Skylum updates Luminar Neo in February with Light Depth and performance gains

Skylum pushed a cluster of Luminar Neo updates in February 2026 — referenced in builds 1.25.0, 1.26.0 and 1.26.1 — that emphasize AI-driven editing controls and performance work as the app marks its fourth anniversary. Fstoppers notes Light Depth now replaces Relight AI, aiming for "more natural depth-based lighting control while keeping older project edits working as expected," and Skylum continues to position Neo as a broader editing ecosystem.

UI and workspace changes landed alongside Light Depth. Fstoppers reports the AI Assistant panel is now fully draggable and resizable, and tools placed in Favorites can be reordered for a more controlled workspace; the same coverage singled out a slightly faster experience on macOS. DigitalPhotoMentor adds updated UI details including faster masking, improved slider behavior, and preset previews that address common workflow friction.

Light Depth itself debuted in fall 2025 and has been refined during these February builds. DigitalPhotoMentor placed the initial debut in fall 2025, while DIYPhotography's Dunja Djudjic described Light Depth as a tool that "skips that hassle by using AI to understand your image’s structure," letting users guide viewer focus and add richness without extensive manual masking. Restoration, which DigitalPhotoMentor grouped with Light Depth as a fall 2025 addition, continues to receive attention for digitizing and restoring photo archives.

Export and catalog tools received concrete improvements. DigitalPhotoMentor writes that quick exports now include full-quality JPEG, TIFF and DNG, with the option to re-use last settings for faster exports; the site also documents new Cache Cleanup & Catalog Optimization tools to reduce bloat on machines with limited space. Fstoppers adds that export performance has been enhanced for faster, smoother output for large sessions.

Camera and raw support expanded in the 1.26.1 build. Fstoppers lists added support for Sony a7 V, Sony FX2 and Panasonic LUMIX DC-S5IIX and notes broader Canon, Fujifilm, Sony and Leica RAW support. Fstoppers advises users: "To get the update, just launch Luminar Neo and you’ll be offered the update."

Behind the scenes, Fstoppers frames the work as a major internal restructuring with explicit performance claims: "The successive updates have made the application 25 times faster in general," and "Tools based on artificial intelligence, like SkyAI, FaceAI, and Portrait BokehAI, can now be run 20% faster on both operating systems." The outlet calls these engineering fixes the headline: "Performance and reliability upgrades are the 'hidden' wins," adding that generative tool output quality and overall stability improved.

Pricing and licensing remain unchanged in structure: Marc Bergreen reports current pricing at about $120 to $180 depending on license, a 7-day free trial is available, subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before period end, and DIYPhotography notes purchases include a 30-day money-back guarantee with activation handled through your Skylum account. Reviewers across the coverage describe the February builds as incremental but meaningful for owners, a pattern of steady updates that nudges Luminar Neo further into a full-featured editing workflow.