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Lucila Timoteo
Participant
January 6, 2023
Question

Color not showing correctly on Photoshop

  • January 6, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 1219 views

Hello! I have a Macbook Pro 13-inch 2020 using macOS Big Sur version 11.6, I already uninstall and reinstalled my Photoshop several times but nothing is working (I'm currently using the latest version I could download from Creative Cloud which is PSD 2022 - 24.1.0 Release).

 

For a few weeks now, I have noticed that there is an error with the swatches library, specifically with a particular color (with the rest of the colors this error doesn't seem to occur).

 

I've been using this swatch library for a long time now (these are all brand colors of the company I work for) but for some time now, every time I press the orange color, instead of seeing orange as it should be, I see it as an intense RED. This doesn't always happen, but when it does, it doesn't matter if I choose the color from the swatch library or if I try to load it directly into the 'Color Picker' by typing the corresponding hex code, I ALWAYS see it red which is super strange cause that hex code should be orange, not red. 

 

Does anyone know why is this error happening and how can I fix it? I'm a graphic designer and obviously not being able to work with real colors greatly affects my work and the pieces I need to design on a daily basis. It is a very frustrating error because many times I need to design something and use that orange color and I CAN'T because Photoshop won't show the actual color on the screen.

 

The only way so far that I have found to solve this is if I drag an image that contains that orange color, and instead of choosing it from the swatch library or loading it with the hex code that I always use, I do this by using the Eye Dropper tool (to top it off, when I use the eyedropper tool to get that orange, PSD ends up showing me a different hex code that I have never seen or used before, but apparently for Photoshop that is the correct hex code..) Did I do something wrong? I was thinking that maybe I changed something (without knowing) on my Photoshop settings and that's why I'm seeing different colors? I don't know. 

 

I also noticed that sometimes when I move my mouse over the Swatch library, Photoshop makes a little glitch and all the colors in the library all of a sudden look desaturated (check the video I'm attaching). This is super strange. Does anyone know why this happens? Please pleaseeee someone help me!!! Thank you!

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    4 replies

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 11, 2023

    I think Lumigraphics has the correct answer here. That's very much what it sounds like.

     

    Numbers are color space specific! In fact, that's what a color space is: a definition of numbers as specific colors and vice versa.

     

    There's nothing special about hex. It's just base 16 notation for RGB numbers (instead of base 10). The notion that hex defines a color is a misunderstanding.

     

    In most circumstances, hex references sRGB IEC61966-2.1 - not because anyone decided that, but because hex is mostly used in situations with no proper color management. That basically means working in monitor color space (whatever that is), and traditional monitors are fairly close to sRGB.

     

    In recent years, with wide gamut displays being much more widespread, that falls apart. If you work without color management on a wide gamut screen, what you see is something super-saturated. But it's the same hex numbers!

     

    What I'm getting at is that you always need to keep track of the color space you're working in. That's always true, but especially if you rely on numbers! Numbers are undefined until associated with a color space.

     

    Photoshop's whole architecture revolves around color management. There's always a color space, you can't ignore it. You need to come to terms with it.

     

     

    CShubert
    Community Manager
    CShubertCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    January 11, 2023

    Hi @Lucila Timoteo curious if you might be dealing with the Pantone change in Ps?

    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/choosing-colors.html

     

    Thank you,

    Cory

    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    January 6, 2023

    In terms of the movie and the color changing as you click:

    First, try disabling GPU in the Preferences (Performance tab). In Photoshop also go to Preferences > Technology Previews... and enable "Older GPU mode (pre 2016)" - Restart Photoshop. Any better?

    You can try this too: in Preferences>Technology Previews, check the box 'Deactivate Native Canvas' and uncheck 'Enable Native Canvas Rulers' options, then restart Photoshop. Does this work?

    If not, recalibrate and build a new ICC display profile, the old one might be corrupted. If you are using software/hardware for this task, be sure the software is set to build a matrix not LUT profile, Version 2 not Version 4 profile.

    If turning OFF GPU works, it's a GPU bug and you need to contact the manufacturer or find out if there's an updated driver for it. On the Mac, that's part of the OS update(s) so if this is the latest OS version, you may need to roll back a release.
    Also see: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/acr-gpu-faq.html
    https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/photoshop-cc-gpu-card-faq.html

     

    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
      L
      Lumigraphics
      Legend
      January 6, 2023

      Different RGB/hex values will look different depending on the colorspace of your document (sRGB, Adobe RGB, a flavor of CMYK, etc.) Make sure that you are using a consistent colorspace with all files. Using hardware calibration of your screen will help, as well.

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