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How to get colour management to work instead of Display settings colour profile - Windows 10

Anonymous
2024-09-14T11:44:08+00:00

Previously on windows you use colour management to control ICC for devices, everything I search talks about colour management. Except saving those profiles does nothing, the only way to calibrate a monitor to an ICC is in Display settings under colour profile. Unfortunately there are two major issues. Issue 1) there are only a few colour profiles selectable and no way of adding new ones (say if I calibrate my monitor). 2) it applies the same profile to both monitors rendering it useless.
I just want the old method back, what is the point of colour management if it effectively doesn't manage any colour.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-15T09:41:17+00:00

    Dear James Parentich,

    Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community.

    I understand your frustration with the changes in how Windows 10 handles ICC profiles, especially if you're used to managing colors through the traditional Color Management tool. It seems like the current workflow in Windows 10 isn't meeting your needs, particularly with regards to individual monitor calibration and profile flexibility.

    I'll walk you through a few steps and workarounds to help regain more control over color management and ICC profiles, similar to earlier versions of Windows.

    While Windows 10 does prioritize color profiles in the Display Settings, the traditional Color Management tool is still available and allows more granular control over ICC profiles. Here’s how to access it:

    1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type colorcpl, and press Enter. This will open the Color Management window.
    2. Under the Devices tab, you should see a list of your connected monitors. If not, use the Device dropdown menu to select each monitor individually.
    3. Check the box that says Use my settings for this device to ensure Windows allows you to manually manage ICC profiles for each display.

    **1. Assigning ICC Profiles to Individual Monitors.**One key issue you mentioned is that Windows applies the same color profile to all connected monitors. To manually assign different ICC profiles for each monitor:

    • In the Color Management window, select the monitor you want to customize from the Device dropdown.
    • Under the Profiles associated with this device section, click Add... to assign a new ICC profile. You should be able to add any custom profiles you've created or downloaded.
    • Once you've selected the correct ICC profile, click Set as Default Profile to apply the changes.
    • Repeat this process for each monitor you want to individually calibrate.
    • If you're having difficulty finding or adding a specific profile, Make sure the ICC profile is stored in the default Windows location: C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color.

    **2. Calibrating Monitors Individually.**To further calibrate each monitor independently:

    • Go to the Advanced tab in the Color Management tool.
    • Click the Calibrate Display button under the Display Calibration section. This will open the Display Color Calibration tool, allowing you to adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance for each monitor.
    • Once you’ve completed the calibration for a specific monitor, save the settings, and an ICC profile will be created for it.
    • Ensure this newly created ICC profile is applied for that monitor using the steps outlined above.

    **3. Override Display Settings.**If Windows is defaulting to the color profile settings in Display Settings and not recognizing your ICC profiles, you can override this behavior:

    • In Color Management, go to the Advanced tab.
    • Make sure Windows Color System defaults are set to the ICC profile you prefer.
    • In the Device Profile and Default Rendering Intent sections, set your preferred ICC profile and rendering method to ensure Windows adheres to your custom profiles.

    If you’re still not getting the results you expect from Windows' built-in color management, consider using third-party calibration tools. These tools typically provide better control over color profiles and can ensure that each display on a multi-monitor setup is calibrated independently.

    Please let me know if this resolves the issue or if you have any further questions.

    Best Regards,

    Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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