, and click Luminar Neo. A new window pops up with your image loaded and editing tools on the right side. Your Photoshop file stays open in the background.

2. Apply AI Enhancements

apply ai enhancements luminar neo photoshop

The right panel splits tools into categories. Sky AI sits in there with replacement options shown as thumbnails. Click one and it previews on your image. Sliders let you adjust how much sky shows through, shift the horizon line if detection got it wrong, and control reflection intensity for water shots.

3. Return Edited Image to Photoshop

return image photoshop from luminar neo

Hit Apply when done. The plugin processes everything and drops the result back into Photoshop as a new layer. Your original layer stays below it, unchanged. Now you can mask between them, adjust opacity, add more Photoshop adjustments, or incorporate the edit into a larger composite.

A More Flexible AI Plugin for Photoshop: HitPaw FotorPea

Luminar Neo works well for photographers who enjoy applying creative styles and making quick visual adjustments, especially when experimenting with different looks. As editing needs become more practical, such as improving image clarity or preparing images for large prints, some users begin to look for tools with stronger AI enhancement capabilities.

HitPaw FotorPea plugin is designed around these real-world use cases. It offers AI upscaling up to 4K and 8K that generates new detail rather than stretching pixels, along with one-click deblur for camera shake or motion blur. For users seeking a more enhancement-focused AI solution, the HitPaw FotorPea plugin fits naturally into the next stage of editing.

Features

Advanced AI Photo Enhancement: The upscaling capability enlarges images to 4K, 8K, or higher while generating new detail rather than stretching pixels. This beats Photoshop's native upscaling dramatically, not large prints or aggressive cropping.

AI Portrait Restoration: Face detection works regardless of angle, lighting, or partial visibility while preserving permanent character features like laugh lines and natural texture. This prevents the plastic mannequin disaster.

One-Click Deblur: Restore image clarity instantly, whether blur is caused by camera shake or subject motion. AI reconstructs lost details to produce sharp, natural-looking results with a single click.

Old Photo Restoration & Colorization: Repair scratches, creases, and damage in old photos automatically, then add natural, realistic color in one step.

Batch Processing Capabilities: Load entire wedding shoots, event sessions, or product catalogs and apply consistent settings across hundreds or thousands of images automatically. Configure enhancement once and let AI handle everything.

High-Resolution Output: Generate up to 4K/8K resolution suitable for large-format printing, billboards, gallery prints, or professional work.

Steps to use HitPaw FotorPea plugin

  1. Download and install HitPaw FotorPea plugin from the Abode Exchange or official site, then restart Photoshop to make sure it loads properly.

    install hitpaw fotorpea plugin on adobe exchange
  2. Launch Photoshop, open the photo you want to enhance, then go to Plugins > HitPaw FotorPea Plugin to access the AI tools.

    use-hitpaw-fotorpea-plugin
  3. Import your image and select the most suitable AI model for your needs.

    choose ai models on hitpaw fotorpea plugin
  4. After enhancement is complete, preview the result.

    save-the-image

FAQs of Luminar Neo Plugin

Go to Skylum's website and download Luminar Neo. The download includes both the standalone app and plugin. Run the installer and select the Photoshop plugin option when it asks. The installer finds your Photoshop installation automatically and puts the plugin in the right folder. Restart Photoshop if it was running. Check Filter menu for Skylum Software with Luminar Neo underneath. If it's missing, launch the Luminar Neo standalone once to finish registration, then restart Photoshop and check again.

Yes, it works both ways. Purchase Luminar Neo and you get the standalone app plus the Photoshop plugin. The standalone runs independently. The plugin integrates into Photoshop's Filter menu. Most people using Photoshop already install the plugin version to combine strengths from both programs. Install one, the other, or both depending on how you prefer working.

Launch Photoshop and open your image. Select the layer you want to edit in the Layers panel. Go to Filter menu, find Skylum Software, hover over it, click Luminar Neo. The plugin window opens with your layer ready for editing. If Skylum Software doesn't show in the Filter menu, the plugin didn't install correctly. Run the installer again and make sure you check the Photoshop plugin option.

No official support for Elements exists. The plugin needs full Adobe Photoshop CC or newer versions. Elements uses a different plugin system that Skylum hasn't built compatibility for. But you can use the plugin tool in Photoshop like HitPaw FotorPea plugin offers broader compatibility options for one-click AI image enhancement.

Conclusion

The Luminar Neo Photoshop plugin delivers solid AI capabilities for photographers wanting automated creative enhancements inside their Photoshop workflow. It handles sky replacement, portrait retouching, and effects well when speed matters more than precision.

Although Luminar Neo applies creative enhancements quickly, HitPaw FotorPea focuses on fundamental quality improvements through AI models trained on image restoration rather than creative filters. Sharpness, noise control, resolution, detail preservation, precise masking - the technical challenges determining whether work meets professional standards. HitPaw FotorPea also delivers the comprehensive features, exceptional output, and seamless integration that professional work requires.

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