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Max DT
Known Participant
May 23, 2024
Answered

What the heck is going on with Photoshop's Color Settings?

  • May 23, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 1894 views

Hi Everybody,

 

The Color Settings in Photoshop decided to change on me out of the blue. I didn't click anything, just imported new files. Now I'm flipping switches trying to align things and nothing is matching from the same files I was just using for a different size. Even Save For Web, the colors get stuck...? (video attached) The color shouldn't change merely because my mouse floats over it. This is stupid. 

Been messing with color settings, monitor, not-monitor, etc. Going bezerk.

 

(video attached)

 

As you can see on the desktop all three files are a different orange, that's another thing. They should all be the same orange. There are no adjustment layers in these files. It's a mess. Color management should be this all over the place. 

 

Has anybody run into this? Is there a way to streamline this profile, so Photoshop will obey one hexidecimal and not make an array of them from one colorset? They all are set to P3 image and nothing is matching.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer davescm

A few things:

1. In Save for Web, Preview should be set to 'Use document profile'.

2. Yes check Convert to sRGB and Embed colour profile when exporting for web use.

3. I would recommend setting the information at the bottom left of the Photoshop document window to Document Profile. That way you can see the profile of any open document immediately and spot any differences immediately.

 

'Been messing with color settings, monitor, not-monitor, etc. Going bezerk.'

Messing is a recipe for color disaster. Open Color settings and set a default RGB profile and a default CMYK profile. Those are default working space profiles and should never be set to the monitor profile. Also set colour management profiles to 'Preserve Embedded Profiles' that way, the document with an embedded profile will open using that profile.

'...Photoshop will obey one hexidecimal and not make an array of them from one colorset.... They are all set to P3....'

Hexadecimal codes, are just the RGB numbers in base 16. As such they will produce different colours when used in different document profiles. Unfortunately, when people specify a hexidecimal colour they rarely reference what colour profile is being used, but most online references I have seen are using sRGB as the colour space. If you type in a code for a colour that was referenced in sRGB into a P3 document the colour produced will be different to that specified.

 

Dave

 

 

 

2 replies

davescm
Community Expert
davescmCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 30, 2024

A few things:

1. In Save for Web, Preview should be set to 'Use document profile'.

2. Yes check Convert to sRGB and Embed colour profile when exporting for web use.

3. I would recommend setting the information at the bottom left of the Photoshop document window to Document Profile. That way you can see the profile of any open document immediately and spot any differences immediately.

 

'Been messing with color settings, monitor, not-monitor, etc. Going bezerk.'

Messing is a recipe for color disaster. Open Color settings and set a default RGB profile and a default CMYK profile. Those are default working space profiles and should never be set to the monitor profile. Also set colour management profiles to 'Preserve Embedded Profiles' that way, the document with an embedded profile will open using that profile.

'...Photoshop will obey one hexidecimal and not make an array of them from one colorset.... They are all set to P3....'

Hexadecimal codes, are just the RGB numbers in base 16. As such they will produce different colours when used in different document profiles. Unfortunately, when people specify a hexidecimal colour they rarely reference what colour profile is being used, but most online references I have seen are using sRGB as the colour space. If you type in a code for a colour that was referenced in sRGB into a P3 document the colour produced will be different to that specified.

 

Dave

 

 

 

    NB, colourmanagement
    Community Expert
    NB, colourmanagementCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 30, 2024

    @davescm "Hexadecimal codes, are just the RGB numbers in base 16. As such they will produce different colours when used in different document profiles. Unfortunately, when people specify a hexadecimal colour they rarely reference what colour profile is being used"

    yep - why oh why do folk blindly trust and share Hex numbers when, as you wrote, without an associated ICC profile they are no more likely to provide colour continuity than sharing RGB or CMYK  numbers sans profile

     

    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.

      NB, colourmanagement
      Community Expert
      NB, colourmanagementCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 30, 2024

      @Max DT The Color Settings you have chosen should not be altered by opening any image. Maybe your Photoshop preferences are corrupted so it's misbehaving. Resetting helps in a lot of cases of unexpected behaviour

       

      Perhaps try a thorough reset of Photoshop preferences?

      (read this entire post before acting please)

      Resetting restores Photoshop's internal preferences, which are saved when Photoshop closes.

      If they become corrupt then various issues can occur.

       

      Here’s some info on how to do that:

      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

      Manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state: 

      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually

       

      Manually removing preferences files is the most complete method for restoring Photoshop to its default state. This method ensures all preferences and any user presets which may be causing a problem are not loaded.

      1. Quit Photoshop.

      2. Navigate to Photoshop's Preferences folder.
        macOS: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
        Windows: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

         
        Note: The user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS. To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see How to access hidden user library files.
      3. Drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe for a back-up of your settings

      4. Open Photoshop.

         New preferences files will be created in their original location.

       

       

      Note re macOS: The user Library folder is hidden by default.

      To access files in the hidden user Library folder, see here for how to access hidden user library files.

      https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

       

      Unexpected behaviour may indicate damaged preferences. Restoring preferences to their default settings is a good idea when trying to troubleshoot unexpected behaviours in Photoshop. check out the video

      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#reset_preferences

       

      Learn how to access and modify Photoshop preferences and customise per your frequent workflows

      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

       

      And here’s an earlier forum discussion as an aid to understanding

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-reset-photoshop-preferences/td-p/12502668

       

      You may want to backup your settings and custom presets, brushes & actions before restoring Photoshop's preferences.

      Here is general info about that:  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#BackupPhotoshoppreferences

       

       

      Before you reset your preferences

      in case of future issues, I suggest you make a copy as Adobe may need one to check problematic references. 

      Quit Photoshop.
      Go to Photoshop's Preferences folder

      Preferences file locations: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/preference-file-names-locations-photoshop.html\


        [on MacOS see: Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings

        Note for those on macOS: - be aware that the user Library folder is hidden by default on macOS.

        https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/access-hidden-user-library-files.html

        In the Finder, open the “Go” menu whilst holding down the Option (Alt) key.

        Library will now appear in the list - below the current user's “home” directory. ]

       

      Now you can drag the entire Adobe Photoshop [Version] Settings folder to the desktop or somewhere safe as a back-up of your settings.

       

       

      Note for those on macOS:

      Preference preservation is affected by macOS permissions,

      you’ll need to allow Photoshop ‘Full Disk Access’ in your Mac OS Preferences/Security and Privacy

       

      If that doesn't fix the issue:

      Go to Preferences > Performance... and uncheck Multithreaded Compositing - and restart Photoshop.

      Still hanging? 

      Go to Preferences > Performance... click Advanced Settings... and uncheck "GPU Compositing" - then restart Photoshop. 

      Do you still have problems?

       

       

       

      It may even be time to reinstall Photoshop.

       

      It’s recommended that you use the Adobe CC cleaner tool to remove all traces first.

      (See above about preserving preferences though! It’s worth preserving them unless they are corrupted.)

       

      https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

      Uninstall Photoshop BUT make sure to choose the option “Yes, remove app preference”.

       

      Once that process finishes, start the installation process and look into the “Advanced Options”. Uncheck “Import previous settings and preferences” and choose to “Remove old versions”.

       

      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.

       

        M
        Max DTAuthor
        Known Participant
        May 31, 2024

        Hi NB, thanks so much for the step-by-step reset instructions as well as all those reference links. As you can tell my Photoshop was just not behaving normal. It seems to be acting okay. It does "switch" color in the preview after the screen loads for some reason, but that doesn't affect the export, so...I'm kind of like...whatever. 

         

        But if it starts getting all out of whack again, I will most definitely remember these steps and will be first place I turn to for reference as a Photoshop re-boot.

         

        Thanks again! 

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