For a single photo, Pixelmator Pro is one of the better LUT tools on the Mac. A whole folder is where it gets fiddly.
What do you need before you start?
Pixelmator Pro on a Mac, and a .cube file. It reads both 1D and 3D LUTs, but only in that format, so .3dl and .look files from mixed packs will not load. What a LUT is explains the difference between the two kinds, and how to install LUTs covers the other apps if you work across several.
Check what the LUT was built for. A conversion LUT for log video expects a flat, grey image; on a normal photo it crushes the shadows and oversaturates everything. For photos you want a creative look made for footage or images in normal contrast.
How do you apply a LUT in Pixelmator Pro?
- Select the layer in the Layers sidebar. For a single photo that is usually the only layer.
- Click Color Adjustments in the Tools sidebar and scroll to LUT.
- Turn the LUT adjustment on.
- Click the options button next to the pop-up menu under LUT and choose Choose LUT.
- Pick the
.cubefile and click Choose. - Drag the intensity slider to set how strongly it applies.
Double-clicking a .cube file in Finder also imports it. Either way, the LUT is added to Pixelmator Pro's own library, so it appears in the LUT pop-up for every image after that. Pixelmator Pro also ships its own collection of LUTs in the same pop-up.
How much intensity should you use?
Less than you expect, usually. Most creative LUTs are tuned to look striking in a preview, and many only become natural somewhere below full strength. Judge it on skin, a sky and the darkest part of the frame. LUT intensity explained covers what lowering it does to shadows and colours.
A conversion LUT on real log footage is the exception: that one belongs at full strength, with corrections made elsewhere.
Can you edit a LUT in Pixelmator Pro?
Yes, which is unusual. With a LUT applied, open LUT in the Color Adjustments pane and choose Convert LUT to Adjustments. Pixelmator Pro sets its ordinary colour adjustments, such as curves and colour balance, to approximate the LUT's look. You can then change any of them, and save the result as a colour adjustments preset.
It is an approximation, so compare before and after. A LUT can do things no combination of standard sliders reproduces exactly, especially selective hue shifts.
How do you export your own LUT from Pixelmator Pro?
Grade a representative photo with Color Adjustments, then open the menu next to the LUT pop-up and choose Export Adjustments as LUT. Name the file and click Export. The .cube it writes works in video editors and other photo apps, which makes Pixelmator Pro a practical place to build a look you also want on video. How to create a LUT covers what to grade before exporting and how to test the result.
Only global colour adjustments go into a LUT. Masks, retouching and anything local stay in the document.
How do you apply a LUT to a folder of photos?
Pixelmator Pro has no batch window. The supported route is the Shortcuts app:
- Apply the LUT in Color Adjustments and save the adjustments as a preset.
- In Shortcuts, build a shortcut that takes image files, uses Pixelmator Pro's action for applying colour adjustments with your preset, and saves the result as a new file.
- Set it up as a Quick Action, so you can select files in Finder and run it.
Pixelmator Pro has also offered Automator actions, but users report that custom presets do not always appear there, so Shortcuts is the safer choice. Action names change between versions, so check what yours lists.
The limit is the same as every preset-based batch: every photo gets the same intensity. The Photoshop batch route and Affinity Photo's batch job work the same way and share the same limit.
How does Pixelmator Pro compare with other photo apps?
| App | Loads a .cube | Strength control | Exports a .cube | Batch route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixelmator Pro | Yes, 1D and 3D | Intensity slider | Yes | Shortcuts, one intensity for all |
| Photoshop | Yes, Color Lookup layer | Layer opacity | Yes | Actions, one opacity for all |
| Affinity Photo | Yes, LUT layer | Layer opacity | Yes | Batch job with a macro |
| Lightroom | Only as a profile | Profile Amount | No | Sync Settings, one amount |
| BatchTone | Yes | A slider on every file | No | Drop a folder in |
Using LUTs in Lightroom explains the profile route, and the best batch photo editor roundup compares the wider field.
When the folder needs more than one intensity
A Shortcut is a good answer when every photo wants exactly the same treatment. A real shoot rarely does: the frames shot into the sun want less of the look than the ones in shade, and finding out means opening the results afterwards.
BatchTone is built for that case. Drop a folder of JPEG, PNG, HEIC or TIFF photos in, with video clips if the shoot has them, pick one .cube, and each file gets its own strength slider beside a live preview. Files you leave alone follow the global setting. Exports go to a folder you choose with names set before the run, EXIF is carried across from JPEG originals, and the originals are never touched. It runs on macOS 12 or later on Apple Silicon, so a look you exported from Pixelmator Pro can go straight into it. Batch applying a LUT to photos shows what it reads and writes, and there is a seven-day trial with everything unlocked.
Common questions
Where does Pixelmator Pro keep imported LUTs?
In its own LUT library, which appears in the LUT pop-up menu. Holding Option while opening the menu beside the pop-up offers Reset LUTs, which restores the default library and deletes your imported ones, so keep the original files somewhere safe.
Can Pixelmator Pro apply a LUT to video?
It is an image editor, so LUTs apply to images. For video, use an editor that reads .cube files, or a batch tool that handles clips and photos together.
Why does my LUT look wrong in Pixelmator Pro?
Usually it is a conversion LUT for log footage applied to a normal photo, which makes it too dark and saturated. Use a creative look instead, or lower the intensity if the look is too strong.
Can I use Pixelmator Pro LUTs in Final Cut Pro?
Yes. A LUT exported from Pixelmator Pro is a standard .cube, and Final Cut loads it through its Custom LUT effect. That makes it easy to match stills and video from the same job.