How do I set sRGB as my default color space?

[curious_detail0D4E]

Im honestly tired of having to convert the files with the "edit > convert to profile" menu option. I export from LR straight to PS. I dont know if that has anything to do with it. I doubt it. I just want to be able to open all my pictures in sRGB without having to do the converting. I do save for web but if the profile is converted before hand, the colors will change.

[Norman Sanders]

Edit > Color Settings

[curious_detail0D4E]

I do that. Do I need to restart photoshop or something cause everything still comes in as Adobe RGB =/

[Norman Sanders]

No. Are you  referring to a File > New?

[D Fosse]

Photoshop preserves any incoming embedded profiles (as it should). That will always override the working space.

So what you need to do is set Lightroom preferences:

[curious_detail0D4E]

Thats if I do edit in > Photoshop. But I export as RAW & choose the option to open in PS.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@curious_detail0D4E "Thats if I do edit in > Photoshop. But I export as RAW & choose the option to open in PS"

if you open RAW in Photoshop is opens in Camera RAW.

I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

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[Denise Grant]

I'm not using Lightroom. I use Photoshop and Bridge and having a problem because when I set SRGB under the edit colour settings, it seems to revert back to RGB. The result is that when I send downloadable galleries and/or emails, the images appear much darker and more saturated. Is there a way to set sRGB so that in Photoshop and Bridge it will give a true colour when I'm sending jpgs out? They look nothing like my images in Photoshop when I have them side by side. Pls. help.

[D Fosse]

@Denise Grant 

The working space in Color Settings isn't important. It doesn't matter what it is. The embedded profile will and should always override the working space. That's how it's supposed to work.

Are you opening raw files from a camera? Then you set the color space of the file in Camera Raw's workflow options. You find that under Camera Raw preferences, or click the undrlined "link" under the main image window in Camera Raw.

Photoshop can't open raw files directly. They have to be processed into an RGB file in a raw processor, in this case the Adobe Camera Raw plugin (ACR). In this process, the file is encoded into a standard color space. This profile follows the file into Photoshop, and that's how it opens in Photoshop - regardless of the working space.

So what you need to do is set ACR to open as sRGB.

Generally, always, always make sure the file has an embedded profile. If you output files through Export or Save For Web, make sure the box is checked to "embed color profile".

This is where you keep track of the profile in Photoshop:

[Denise Grant]

thanks for that info- I open all my RAW files in Photshop Bridge

[D Fosse]

You're not opening raw files in Bridge, you're opening them in the Camera Raw plugin hosted by Bridge. Camera Raw can also be hosted by Photoshop. It's the same Camera Raw plugin.

[Denise Grant]

I don't use a plug in. Bridge opens RAW files just fine, honestly. Here's something from Google: "Yes, you can open RAW files in Adobe Bridge without needing a separate plugin; it uses the built-in "Camera Raw" feature to process and edit RAW images directly within Bridge, allowing you to view and adjust them before opening them fully in Photoshop. "

[ExUSA]

Camera RAW *is* a plugin to Bridge, Photoshop, and After Effects. You will sometimes see Camera RAW updated in the Adobe Creative Cloud app while Photoshop or Bridge is not updated.

As long as the working space is set to sRGB in Camera RAW, and Photoshop is set to Preserve Embedded Profiles (Edit->Color Settings) then your opened RAW files should always be in sRGB unless you explicitly convert them.

[Denise Grant]

Thanks very much for this---I'll go back and work on it. Always grateful for info.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@Denise Grant ""Yes, you can open RAW files in Adobe Bridge without needing a separate plugin; it uses the built-in "Camera Raw" feature"

there's your clue  it uses the built-in "Camera Raw" feature that’s the plug in.

I hope this helps neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right' google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

[Norman Sanders]

Raw

Double click here:

and change this

[mayflyaway]

I have the same issue. By default apparently Lightroom uses the Prophoto color profile. When doing right-click | open in Photoshop, it was automatically converting it to sRGB and my colors were all off. I contacted support and they somehow made it so that when I do my right click thing it gives me the option of opening the file in the current color space.

I did not ask support how to make it just do that by default. So am wondering where I can change the setting so that it just automatically uses the same color profile that Lightroom is using.

[D Fosse]

mayflyaway  wrote

So am wondering where I can change the setting so that it just automatically uses the same color profile that Lightroom is using.

You set the Lightroom default as per screenshot in post #2.

Whatever embedded profile is coming out of Lightroom will be preserved and treated correctly in Photoshop. There is no need for the color settings to match, that's a misunderstanding. Don't change anything in Photoshop's color settings. The policies should always be set to "Preserve Embedded Profiles".

If you have color inconsistencies this is not the reason. In that case, please post side by side screenshots showing where you have incorrect colors.

[mayflyaway]

Then why, when I right click-open in PS, do I get a message that says "The document has an embedded color profile that does not match the current RGB working space" and then gives me options?

Why was it opening the document with the color completely off from how it looked in LR before support enabled that message pop up?

[D Fosse]

I just disable that message and frankly I think it should be removed altogether. It tells you absolutely nothing useful.

The important thing is to have policies set to "Preserve Embedded Profiles". Then the embedded profile will always override the working space. This is how color management is supposed to work.

If you still have a difference between Lightroom and Photoshop, this isn't the reason. Most likely it's a defective monitor profile.

[mayflyaway]

ok so where do I set "Preserve Embedded Profiles" because that would resolve the problem of my profiles not being preserved when opening in LR. jfc nevermind I will google it.

The message actually does do something useful. It allows me to choose to open the image in PS using the embedded color profile rather than the profile of the working space. Which resolves my color difference issue that I have every time I try to open an image in PS from LR.

[D Fosse]

Preserve Embedded Profiles is the default policy in Color Settings. Just don't change it. With this setting, the working space never comes into the picture, because the embedded profile out of Lightroom will override it.

But I repeat, if you still have color inconsistencies you most likely have a bad monitor profile.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@curious_detail0D4E Windows?

Windows display profile, display profile issues on Windows

Here's something to try

It'll only take a few minutes and is good troubleshooting.

At least once a week on this forum we read about this, or very similar issues of appearance differing between colour managed applications.

Of course you must not expect accurate colour with programs such as early versions of Windows "Photos”*, because in those early versions colour management is not implemented, so, such programs are incapable of providing accurate image display.

*Windows "Photos” does do colour management now and has for a while, but beware early versions and other apps that are non colour management compliant.

Unfortunately, with Microsoft hardware: Windows updates, Graphics Card updates and Display manufacturers have a frustratingly growing reputation for automatically installing useless (corrupted) monitor display profiles.

I CAN happen with Macs but with far less likelihood, it seems.]

The issue can affect different application programs in different ways, some not at all, some very badly.

The poor monitor display profile issue is hidden by some applications, specifically those that do not use colour management, such as Microsoft Windows "Photos".

Photoshop is correct, it’s the industry standard for viewing images, in my experience it's revealing an issue with the Monitor Display profile rather than causing it. Whatever you do, don't ignore it. As the issue isn’t caused by Photoshop, please don’t change your Photoshop ‘color settings’ to try fix it.

To find out if the monitor display profile is the issue, I recommend you to try temporarily setting the monitor profile for your own monitor display under “Device” in your Windows ‘color management’ control panel to “sRGB IEC61966-2.1”. (If you have a wide gamut monitor display (check the spec online) it’s better to try ‘AdobeRGB1998” here instead as it more closely approximates the display characteristics).

Click ‘Start’, type color in the search box,

then click Color Management.

[or Press the Windows key + R, type colorcpl in the box and press Enter]

In the Devices tab, ensure that your monitor is selected in the Device field.

You can click to ADD to add “sRGB IEC61966-2.1” (or AdobeRGB1998) if not already listed there.

Again - IF you have a wide gamut display I suggest trying “AdobeRGB1998”

Once it’s selected, be sure to check “Use my settings for this device” up top.

And click on “set as Default Profile - bottom right

Screenshot of Color Management Control Panel

Quit and relaunch Photoshop after the control panel change, to ensure the new settings are applied.

Depending on the characteristics of your monitor display and your requirements, using sRGB or Adobe RGB here may be good enough - but no display perfectly matches either, so a custom calibration is a superior approach.

If this change to the Monitor Display profile temporarily fixes the appearance issue, it is recommended that you should now calibrate and profile the monitor properly using a calibration sensor like the i1display pro, which will create and install its own custom monitor profile. The software should install its profile correctly so there should be no need to manually set the control panel once you are doing this right.

I hope this helps

neil barstow, colourmanagement net  - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'

google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.