MintGradeA color profile describes how image values should be interpreted. If the profile is missing or mismatched, the same numbers can look different in another app or on another display.
Start: Check whether the file has an embedded profile and what space the destination expects.Check: Reopen a test export in another color-managed viewer and compare it with the master.
Focus onA practical workflow
- 1. Inspect the source and confirm its embedded profile is present and appropriate.
- 2. Choose a working space that supports the edits and destination.
- 3. Convert to the destination profile when needed, then embed it on export.
- 4. Open the saved file in a color-managed app and compare it with the master.
Assigning a profile changes how existing color numbers are interpreted; converting changes the numbers to preserve their appearance in a new space. Use assignment only to correct a known missing or incorrect label, not as a trial-and-error color fix.
Follow the profile through the workflow
A wide-gamut working space can retain colors that a smaller output space cannot display. A destination such as a browser or print service may expect a particular profile. Converting for that target and embedding the result helps compatible software interpret the exported values consistently.
A profile cannot calibrate a display or force every viewer to manage color correctly. If the image changes only in one app, compare that app's color-management behavior before editing the photo again. Keep a known-good export so the issue can be isolated.
Check the saved profile
Reopen the exported file in a color-managed app and inspect its embedded profile. If the shift occurs only in one viewer, test the same copy elsewhere before changing the grade; if it changes everywhere, check the conversion and export settings.
Separate profile problems from display problems
A consistent shift across color-managed apps points toward the file or conversion settings. A shift in one viewer may be app-specific. A profile describes color values; it does not make an uncalibrated display accurate.
If viewers disagree about color
Open the same saved copy in two color-managed viewers and check whether its embedded profile is recognized. A shift in every viewer suggests the file was converted or tagged incorrectly; a shift in just one viewer suggests an app or display difference. Do not regrade until the source of the mismatch is clear. Keep a known-good reference export for comparison.
Further reading: Adobe: color profiles.
Common mistakes
- Assigning a new profile when the image should be converted.
- Removing an embedded profile without checking the destination.
- Assuming a wider gamut guarantees accurate color on every display.
- Changing the grade to compensate for one viewer's behavior.
Questions people ask
Should I assign or convert a color profile?
Convert when moving an image to a different space while preserving its appearance. Assign only when the existing profile label is missing or known to be wrong, because assignment changes how the same values are displayed.
Why can the same photo look different after export?
Check whether the export embedded the intended profile and compare it in color-managed viewers. If only one app differs, its color-management or display settings may be the cause.
Try the workflow in MintGrade
MintGrade includes browser-local exposure controls, HSL, curves, color wheels, .cube LUT support, scopes, range masks, reference matching and tiled full-resolution export for browser-decodable images. The editor is designed so you can keep the image visible while adjusting it.