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Codyblue_
Inspiring
June 7, 2022
Answered

Color Shift with M1 Macbook Pro (but not with an external monitor...?)

  • June 7, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 3430 views

Finding a bit of a strange issue here on my new M1 MacBook Pro.

 

I've noticed that I'm getting a color shift between what I see in Premiere Pro and what I see in Quicktime or the internet. However this ONLY happens on the Macbook monitor itself and does not happen on an external, calibrated monitor.

 

Here's a few images demonstrating what I mean:

 

First - Screenshots from the Macbook monitor:

Premiere Pro on the left, Youtube on the right. Notice Premiere is much more saturated.

 

However if I take these EXACT SAME WINDOWS and move them over to an external monitor - the color shift is gone.

Again, Premiere Pro on the left, YouTube on the right.

 

So what exactly is happening on the Macbook monitor that is causing this shift in saturation? It seems that maybe Premiere is doing something "under the hood" depending on which monitor is being used. You'll also notice YouTube specifically (on the right) seems to match on both monitors. It's only Premiere Pro on the Macbook that is experiencing a change in color.

 

Now I'm fully aware of color management, and how different softwares display colors differently, and viewing environment and all that other jazz. That's all find and good - but it doesn't explain why the two exact same windows would appear the exact same (colorwise) on one monitor, but not the exact same on a different monitor. Nothing is changing except the monitor. It would make sense to me if the colors changed - but still matched - yet they don't.

 

Is this a Premiere issue? A Macbook issue? or something else?

 

The obvious solution is to always color on the external monitor, but this isn't practical for my workflow.

 

Thanks for your time. Happy to provide more information if requested.

 

 

3 replies

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Ramon34033969ks5g
Participant
May 20, 2025

Hey Cody!
did you find a working solution? still have this exact problem in 2025 on my M1 Pro.

left side is the exact same clip exported from premiere pro on a windows pc and than viewed in the preview app on my M1 and on the right side it's opened (unedited) on a premiere pro timeline on my M1.

left side is how it looks on youtube, on my phone and on basically every device or platform I tested. Right side is only on premiere pro on my M1, which basically makes my M1 unusable for video editing.


S
Community Manager
Sumeet Kumar ChoubeyCommunity Manager
Community Manager
May 21, 2025

Hi Ramon34033969ks5g,

Welcome to the community! It seems like an issue with a mismatch in gamma values. Newer versions of Premiere Pro include Viewer Gamma features which can be used to match colors colors. Please refer to this link to learn more. Hope it helps.

 

Thanks,

Sumeet

C
Codyblue_AuthorCorrect answer
Inspiring
June 9, 2022

The SOLUTION:

 

Turn Display Color Management ON

 

Use this LUT on export - https://assets.adobe.com/public/a0b635a3-6bc3-452b-5f7d-c997b9b36cf5

 

More information here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/quot-why-does-my-footage-look-darker-in-premiere-quot-color-q-amp-a/m-p/10672784/page/3

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Andy 1968
Inspiring
June 9, 2022

Cody,

It is great you searched for some links but had you bothered to watch my video I stated Adobe had a LUT that you can apply at export. I prefer to use an adjustment layer but both methods will work. REC 601, 709 and REC 2020 are industry standards and all NLE comply with those standards. OBS, YouTube, Facebook etc may or may not. My video also showed all the settings that need to be setup correctly in Premiere Pro. You posted a link to a video that gives the settings for the Nvidia graphics cards. I could have done a screen shot for those settings but you don't have an Nvidia graphics card. I stated you have to have everything setup 100% correct in your OS, Premiere Pro and GPU control panel. Keep in mind all NLE must be setup 100% correct. 

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Codyblue_Author
Inspiring
June 9, 2022

TBH I was posting the link to the article/write-up, not the video. I didn't even watch the video. Also, to be fair you keep mentioning these industry standards, and brodcast and all that when all I ever asked for was how to get Premiere to match YouTube - which is exactly what the solution above does. As I mentioned in a previous reply I don't care about what is "technically correct" as 99% of my income and the videos I produce are being displayed on the web.

 

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Andy 1968
Inspiring
June 7, 2022

You might be trying to fix something that is not broken in Premiere Pro. All monitors are different. No camera ever made was designed to look good using a Macbook Pro and Quicktime. Which monitor is correct? Try connecting your camera a to a TV and see what it looks like. Does it look more like Quicktime or Premiere Pro? You may have to tweak out Premiere Pro. That being said Premiere Pro does have 100% accurate color as does Media Composer and Edius. The two video links below might be helpful. 

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Codyblue_Author
Inspiring
June 7, 2022

Hey thanks for replying!

 

Maybe I can try to clarify what's going on a little bit better here... 

 

So I'm color grading log footage in Premiere Pro, exporting it, and uploading it to YouTube. Simple right?

 

Here's the specific problem I'm having -

 

The uploaded file - on YouTube - looks different from what I'm seeing in Premiere Pro on my Macbook. On YouTube however, it looks the same whether I watch it on my mobile device, on my television, on my PC computer, or on my Macbook. On YouTube it looks more or less the same no matter what display I use.

 

Additionally - if I move my Premiere Pro window to any other display via HDMI connected to my Macbook - it also matches what I see on YouTube. The color shift is only happening within Premiere Pro specifically on the Macbook display.

 

Obviously the desired outcome is that what I see in Premiere Pro on the Mac display is the same as what I see on YouTube (or quicktime, which matches YouTube)

 

I'm not really worried about what is "correct" technically speaking.

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Andy 1968
Inspiring
June 8, 2022

Quicktime is not an industry standard like NTSC, ATSC, REC 601, REC 709 or REC 2020. You would agree that what you see on your Macbook Pro when using Quicktime may not be 100% color accurate? That being said you can  probably make Premiere Pro match the Quicktime image but it might not be wise if you start doing projects for broadcast. What does your video look like when setup for broadcast standards is what you need to ask yourself. As far as matching both monitors you would need to change settings in the OS, Premiere Pro and GPU control panel. Quicktime, OBS and YouTube will all display the video a tad bit different. Sometimes you will get a slight gamma shift but the second video I posted will solve that issue. You claim one monitor is correct and the other is not? Which one is correct? Do either of them look identical to what the video looks like if you connected your camera to a TV?  You need to connect your camera to a TV in standard mode and see what it looks like. Cameras have an HDMI for that purpose. Your computer has a graphics card, OS and software that needs to be tweaked. Your TV does not.  Media Composer, Resolve and Premiere Pro might all look at tad bit different on a computer screen but with 3rd party hardware they all match what the camera looks like when connected to a TV because your camera and 3rd party hardware complies with industry standards. Your Macboo Pro and Quicktime do not.  You want Premiere Pro to come as close to matching what the video looks like on a TV when played back from your camera. If after exporting things look a tad bit different in OBS, Quicktime or YouTube you can compensate for that as seen in my second video. 


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