How to Reset Colors on Windows 10?

Resetting colors on Windows 10 primarily involves adjusting your display's color settings and calibration profiles back to their default or standard configurations. This process is often necessary when screen colors appear inaccurate, washed out, or tinted, or when custom settings aren't applying correctly, as can happen when color calibration keeps resetting back to default.

Below are the common methods to reset your display colors using the built-in Windows tools.

Understanding Display Color Settings

Windows manages display colors using color profiles (ICC profiles) and calibration settings. Resetting usually means:

• Reverting to the default profile provided by your monitor manufacturer or a standard profile like sRGB.
• Rerunning the display color calibration wizard to set new standard values or overwrite incorrect settings.
• Removing problematic custom profiles.

Let's look at the methods to achieve this reset.

Method 1: Using Display Color Calibration

The Display Color Calibration tool helps you adjust your display's gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance. Completing this process effectively resets your calibration settings by applying new values or reapplying standard ones.

1. Open Display Color Calibration: Search for Calibrate display color in the Windows search bar and click on the result to open the tool.
2. Start the Wizard: Click Next on the welcome screen.
3. Follow Calibration Steps: Proceed through the screens (Gamma, Brightness, Contrast, Color Balance). You can often just click Next through the adjustment steps if you primarily want to apply a standard base setting rather than fine-tune it.
4. Finish Calibration: On the final screen, click Finish. This will apply the new calibration settings as a color profile associated with your display, effectively resetting the active calibration.

Method 2: Setting a Standard Default Profile via Color Management

This method allows you to explicitly tell Windows to use a specific color profile, like the widely used sRGB, as the default for your display, overriding any problematic custom profiles.

1. Open Color Management: Search for Color Management in the Windows search bar and open it.
2. Select Your Display: In the Device dropdown menu at the top, select the display you want to reset the colors for. If you have multiple monitors, make sure the correct one is chosen.
3. Enable User Settings: Check the box labeled Use my settings for this device. This allows you to manage profiles for the selected display under your user account.
4. Add a Standard Profile: Click the Add... button.
5. Choose a Profile: From the list of ICC profiles, select a standard profile like sRGB IEC61966-2.1. This is a common, reliable default. Alternatively, look for a profile specifically named for your monitor if available (it might be listed under the "System Profile" section).
6. Set as Default: Select the profile you just added (e.g., sRGB IEC6166-2.1) from the list under "Profiles associated with this device". Click the Set as Default Profile button.
7. Apply Changes: Click Close. Your display should immediately switch to using the selected default profile.

Method 3: Removing Problematic Color Profiles

If you suspect a specific, faulty color profile is causing incorrect colors, you can remove it. Windows will then revert to a system default or another available profile.

1. Open Color Management: Search for Color Management and open it.
2. Select Your Display: Choose the relevant display from the Device dropdown.
3. Enable User Settings: Check Use my settings for this device.
4. Remove Profiles: In the list under "Profiles associated with this device", select any custom or recently added profiles that you want to remove. Click the Remove button. Be cautious about removing system profiles unless you know what you're doing.
5. Confirm: Click Close.

By using these methods, you can effectively reset your Windows 10 display colors, addressing issues related to incorrect calibration or profile settings.