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Dreams_of_Noctilux
Participant
August 31, 2026
Question

Why is my consumer print color different from the screen look?

  • August 31, 2026
  • 7 replies
  • 64 views

(I ran and resolved the 27.10 redish color bug, but in the process I realized that I don’t understand something:)

Photoshop 27.10 (bug) shows me pictures the way I get them from the drug store printout. With 27.9.1 the screen colors are in line with all other apps (Lightroom, the windows viewer, scan software and some others) and also hardware (ipad). But the prints look different. I made sure the pictures had sRGB IEC61966… embedded. 

My display has its manufacturer profile installed. I had naively assumed that pictures with sRGB colorspace included would display “correctly” on the display. But they don’t look like the prints, unless I specifically force the issue by activating color proofing to sRGB in Photoshop itself. 

What I don’t understand is, why is this so? Why would I want it to look differently on screen? I first thought this is about calibration, but I can force the screen to look like the print with a build in function of Photoshop.

I would like to understand the issue. I naively assume it would be great if the pictures look and print the same. Or if that is technically not possible, at least produce the closest redition from the same file. But in order to have a print to look like the regular screen, I need to create a different file.  I suspect that I miss something of importance, but what?

 

Thanks for help.

 

    7 replies

    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 31, 2026

    Hi,
    From your description, if I have read it correctly, you have an image in the sRGB colour space that changes appearance on screen when you soft proof to sRGB? You should not see any change when going between soft proof and document space as they are both the same.

    I would:

    a. Check that you are using the same sRGB IEC1966-2.1 profile for the document and for proofing. You may have a faulty profile on your system or a version with a different gamma.
    b. If the document and proof profiles are indeed the same, then suspect your monitor profile. If the profile is inaccurate, then you would be adjusting all your images to that inaccuracy. Again a known test print can help evaluate it, but the real way is to calibrate and profile your monitor with a hardware device - such as those from Calibrite.
     

    Dave

      Dreams_of_NoctiluxAuthor
      Participant
      September 1, 2026

      if I have read it correctly, you have an image in the sRGB colour space that changes appearance on screen when you soft proof to sRGB? 
      a. Check that you are using the same sRGB IEC1966-2.1 profile for the document and for proofing. You may have a faulty profile on your system or a version with a different gamma.
      b. If the document and proof profiles are indeed the same, then suspect your monitor profile.

      Thanks for taking the time. Yes, that is what it boils down to. I proof using the documents embedded profile, which is one of the top options in the list of profiles. And yes, the colors go more red. 

      No, my display is not color corrected manually. I can only say: Nonproof looks very much alike on my win11 photoshop machine and on several ipads too, very minor variations. Softproof looks obviously more redish and similar to the print I got from the drug store. (Basically, it looks like the bug colors in 27.10). 

       

      If I want no color change when going to Softproof, I need to use cmyk.

      davescm
      Community Expert
      davescmCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 1, 2026

      There is definitely an issue with the colour management chain on your system. Softproofing an sRGB document with an sRGB softproof profile should show no change. Using a CMYK profile to softproof I would expect to see a change.

      Can you confirm that in Preferences > Technology Previews > ‘Precise color management for HDR display is unchecked.
      Also the status of Windows Auto color management (Settings > System >Display>Color Profile and, if present, whether Auto Colour management is checked.

      Dave
       

      Claire H.
      Community Manager
      Claire H.Community Manager
      Community Manager
      August 31, 2026

      Hi @fantastic_Harmony9771, Welcome to the Photoshop Community Forums! I am sure there are community experts on here that can explain in depth color management, but overall, color management for online viewing is different from printed media. Printed documents typically have greater control over color consistency than online documents, which can appear differently across uncalibrated monitors. There are a few things you can do to help:

      1. Check Color Settings: Ensure that the RGB working space in Photoshop is set to sRGB. This can be verified in the Color Settings dialog box:

        • Open Photoshop.

        • Go to Edit > Color Settings.

        • Confirm that the RGB working space is set to sRGB.

      2. Convert Images to sRGB: If the images have an embedded color profile other than sRGB, they should be converted to sRGB before printing. This can be done by:

        • Selecting Edit > Convert to Profile and choosing sRGB as the destination space.

        • Alternatively, when saving for the web, select the Convert To sRGB checkbox in the Save For Web dialog.

      3. Activate Color Proofing: If the customer needs to see how the colors will look when printed, they should activate color proofing in Photoshop:

        • Go to View > Proof Setup and select the appropriate proof setup.

        • Then, enable proofing by going to View > Proof Colors.

      4. To achieve a consistent look across both screen and print without creating separate files, it's crucial to use the same color profile (sRGB) for both viewing and printing and to ensure that the monitor is calibrated correctly.


      Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions. I hope this helps! ^CH

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