Quick answer: To adjust your monitor's color settings on a Mac, open System Settings then Displays, where you can pick a Color Profile, toggle True Tone, and set Night Shift. Choose a profile like Display P3 for most work or sRGB for web accuracy, and for color-critical work turn True Tone and Night Shift off, since they shift the colors you see. Capable displays add Presets or reference modes — such as Photography or HDTV Video — that switch the whole display to a standard with a set color space, white point, gamma, and brightness. Each display has its own settings, so match your Mac to your monitor. For measured accuracy, calibrate with a colorimeter to build a custom profile.
Mac monitor color settings: short answer
- Open System Settings then Displays for all color settings.
- Pick a Color Profile — Display P3 for most work, sRGB for web.
- Turn True Tone and Night Shift off for color-critical work.
- Use Presets or reference modes on capable displays for a standard.
- Set each display separately and match your Mac to your monitor.
Color settings at a glance
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| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Color Profile | Sets the display's color standard (Display P3, sRGB, custom) |
| True Tone | Matches white balance to room light — off for color work |
| Night Shift | Warms colors in the evening — off for color work |
| Presets / reference modes | Switch to a standard like Photography or HDTV Video |
Where color settings live on a Mac
Nearly all of your Mac's color settings are in one place: System Settings, then Displays. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and click Displays, then select the display you want to adjust if you have more than one. There you'll find the Color Profile pop-up menu for choosing a color standard, a True Tone toggle that adapts the display to room lighting, and a Night Shift button at the bottom for warmer evening colors. Displays that support them — like the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, and some capable external monitors — also show a Preset menu with reference modes for specific media types. Everything that changes how color looks is grouped here, so this is the panel to open whenever colors seem off or you're setting up for a particular kind of work. Our color space guide explains the standards these settings use.
How to change your color profile
The Color Profile pop-up menu sets which color standard your display uses, and the right choice depends on your work. In Displays, click the Color Profile menu to see the installed profiles — including the display's default, sRGB, Display P3, and any custom profiles you've added. For most work on a Mac, Display P3 is the right choice, since all modern Macs are built around the wide P3 gamut; choose sRGB when you specifically need web-accurate color on a standard-gamut target. If you use an external monitor, match your Mac's profile to the monitor's own color space — if the monitor is set to DCI-P3, set the Mac to Display P3 — so the two agree. A common cause of colors looking wrong is a mismatch here, such as using a Display P3 profile on an sRGB-only monitor, which oversaturates everything. Choose the profile that matches both your display and your output. Our color accuracy guide covers how accuracy is measured.
True Tone and Night Shift: turn off for color work
True Tone and Night Shift both change the colors on screen, so switch them off whenever color accuracy matters. True Tone automatically adjusts the display's white balance to match the ambient light in your room, which makes everyday viewing more natural and comfortable — but because it shifts colors based on your lighting, it undermines accurate editing, so turn it off for photo, video, and design work using the toggle in Displays. Night Shift does something similar in the evening, warming the screen to reduce blue light for better sleep; it's scheduled from the Night Shift button at the bottom of Displays and is fine for general use, but it also skews color, so disable it before any color-critical task. If you edit across two displays, make sure both have True Tone and Night Shift off, since having them on for only one screen is a frequent reason colors don't match between them. For casual browsing and reading, though, both features are worth keeping on.
Presets and reference modes
On capable displays, Presets and reference modes switch the whole screen to a professional standard in one click. Displays like the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, accessed through the Preset menu in Displays, include reference modes that each set the color space, white point, gamma, and brightness together to match a media standard. Common ones include Photography (wide P3 with a D65 white point) for digital photography, Design and Print (P3 with a D50 white point per print standards) for publishing, HDTV Video (BT.709 with BT.1886 gamma) for video, an sRGB mode for web content, and HDR video modes for cinema work — plus general Apple Display modes for home and office. Selecting a reference mode is far quicker and more consistent than adjusting settings by hand. Note that True Tone, auto-brightness, and Night Shift may be unavailable while a reference mode is active, which is intentional, since the mode is holding the display to a fixed standard. You can choose which modes appear in Control Center via Customize Presets for quick switching.
HDR, wide gamut, and per-display settings
Macs use a wide color gamut and color-managed rendering, and each display keeps its own settings. All modern Macs work in Display P3, which covers roughly 25% more color than sRGB, and color-managed apps like Photoshop, Lightroom, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve use the system's ColorSync to show color correctly — while apps that aren't color-managed assume sRGB, which is why the same image can look different between a browser and a pro app. If your display supports HDR, you can enable it in Displays for a brighter, higher-dynamic-range picture; external monitors use standards like DisplayHDR rather than Apple's built-in XDR modes, so match the Mac's HDR setting to your monitor's HDR mode. Every connected display has independent color settings, so set the profile, True Tone, and Night Shift for each one separately, and keep their color spaces aligned. Importantly, settings can't add color a panel can't produce — for true wide-gamut work you need a monitor that actually covers a high percentage of DCI-P3. Our Mac display guide covers related display quirks.
Which color settings for your work?
Match your settings to what you're producing, since each type of work targets a different standard. For digital photography, use a Photography reference mode or an sRGB profile depending on your output, with True Tone and Night Shift off. For graphic design and print, a Design and Print mode with a D50 white point matches how prints are evaluated. For SDR video editing, target Rec. 709 (the HDTV Video reference mode). For web and content aimed at the internet, use sRGB so your colors match what most viewers see. If you just want your external monitor to look like a Mac display, choose Display P3. And for everyday browsing, email, and office work, the default profile with True Tone and Night Shift on is perfectly comfortable — you only need to switch things off and pick a specific standard when accuracy counts. When you do need measured precision, calibrate with a colorimeter. Our calibration guide walks through that process.
Which Kuycon monitor for accurate Mac color?
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| Your work | Kuycon pick | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Wide-gamut color work | G27P 5K / G32X 6K | Wide P3 gamut that Macs are built around, plus Retina-class density. |
| Deep contrast with color | G32P 6K IPS Black | IPS Black contrast paired with a wide gamut. |
Since settings can't add color the panel can't show, a wide-gamut monitor is the foundation — check each model's color gamut on its product page. Browse 5K monitors, MacBook monitors, or all monitors.
Quick recommendation
Getting color right on a Mac is mostly about a few settings in System Settings then Displays. Pick a Color Profile that matches your work and your monitor — Display P3 for most tasks, sRGB for web — and match your Mac's color space to the monitor's. For any accurate editing, turn True Tone and Night Shift off, since both shift color; leave them on for comfortable everyday use. If your display offers reference modes, they're the fastest way to lock in a standard like Photography or HDTV Video. Match HDR settings between the Mac and monitor, and set each display separately. Remember that settings can't create color a panel can't produce, so a wide-gamut monitor like the Kuycon G27P 5K or G32X 6K — built around the same Display P3 gamut as your Mac — is the real foundation. And when you need measured accuracy, a colorimeter calibration finishes the job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change color settings on my Mac?
Open System Settings, then Displays, where all the color settings live. There you can choose a Color Profile, toggle True Tone, set Night Shift, and on capable displays pick a Preset or reference mode. Select the display you want first if you have several. For most work, use Display P3 and turn True Tone and Night Shift off when color accuracy matters. Each display has its own independent settings.
How do I change the color profile on a Mac?
Click the Color Profile pop-up menu in System Settings then Displays and choose a profile. You'll see the display's default, sRGB, Display P3, and any custom profiles. Pick Display P3 for most Mac work, or sRGB for web-accurate color. On an external monitor, match the Mac's profile to the monitor's color space. To add a custom profile, choose Customize and use the calibration assistant or a colorimeter.
What color profile should I use on my Mac?
Display P3 for most work, sRGB for web content. All modern Macs are built around the wide Display P3 gamut, so it's the right default and makes an external monitor look like a Mac display. Use sRGB when you need web-accurate color on a standard-gamut screen. For photography and print, a matching reference mode or a calibrated custom profile is better. Match the profile to both your display and your output.
What is True Tone and should I turn it off?
True Tone adjusts the display's white balance to your room's lighting, and you should turn it off for color work. It makes everyday viewing more natural by adapting to ambient light, which is pleasant for reading and browsing. But because it shifts the colors you see based on your surroundings, it undermines accurate photo, video, and design editing. Toggle it off in Displays for color-critical tasks, and leave it on for general use.
Should I turn off Night Shift for color work?
Yes — Night Shift warms the screen, which skews color. It reduces blue light in the evening to help with sleep, and it's fine for general use, but the warmer tint changes how colors appear. Turn it off from the Night Shift button in Displays before any color-critical editing. If you work across two displays, make sure it's off on both, since Night Shift on one screen is a common reason colors don't match.
What are reference modes on a Mac?
Reference modes switch a capable display to a professional standard in one click. Available on displays like the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR through the Preset menu, each mode sets the color space, white point, gamma, and brightness together to match a media standard — Photography, Design and Print, HDTV Video, sRGB Web, and HDR modes among them. They're faster and more consistent than manual tweaks. True Tone and Night Shift may be unavailable while a reference mode is active.
How do I set an sRGB profile on my Mac?
Choose sRGB from the Color Profile menu, or select an sRGB reference mode if your display has one. In System Settings then Displays, open the Color Profile pop-up and pick an sRGB profile for web-accurate color on a standard-gamut target. On a display with reference modes, the sRGB Web mode does the same with a controlled setup. Use sRGB specifically for web content; for most other Mac work, Display P3 is preferable.
How do I turn on HDR on my Mac?
Enable the high dynamic range option in System Settings then Displays for a capable display. If your Mac or external monitor supports HDR, a toggle appears in Displays to turn it on for brighter highlights and a wider dynamic range. External monitors use standards like DisplayHDR rather than Apple's built-in XDR modes, so match the Mac's HDR setting to your monitor's HDR mode. Turn HDR off for standard SDR work where it isn't needed.
Does my external monitor have its own color settings on a Mac?
Yes — each connected display has independent color settings. Select the external monitor in System Settings then Displays and it has its own Color Profile, and often its own True Tone, Night Shift, and preset options separate from your Mac's built-in screen. Set each one for its use, and keep their color spaces aligned. Many external monitors also have their own on-screen menu with color presets to coordinate with the Mac's settings.
Why do my colors look different on my Mac and monitor?
Usually a color space mismatch or a feature enabled on only one screen. Common causes are a different gamut between the two displays, the external monitor set to sRGB while the Mac uses wider Display P3, a missing or wrong profile, or True Tone or Night Shift on for just one display. For consistency, match the color profiles, disable True Tone and Night Shift on both, and align brightness. A non-color-managed app assuming sRGB can also differ from a pro app.
How do I make colors accurate on my Mac?
Set the right profile, turn off True Tone and Night Shift, and calibrate for precision. Choose a Color Profile or reference mode matching your work, disable the features that shift color, and match your Mac to your monitor. For measured accuracy, calibrate with a hardware colorimeter to build a custom profile. And remember settings can't add color the panel can't produce, so a wide-gamut monitor covering a high percentage of DCI-P3 is essential.
What is Display P3 on a Mac?
It's the wide color gamut all modern Macs use, covering about 25% more color than sRGB. Display P3 gives richer, more saturated color than standard sRGB, and Macs render in it by default, using ColorSync to manage color across apps. To take full advantage, you need a monitor that actually covers a high percentage of the P3 gamut — otherwise you miss much of the color your Mac intends to show. It's the profile to use for most Mac work.
Want the full Display P3 range on a Mac? A wide-gamut Kuycon panel like the G27P 5K or G32X 6K is built for the color your Mac produces. See all 5K monitors →
Color settings and available options depend on your Mac, macOS version, and monitor; confirm each monitor's color gamut on its product page. Steps reference macOS as of 2026 and may vary by version; reference modes require a supported display. Third-party tools are not affiliated with Kuycon. Specifications are based on publicly available information and may change. Product references are for comparison purposes only.