DisplayCAL for Windows

DisplayCAL — Precision Monitor Profiling and Calibration

DisplayCAL is a free Windows application built on the ArgyllCMS engine that lets you accurately calibrate and profile screens. It provides a complete workflow for creating ICC profiles, verifying color performance, and generating reports—suitable for anyone who needs reliable color reproduction on monitors and projectors.

Compatible Hardware and Setups

• Multi-monitor arrangements are supported, so you can profile several displays in a single session.
• A wide variety of measurement devices (colorimeters and spectrometers) are compatible, giving flexibility in instrument choice.
• You can import or build custom instrument corrections using a spectrometer to improve colorimeter accuracy.
• The tool runs on Windows and is available at no cost.

Core Functionality

• Generate video 3D LUTs for accurate color grading and playback pipelines.
• Create synthetic ICC profiles tailored to specific targets or workflows.
• Verify profiles and produce detailed reports to evaluate display performance and compliance.
• Measure screen uniformity and identify spatial variations across the panel.
• Edit and manage test charts—build custom patch sets for specialized profiling tasks.
• Apply CIECAM02-based gamut mapping to better handle different viewing conditions and perceptual adjustments.

Advanced Tools and Options

DisplayCAL exposes deeper controls for advanced users: custom instrument corrections, fine-grained measurement sequences, and options for producing high-precision 3D LUTs. These tools make it possible to adapt the profiling process to unique displays and demanding color pipelines.

Typical Workflows

1. Connect and identify the measurement device and target display.
2. (Optional) Measure a reference spectrometer set to create an instrument correction for your colorimeter.
3. Run the calibration sequence and build an ICC profile or a video 3D LUT.
4. Verify the resulting profile, inspect uniformity maps, and export detailed reports.
5. Save and reuse test charts or synthetic profiles for repeatable results.

Who should use this

• Photographers and graphic designers who need consistent on-screen color.
• Video professionals requiring accurate LUTs for grading and playback.
• Color management specialists and print operators verifying device compliance.
• Hardware testers and QA engineers checking display uniformity and profile quality.

Getting Started

Download DisplayCAL, attach a supported probe, and follow the step-by-step calibration dialog. For best results, consider creating or importing instrument corrections if you have access to a spectrometer, and run verification passes after profile creation to confirm performance.