Today’s Question: Can import presets [in Lightroom Classic] be set as the default settings every time I want to import or do I need to choose these import settings each time?
Tim’s Quick Answer: You can’t exactly establish default settings to be used automatically for every import into your Lightroom Classic catalog. However, when you select a Develop preset during import, that setting will remain in place for future import operations as long as you don’t change the setting. In addition, you could create an import preset to preserve (and reset) your preferred import settings.
More Detail: Most of the settings within the Import dialog in Lightroom are “sticky”, meaning when you initiate an import most of the settings in the Import dialog will match those used for the previous import.
Therefore, if you have created a preset in the Develop module that you want to apply to all images during import, you could select that preset from the Develop Settings popup in the Apply During Import section of the right panel in the Import dialog. After that import task is complete, the next time you bring up the Import dialog the same preset will be selected on the Develop Settings popup.
If you want to preserve your preferred import settings, you can also create an import preset. After establishing the desired settings in the Import dialog, click the Import Preset popup at the bottom-center of the dialog. From that popup select the “Save Current Settings as New Preset” option. In the dialog that appears you can enter a meaningful name for this import preset, and click the Create button to save that preset.
In the future, if you need to re-establish your preferred import settings, you can select your saved preset from the Import Preset popup at the bottom of the Import dialog.