Why do my photos look different in Lightroom, Windows Photos, and as the desktop wallpaper?
Asked 10/17/2016
7 views
2 answers
0
After exporting from Lightroom, my photos look noticeably redder in the Windows Photos app and when set as the desktop background, but they look correct in Lightroom and in Windows Photo Viewer. I’m using a Dell U3014 that has only the factory calibration, and I haven’t created a custom monitor profile.
Why would the same image be rendered differently by different apps on the same monitor? Is this caused by color spaces, a bad Windows color-management setting, or the lack of proper monitor calibration? What’s the best way to fix it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
2
A common cause of images appearing very different in two different applications is the use of different colour spaces when saving the image, some viewing applications do not respect the colour space recorded in the image and use a standard one (usually sRGB).
The approach to dealing with this will depend what you intend to do with the images.
If you're planning for the image to primarily be displayed on your own screen, pick the profile which works best for you (and just avoid apps which don't display the image properly).
If your planning on printing the image, then calibrate your display and only use apps which respect the profile in the image.
If you're planning on your images being displayed on other people's screens (particularly over the web) then you're pretty much stuck with sRGB as the defacto standard.
Originally by user46386. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user46386
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is usually a color-management issue, not Lightroom “changing” the file.
What’s happening:
- Different apps may handle ICC color profiles differently.
- Some viewers ignore the image’s embedded color space and assume sRGB.
- If Windows has the wrong monitor profile assigned, color-managed apps can also display images incorrectly.
Why the same image differs in the same monitor:
- The monitor isn’t changing; the software is interpreting color differently.
- Desktop wallpaper and some Windows apps are often less reliable for color-managed viewing.
What to do:
- Check Windows Color Management and make sure the correct monitor profile is assigned. If it seems wrong, resetting/temporarily assigning sRGB can help diagnose the issue.
- For consistent web/screen sharing, export in sRGB.
- Use color-managed apps for judging color.
- Properly calibrate/profile the monitor with a hardware calibrator. Factory calibration helps, but a custom profile is still the best way to get accurate, predictable color.
In short: this is most likely inconsistent app color management and/or an incorrect OS monitor profile; calibration improves accuracy, and exporting as sRGB improves compatibility.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why do colors look different across apps after monitor calibration?
Why do my photos look yellow in Windows Photo Viewer but not in Lightroom or Photoshop?
Can I improve color on a factory-calibrated Dell U2414H without a hardware calibrator?
How can I get accurate sRGB color from a wide-gamut monitor, and is an sRGB-only monitor better for non-color-managed apps?
Why do my photos look too red in some apps on a wide-gamut monitor?