Should i calibrate my imac monitor

However, with a little help from your Mac's software-based calibration system, you can adjust your monitor so that the images you see on your display are a close match to the original versions. Most displays come with International Color Consortium profiles. The ICC files, usually referred to as color profiles, tell your Mac's graphics system how to display images accurately. Your Mac comes preloaded with dozens of profiles for popular displays and other devices.

However, color profiles are only a starting point. They may be accurate the first day you turn on your new monitor, but from that day forward, your monitor ages, and three important characteristics—the white point, luminance response curve, and gamma curve—all begin to change.

Calibrating your monitor can return it to like-new viewing conditions. All Macs come with Display Calibrator Assistant, a software-based calibration process. The Display Calibrator Assistant walks you through the calibration process. The Assistant displays various images and asks you to make adjustments until each image matches the description.

For example, you may see two gray patterns and be instructed to adjust the brightness until the two images appear to be of equal brightness. Before you begin calibrating your display, take the time to set up your monitor in a good working environment. Some obvious things to watch out for include preventing reflections and glare on the display.

View the monitor straight on and don't look at the display from an off-angle while color calibrating it. There's no need to work in the dark. A well-lit room is fine. The easiest way to launch the Display Calibrator Assistant is to use the Display preference pane. Click the Displays icon in the System Preferences window. Click the Color tab. Check the box in front of Show profiles for this display only unless you know you need to use a different profile.

If you want to use a different profile than the default that is selected, click it to highlight it. In OS X Yosemite Place a check mark in the Expert Mode box and click the Continue button.

If you already have a color profile in use on your monitor, it is listed and highlighted under Display profile. If Apple doesn't make your current display, a generic profile has probably been assigned to it, but it is a good idea to check the monitor manufacturer's website to see whether it has an ICC profile you can download. Calibrating the display is easier when you start from a specific profile rather than a generic one.

If a generic profile is your only option, the Display Calibrator Assistant can still create a decent profile to use. It just may take a bit more fiddling with the calibrator controls. The Display Calibrator Assistant starts by helping you set the display's contrast and brightness. Access your monitor's built-in controls, which vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

There may be an on-screen display system for brightness and contrast adjustments, or there may be dedicated control surfaces on the monitor for these adjustments.

Check the monitor's manual for guidance, if needed. The Display Calibrator Assistant starts by asking you to turn your display's contrast adjustment to the highest setting. For LCDs , this may not be a good idea, because doing so increases the brightness of the backlight, consumes more power, and ages the backlight more quickly. Affiliate Disclosure: Make Tech Easier may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

Is this article useful? Yes No. Never Miss Out Receive updates of our latest tutorials. Sign up for all newsletters. I would like to receive newsletters via email. We will not share your data and you can unsubscribe at any time. Comments 1. Take note of any information you might need, and then click Done. One thing you may notice is that the default profile looks wrong to you; this could be due to the way you see colors and contrast or because of your lighting.

What counts is that you are comfortable with the color profile. The above process is great for most Mac users, but if you work with photos or videos, or if you want to print your own photos and have the colors of your prints match your display, then you need a color calibrator. This process takes several minutes, and, at the end, the software creates a detailed color profile that is set to "an industry color reference standard.

It can also factor in ambient lighting, and some of these devices can stay plugged into your Mac to alter the color profile as the lighting around you changes. This can be useful if you have a lot of natural light, since the color temperature changes during the day, or when the weather changes.

You may find that the colors look better, and if you do work with photos or videos, you see the exact colors in those media. You can also subscribe to our e-mail newsletter and keep an eye here on Mac Security Blog for the latest Apple security and privacy news.

Note: The white point defines how your monitor will see the color white. How the human eye sees white will depend on how warm the lighting source is. Then click on the different display profiles to see which one you like the most. Check out our list of the best computer monitors here. HelloTech editors choose the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.

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How to Calibrate Your Monitor on a Mac. Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen. Then select System Preferences. Next, click Displays. The menu opens to the Display tab by default. Then select the Color tab. You will see this at the top of the window. Click the Calibrate button while holding down the Option key on your keyboard.