How do I calibrate my screen?

You can calibrate your screen so that it shows more accurate color. This is especially useful if you are involved in digital photography, design or artwork.

You will need either a colorimeter or a spectrophotometer to do this. Both devices are used to profile screens, but they work in slightly different ways.

  1. Make sure your calibration device is connected to your computer.

  2. Open the Activities overview and start typing Settings.

  3. Click on Settings.

  4. Click Color in the sidebar to open the panel.

  5. Select your screen.

  6. Press Calibrate… to commence the calibration.

Screens change all the time: the backlight in a TFT display will halve in brightness approximately every 18 months, and will get yellower as it gets older. This means you should recalibrate your screen when the [!] icon appears in the Color panel.

LED screens also change over time, but a much slower rate than TFTs.