How-to · Monitors
How to calibrate a monitor on Windows and Mac (with and without a colorimeter)
Free built-in tools fix brightness, gamma, and white point by eye. A colorimeter does it accurately. Here is how to do both, and the settings to use.
Calibration adjusts your monitor so white, gray, and colors look the way they are meant to. Most monitors ship too bright and too blue. Here is how to calibrate with free tools and with a hardware colorimeter.
Before you start
- Let the monitor warm up for 30 minutes.
- Reset the monitor to its default or sRGB preset, and turn off dynamic contrast, eco modes, and blue-light filters.
- Calibrate in your normal working light, avoiding direct sun on the screen.
Calibrate by eye on Windows 11
- Press the Windows key, type 'calibrate display color', and open it.
- Follow the steps for gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance.
- Run ClearType Text Tuner at the end for text clarity.
Calibrate by eye on macOS
- Open System Settings > Displays, then the Color Profile menu.
- Choose Customize, click the + button to open Display Calibrator Assistant, and follow the steps.
- Apple displays with reference modes, such as the Studio Display XDR, offer presets instead; use those for color work.
Calibrate with a colorimeter
Hardware colorimeters from brands such as Calibrite and Datacolor measure the screen directly and build an ICC profile. Install the maker's software, choose targets (for example 6500K, gamma 2.2, 120 nits), place the sensor on the screen, and let it run. Some pro monitors, such as Dell's UP2720Q, have a colorimeter built in and can recalibrate on a schedule; ASUS ProArt models support hardware calibration that writes to the monitor itself.
Target settings by use
| Use | White point | Gamma | Brightness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web, office, general | 6500K (D65) | 2.2 | 100 to 120 nits |
| Photo for web | 6500K | 2.2 or sRGB | 100 to 120 nits |
| Photo for print | 5000K to 6500K | 2.2 | 80 to 120 nits |
| Video (SDR) | 6500K | 2.4 (dim room) | 100 nits |
Questions we get
Do I need a colorimeter to calibrate a monitor?
For photo, video, or print work, yes: your eyes adapt to color, so by-eye calibration cannot set an accurate white point. For general use, the built-in Windows and macOS tools are enough to fix obvious brightness and gamma problems.
What settings should I calibrate to?
For web and general work: 6500K (D65) white point, gamma 2.2, and 100 to 120 nits brightness. For print: often 5000K to 6500K and 80 to 120 nits, matched to your print viewing light. For video: Rec. 709 with gamma 2.4 in a dim room.
How often should I calibrate?
Every month or two for color-critical work, and after any firmware update or major change in room lighting.