Color Profile
What color profiles are, how sRGB, Display P3, and Adobe RGB affect screenshots, and how to avoid color inconsistencies.
A color profile describes how the numbers stored in an image correspond to actual colors. The common format is the ICC profile, defined by the International Color Consortium and standardized as ISO 15076-1. Without a profile, the same RGB value can look different on two screens.
Profiles are embedded in the file. PNG stores one in an iCCP chunk, JPEG in APP2 segments, and TIFF, HEIC and PDF have their own fields. When an image has no profile, most software assumes sRGB.
Common color profiles
| Profile | Range of colors | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| sRGB (IEC 61966-2-1) | Standard | Web, most monitors, default assumption |
| Display P3 | Wider reds and greens | Many Mac, iPhone and iPad displays |
| Adobe RGB (1998) | Wider greens and cyans | Photography and print workflows |
Why profiles matter for screenshots
Many Mac displays use the Display P3 color space, and screenshots from them can carry a P3 profile. The pixel values are only correct when read with that profile. If a later step removes the profile, saturated colors such as brand reds and greens can look duller or shifted.
Color profiles and the web
Browsers that support color management read embedded profiles. Some image pipelines strip metadata to save bytes, including the profile, and the image is then read as sRGB. Converting to sRGB before publishing gives the most predictable result across browsers and devices.
In repeatable screenshot reviews
When screenshots from different Macs are compared, profile differences can show up as color changes that are not real. Capture review sets on one display, or convert all images to sRGB before comparison. Keep the format and settings the same for every run.
Common mistakes
- Stripping metadata with a compression tool and losing the profile.
- Comparing a P3 screenshot with an sRGB screenshot pixel by pixel.
- Sampling a color with a picker on a P3 image and using the value as sRGB.
- Assuming that a correct-looking image on one Mac looks the same elsewhere.
Have an image to fix right now?
Convert between PNG, JPG and WebP with Image Converter, then compare the result with the original in Compare Images.
Common questions
How do I see which profile an image has?
On a Mac, open the image in Preview and choose Tools, then Show Inspector. The profile name appears in the information panel.
Should I convert screenshots to sRGB?
For the web and for sharing, sRGB is the safe choice. Keep the original if you need the wider color range.
Sources
Related resources
- Export formats: PNG, JPG and WebP exports.
- General and history settings: Auto Export format and quality.
Taking the same screenshots again and again?
Temposhot captures a screen, window or area on a timer and exports the set as a PDF, images, ZIP or MP4. The free browser tools fix single images.
Related resources
Related terms
- Image MetadataWhat image metadata is, what it reveals about screenshots, and privacy concerns when sharing.
- PNGHow the PNG image format works, when to use it for screenshots, and how it compares to JPG and WebP.
- JPGHow JPG compression works, when to use it vs PNG and WebP, and common mistakes with lossy screenshot formats.
- Image FormatOverview of common image formats — PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF — and when to use each.
- Image QualityWhat determines image quality, how quality interacts with file size, and how to choose the right quality settings for screenshots and exports.