If you have recently purchased a new external monitor, or if you use your computer for photography and graphic design, you might notice that the colours on your screen appear slightly “off.” The whites might look too yellow, the shadows might look washed out, or the reds might seem unnaturally vibrant.
Every monitor panel leaves the factory with slightly different colour characteristics. To ensure that the photographs you see on your screen look exactly the same as they will when printed on a piece of paper, you must properly calibrate your display. Windows 11 includes a built-in calibration tool designed to walk you through this process visually.
How to Launch the Display Colour Calibration Tool
The calibration tool is an older legacy feature, meaning it is not located in the modern Windows 11 Settings app. You must search for it manually.
- Press the Windows Key on your keyboard to open the Start Menu.
- Type the word Calibrate into the search bar.
- The top result should be Calibrate display colour (a Control Panel utility). Click on it.
- A new window will open. If you have multiple monitors connected to your PC, drag this specific window onto the monitor you want to calibrate before proceeding.
- Click Next.
The Calibration Process
The wizard will guide you through several visual tests. For each test, Windows will show you an example of what “Good,” “Too High,” and “Too Low” looks like, and then provide a slider for you to match the “Good” example.
- Gamma: You will see a grid of circles with dots in the middle. Adjust the slider up or down until the small dot completely blends into the background of the circle, making it invisible.
- Brightness and Contrast: (Note: Windows cannot change these settings via software. You must use the physical plastic buttons on the bottom edge of your monitor to adjust brightness and contrast during this step). You will be shown a picture of a man in a black shirt and a picture of a white shirt. Adjust your physical monitor buttons until you can distinctly see the wrinkles in the fabric without the image becoming blindingly white or completely pitch black.
- Colour Balance: You will see several grey bars. If the grey bars appear to have a red, green, or blue tint to them, use the corresponding sliders at the bottom of the screen to pull that specific colour out until the bars look perfectly, neutrally grey.
Saving the Calibration
Once you finish the final test, Windows will show you a “Previous Calibration” and “Current Calibration” button. You can click back and forth between them to instantly see the massive difference your adjustments made.
If you are happy with the new, accurate colours, click Finish. Windows 11 will automatically save this unique colour profile and apply it to your monitor every time your computer boots up.