Colour Spaces in Plain English: Why sRGB Is the Safe Choice
What a colour space is, why colours can look different on different screens and why sRGB is the safest option for sharing.
Have you ever sent a photo and found the colours look different on someone else's phone? Colour spaces and screen differences are part of the reason.
What a colour space is
A colour space defines the range of colours an image can hold, and how the numbers in a file map to real colours on screen. Think of it as a palette. A larger palette can hold more vivid colours.
Common colour spaces
| Colour space | Notes |
|---|---|
| sRGB | the standard for web and most screens; widely supported |
| Display P3 | a wider range, used by many modern phones and displays |
| Adobe RGB | wide range, used in professional photography and print workflows |
Why sRGB is the safe choice
Most websites, apps and screens assume sRGB. If you share an image in sRGB, colours look consistent across devices. A wide-gamut image on a device that doesn't understand it can look dull or oversaturated.
Why colours differ between screens
- Screens vary in brightness, contrast and colour accuracy.
- Settings differ, such as night mode, warm tone and brightness.
- Colour management handles files differently between apps.
- Viewing conditions, like room light, change perception.
So a photo can look slightly different on each screen, even with perfect files.
Some practical steps
- Use sRGB for sharing online.
- Keep the original in a wider space if you edit seriously.
- View on more than one device if colour matters.
- Turn off colour filters such as night mode when judging colour.
- Don't over-saturate, since it may look harsh elsewhere.
Print differences
Printers use a different colour system (CMYK), and printed colours can differ from screens. For important prints, use a print service's guidance and consider a test print.
Metadata and colour profiles
Image files can contain a colour profile. Some tools strip profiles when compressing, which can shift colours slightly. Most everyday sharing is fine with sRGB.
Black and white
Converting to greyscale removes colour differences and can slightly reduce file size.
For everyday use
You don't need to think about this most of the time. If you compress or resize for sharing and colours look off, try exporting in sRGB.
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