Setting Adobe Camera Raw Defaults in 15.1

[SC-Agency]

Seen a number of old posts on this issue (2020 and previous) with broken links to "solutions."

Everytime I open a new RAW file some default settings are applied in the options I did not choose.

1. I change the settings to what I want or zero everything out
2. Click the three dots on the right side for "More Settings"
3. Click "Set Raw Defaults" and Save

but when opening a new image it still applies the old, mystery defaults I don't want. Super frustrating and time consuming.

Thanks for the answer.

[TheDigitalDog]

So you're asking about the new(er) Camera Defaults? See:

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/camera-raw-settings.html

Save New Camera Raw Defaults

Saves the current settings as the new default settings for other images taken with the same camera, with the same camera model, or with the same ISO setting. Select the appropriate options in the Default Image Settings section of the Camera Raw preferences to specify whether to associate the defaults with a specific camera’s serial number or with an ISO setting.

[SC-Agency]

Thanks for chming in.

That linked help page show a hamburger icon and settings options that no longer exist or have long since changed. At least they are not in ACR 15.1 for Windows. All I see is three horizontal dots for the "Settings" menu. (1st image.)

If you click Set Raw Defaults it then opens another screen. (2nd image.)

Under the "Global" dropdown you can pick Adobe Defaults, Camera Settings or a user defined preset. It's only if I pick "User defined preset" and click OK the settings will stick and new images from the same camera will start with those settings. If I open an image from another camera those settings do not auto-load. I can see some wisdom in that since each camera's color and focus are different. The process seems incredibly un-intuitive and there are no popup help menus or info bubbles, you sort of stumble your way through trying to get defaults to stick.

Also not sure why these get lost time to time. Maybe when ACR updates even despite unchecking the option to remove previous versions and asking it to preserve settings it just ignores and re-writes.

But the help page doesn't line up with what I'm seeing in 15.1 and I'm still not sure this is the best permanent way to make RAW defaults stay default.

[TheDigitalDog]

Try resetting your ACR preferences, better? 

Hold down the Command key and select Photoshop > Preferences > Camera Raw (macOS) or hold down the Ctrl key and select Edit > Preferences > Camera Raw (Windows).

Click Yes in the dialog that asks "Delete the Camera Raw Preferences?"

[SC-Agency]

I don't want to delete my preference though, plus this wouldn't change the procedure. Seems to me Adobe's help page is outdated, at least for Windows.

[TheDigitalDog]

I don't want to delete my preference though, plus this wouldn't change the procedure. Seems to me Adobe's help page is outdated, at least for Windows.

By @SC-Agency

Then it's not possible to address: 

I open a new RAW file some default settings are applied in the options I did not choose. but when opening a new image it still applies the old, mystery defaults I don't want. Super frustrating and time consuming.

[SC-Agency]

Well, like I said. I AM able to apply a preset by using the alternative procedure I outlined. For Windows 11 ACR 15.1 I must go into the three dots (Settings) and pick Set Raw Defaults and then for Global choose settings I created. This works for one Canon camera model, but it will not apply to other cameras. If I try to created a different user preset for those or use the override feature, it simply doesn't work.

I'm willing to let it go as another poorly developed thing by Adobe. It shouldn't take this much guessing and fiddling around to simply set defaults / presets available for every image. I don't have the same hassle with presets in any other photo software like Luminar or Aurora. They just work and save what I want them to do.

[TheDigitalDog]

Let's start again because maybe I'm confused about the issue exactly. 

Raw Defaults shown in your screen capture are used to apply defaults automatically based on a specific camera. I do not see anything set there. Is this what you mean is 'resetting' by itself? IOW, you set this for a specific preset/profile etc which isn't working (or resets to nothing)?