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How to Calibrate Your Monitor?Updated 12 days ago

Why Do Colors Look Different on Monitors and a Connected Device?

If you notice color differences between your monitor and your computer’s built-in display, don’t worry. This happens because each display uses different panels with varying color gamuts, color temperatures, brightness levels, and contrast ratios. 

Your monitor will already be calibrated to its optimal settings when you get it. However, you can still adjust the brightness and color temperature based on your environment and personal preferences. Alternatively, try manually calibrating the monitor’s colors to minimize color discrepancies without a color calibrator.

What Should I Do?

When there is a noticeable color discrepancy between your laptop and monitor, you can use your eyes as a reference and manually adjust the color temperature and RGB settings to reduce the color discrepancy with your laptop.

The easiest way to align colors is by comparing the same desktop wallpaper on both screens and tweaking the settings bit by bit. Without a professional color calibrator, though, you'll need to rely on what looks comfortable to you. Achieving perfect color matching can be challenging since the color gamuts of laptops and monitors are usually different. For example, if your laptop uses DCI-P3 and your monitor only covers 72% of NTSC, the monitor's smaller gamut limits how accurately it can display certain colors. Even so, with some trial and error, you can follow basic color adjustment principles to get a closer match that works for your setup.

Adjusting the Color Temperature

The human eye is sensitive to color temperature. At higher temperatures (>6500K), images appear bluish and cool, while lower temperatures (<6500K) give a reddish or yellowish warm tone. Setting the temperature to 6500K makes whites look clean and natural, avoiding a blue or yellow cast.

Adjusting Contrast

Low contrast makes colors look dull, so increasing it helps them pop. Brighter screens enhance color vibrancy, but too much brightness can wash out colors. Keeping brightness at 50-70% ensures a good balance.

Choose a Stable Lighting Environment

When calibrating in a dark environment, colors often appear more saturated, making calibration in a stable lighting environment more reliable. It is advisable to use neutral or natural light sources (white light) and to avoid colored ambient lighting (such as warm yellow lights).

Choose a Professional Color Calibration Chart

You can download the following images or simply scroll through the article page. Open the same image on both the laptop and the monitor for color comparison. And then adjust the monitor's  RGB, reducing the color difference. Here are some simple tips for calibrating your monitor's color.

  • Use Black-and-White Photos for Color Calibration

If the black-and-white image shows color shifts (such as a bluish or yellowish tint), it indicates an imbalance in the RGB channels.

  • Alternate Between Near and Far Observation

Observe the screen from both close and distant perspectives to ensure the colors remain consistent regardless of distance. Viewing from too far away may result in red or blue color shifts.

  • Adjust Specific Colors for Calibration

If the image appears cool or bluish, reduce the blue channel or increase the red and green.

If the image looks warm or yellowish, lower the red channel and slightly increase the blue.

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