How To View The Correct Colour Profile Using Colour Management In Windows 10

Published 2020-06-24

Every object has its colour, and if something is not the right colour, then we can know it immediately. If you are not able to view the right colour, then it is not necessarily your monitor’s fault. A small tweak in the Colour Management in Windows 10 will fix most of the colour-related issues.

What Is Colour Profile And Why Is It Important?

A colour profile is a set of information that guides your system on how the colours should look on the screen. Ideally, only when you use an apt colour profile for your device like monitor, printer, camera, etc will you be able to see the right colours.

An accurate representation of colour is significant for those who work with editing images and videos, works closely with photography or even those who play games on their computer. The Windows Colour Management System works based on colour profiles which are used by the manufacturer. Every device like Monitor, Camera, Printer, Scanner etc. has its colour profiles which, when applied, will display colours as they were intended.

This guide will explain the steps to use the colour management in Windows 10 to carry out the following tasks related to the correct colour profile.

How to find the correct colour profile for your monitor

How to install the correct colour profile for your monitor

How to reset the colour profile settings on Windows 10

Also Read: How To Fix Color Monitor Problems In Windows

How To Find The Correct Colour Profile For Your Monitor

When you purchase a monitor, you will receive a CD along with it that would be loaded with drivers, colour profiles and many other essential system files. The colour profiles are important for Windows Colour Management System, and these files are described as ICC or ICM files. If you did not receive the disk or lost it, then you can download the latest and updated drives and colour profiles from the manufacturer’s website. Although each OEM has a different designed website, the general process is the same for all.

Step 1: Open your favourite browser and visit the manufacturer’s support website. Now, I have listed the websites for some of the famous brands of monitors. You can always Google it up by trying to type the brand name along with the words support website in the search box. The relevant result will always be within the top 5 searches.

Dell	HP	Samsung
ASUS	ACER	LG

Step 2: Locate the Downloads section of the website.

Step 3: You must use the monitor’s model number to look for the appropriate driver.

Note: A monitor driver is different from a graphic driver.

Step 4: Download the driver and double-click on the file. If it is an executable file or .exe file, it will start installing the driver. If it is a compressed file, then you will have to extract it first and then, click on the executable file.

Step 5: If there is no .exe file, then it will be either ICM or ICC file, which will have to be imported using the Windows Colour Management System.

Also Read: 5 Cool Tips To Make Your Windows 10 Colorful And Bright

How To Install The Correct Colour Profile For Your Monitor

Once you have downloaded the ICM colour profile file and if it does not turn out to be a simple executable file, then you will have to follow these steps to use the colour management in Window 10:

Step 1: Type Colour Management in the search box on the taskbar and click on the relevant result and open the Windows Colour Management.

Step 2: Click on the first tab labelled as Devices and click on the dropdown list to select the monitor.

Note: If you have multiple monitors, then click on the Identify Monitors button and it will display numbers on your screens identifying them.

Step 3: Next, check on the Use my settings for this device, below the dropdown.

Step 4: Next, click on Add button and a new dialog box will open with the name of “Associated Colour Profile”. Click the Browse button locate in the left-bottom.

Step 5: Now use Windows Explorer inbuilt Windows Colour Management app and navigate to the Colour Profile we downloaded earlier and select it.

Step 6: The updated profile will be installed and then, click the close button.

Step 7: You may notice a difference in colour immediately otherwise restart the computer.

Also Read: How to Change Command Prompt Color in Windows 10, 8, 7

How To Reset The Colour Profile Settings In Windows 10

Now you know how to change your colour profile under colour management in Windows 10. But what if something goes wrong and you want to revert to what you had before you made the change? Here are the steps to restore the default colour profile:

Step 1: Type Colour Management in the search box on the taskbar and choose the relevant result.

Step 2: Click on the Dropdown menu and select the monitor from the list.

Note: if you have one monitor, then you need not bother.

Step 3: Click on Devices Tab and then, click on Profile button.

Step 4: From the small contextual menu that appears, choose “Reset my settings to the system defaults” option.

These steps will reset the colour profile and resolve issues with colour management windows in 10.

Also Read: How To Fix HDMI Monitor Not Detected In Windows 10

The Final Word On How To Use The Colour Management In Windows 10 To View The Correct Colour Profile

The colour management in Windows 10 is a tool that is generally not used as all the plug n play monitors auto-set their colour profiles. However, if you face issues or feel that the colours are not being displayed correctly, then you can always use the above changes and make changes through Windows Colour Management.

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