Why does my exported sRGB JPEG look oversaturated in some Windows apps but correct in Photoshop and Firefox?
Asked 11/17/2016
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2 answers
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I edited a RAW file in Photoshop in 16-bit ProPhoto RGB, then exported an 8-bit JPEG in sRGB. On my Windows 10 system, the JPEG looks correct in Photoshop and Firefox, but appears much more saturated in Photos and Internet Explorer/Edge.
My display is a calibrated wide-gamut EIZO monitor. I understand some variation between devices is normal, but this difference is extreme. Why would the same JPEG render differently between applications, and is there anything I should check in the export or viewing workflow?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
2
Why is that?
Colour management fully depends on the software as of January 2017. There is no way of enforcing it no matter how recent the OS is.
Related question about Edge on MS site - with no answers from MS.
You should research each software to see if it supports colour management (Adobe's software does even if it is not ideal). Firefox is not perfect without manipulation either.
Originally by user49477. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user49477
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely cause is inconsistent color management between applications.
On a wide-gamut monitor, color-managed software reads the image’s ICC profile and converts it correctly for your display. Non-color-managed or poorly color-managed apps may ignore the profile and send the numbers straight to the screen, which makes an sRGB JPEG look oversaturated.
That matches what you’re seeing: Photoshop is color managed, and Firefox can display correctly; some Windows viewers/browsers historically have not handled color management consistently.
A second thing to verify is that the JPEG was actually exported as RGB/sRGB, not CMYK, and that the sRGB profile is embedded. Older software can also have limited support for some profile versions.
So the file may be fine—the viewer is often the problem. To improve consistency:
- export as sRGB JPEG
- embed the sRGB ICC profile
- confirm the file is RGB, not CMYK
- view it in color-managed apps/browsers
You cannot force every app or device to display color identically, especially if the software lacks proper color management.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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