Finding HSL Presets (Photo V1)

[AlanPC]

I wasted so much of my time trying to find them that I figured I'd post on here to help anyone else trying to their HSL preset...

1. To re-open the HSL adjustment sliders that keep vanishing, double-click the thumbnail of the layer. Clicking the layer doesn't work.

2. The 'Add Preset' button is there, but even ChatGPT gave up trying to find where they are to use later. I asked Gemini and that too just hallucinated menus, buttons, dropdowns etc, before admitting it didn't know. They can actually be found in the right-side panel, under 'Adjustments'. Simple when you know, but as unintuitive as it could possibly be.

AI like GPT uses any available online documentation and general software best practice or typical layouts to figure out where things SHOULD be or could be EXPECTED to be etc. 

ChatGPT literally swore in frustration trying to find them, and after wasting well over an hour, suggested... well I'll let it speak, but I've changed one word to 'censored word here':

 

You're absolutely right, and I appreciate your patience. Affinity Photo's preset system for HSL is poorly documented, and I gave you the wrong info. Let's fix this properly.

---

Where the (Censored word here) are Saved HSL Presets?

Unlike other adjustment layers (like Curves or Levels), HSL presets don’t have an obvious dropdown list or any other list or option. Here’s how you actually use them:

1. Manually Reapply Your Preset

   • Open an HSL adjustment layer.
   • Adjust Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity to match your saved preset manually.
   • This sucks, but Affinity doesn’t show saved HSL presets in any menu.

2. Create a Master HSL Layer for Copy-Pasting

   • Instead of relying on the missing preset system, just keep a file with different HSL layers for each color.
   • Copy (Ctrl + J) and paste the correct one into each new design.
   • This is the fastest and most reliable way to swap colors.

3. (Bonus) Check the Presets Folder (if it saved at all)

   • Go to Edit > Preferences > Miscellaneous > Manage Presets.
   • See if your preset is listed. (It likely won’t be, but worth checking.)

---

Final Answer

💀 Affinity does not let you recall saved HSL presets from the menu.
🤦‍♂️ The best method is to save different HSL layers and copy-paste them.

I totally get why this is frustrating—it’s basic functionality that Affinity somehow skipped. Thanks for calling me out on that, and I appreciate your patience.

...............
I've made my living online for over 20 years using various software, and 2 SOTA AI assistants ended up going in circles and hallucinating where the controls should be or ought to be and eventually gave up. 

Don't blame the users; that's bad UI.

Hope this is indexed and helps anyone else stuck.

[carl123]

Look in the Adjustment Panel HSL setting.

They like to hide there in the winter 

[AlanPC]

Sorry my post was so long and not well-formatted to make it obvious at a glance, but yes, as I put in the 2nd paragraph, they are hiding under 'Adjustments' in the right side panel. I'll put that in bold...

Question is, why aren't they available in the actual HSL adjustment panel? The button to create the preset is there, but no means easy finding of your created preset. 

[carl123]

30 minutes ago, AlanPC said:

Question is, why aren't they available in the actual HSL adjustment panel? The button to create the preset is there, but no means easy finding of your created preset. 

In the beginning, the Gods created the Adjustment Panel, and within it, they placed a default adjustment, and with it, many presets of adjustments, each according to its kind. And lo, the work was good.

And when the users did select one of these presets, behold, a dialogue box did appear, showing unto them the settings of the preset, and offering them the power to alter the settings according to their will. And upon their alteration of the settings, a button appeared unto them, saying, "Add Preset," that they might not repeat their work again, and their efforts were made easier.

And the Gods, in their wisdom, did consider it good to store the preset creations of the users within the Adjustment Panel, that they might be found alongside the default presets.

But, the users, being curious and inventive, did start to bypass the Adjustment Panel, and went via the Layer menu or the Adjustment Icon in the Layers panel, and there they added their own adjustments, but then could not find them, forgetting the purpose of the Adjustment Panel and the treasures it held—PRESETS!

And behold, the Gods did grow weary of the complaints, and they went unto the tavern to consider matters of greater importance. Yet, they did vow in their hearts, saying...

"We shall return to this matter in due time, and we shall see if there be a better way, or if this present method might yet be made perfect in the days to come."

[AlanPC]

Well it gets worse...

Having finally found the presets and saved a couple, I then got into a terrible mess with masking (painting on a mask deletes everything? How was that ever a good idea?)
So, me and Chatty figured out we have to shove the HSL mask onto the HSL layer.

Seems selecting the HSL layer, then the 'add mask' button does not actually add a mask to the HSL layer, that would be too easy, it just creates a random mask. You have to shove that mask deep into the HSL until it merges with it. Because reasons.

Great. So, finally went to use a pre-made preset, which we (now) know is hiding under 'HSL-Adjustments', but selecting it just gives me the wheel and sliders? All of them just give the wheel and sliders, instead of actually implementing the preset?

No, wait wait, we figured it out...

Of course clicking on the HSL layer, the one with the mask, and selecting 'Adjustments' to get to the premade preset doesn't actually implement the premade preset, because that would be too easy!

To activate or implement the pre-made HSL preset that you previously made and pre-set and which you can only find by clicking the HSL layer and clicking 'Adjustments', you then have to click the background of the image, obviously, because why would you expect the HSL preset to work on the HSL layer? 

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, AlanPC said:

Having finally found the presets and saved a couple, I then got into a terrible mess with masking (painting on a mask deletes everything? How was that ever a good idea?)

Adjustment layers have builtin masks so you do not need to add a separate mask layer to them. Just select the adjustment layer, switch to a brush of your choice & paint as usual to affect the mask.

3 hours ago, AlanPC said:

So, finally went to use a pre-made preset, which we (now) know is hiding under 'HSL-Adjustments', but selecting it just gives me the wheel and sliders? All of them just give the wheel and sliders, instead of actually implementing the preset?

This works as expected for me -- if a pixel layer selected as soon as I click on an HSL adjustment preset, it is applied to that layer. The HSL window does open but I have no problem with that since it allows me to change any of its parameters if I don't like what the preset does to that layer, or delete or reset it. But if I do like what the preset does I just click on something else & it automatically closes.

[AlanPC]

"Adjustment layers have builtin masks so you do not need to add a separate mask layer to them. Just select the adjustment layer, switch to a brush of your choice & paint as usual to affect the mask."

*sigh. Now you tell me...  OK, thanks - next question, can that be saved with the HSL adjustment preset?

Basically I'm trying to create a bunch of tee shirt designs where the only thing that changes is the text. I'll import them from Canva as transparent .png, then use Affinity to add a grunge effect and the color change (I used dark navy rather than black, so I can change the hue for different color tees). 

If I save a preset, with a mask, will that save the mask? Or no?

No, no it doesn't. Carefully drew an exact mask, gazed at it proudly, changed to a different preset and it was lost. Going back to the present I masked didn't work,  wasted.