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submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by jpicture@lemmy.zip to c/linux@lemmy.ml

Does anyone here know how to disable or suspend all display colour management? I'm trying make some display profiles with a measurement instrument and no matter what I do, Wayland or Xorg, there is a persistent icc profile in effect which gets regenerated from the EDID.

I can't work out how to characterise the display without this profile being in effect, and unfortunately Displaycal and Argyll seem unable to disable it automatically.

Debian 13, GNOME 43

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[-] 69420@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

I don't know if this is still the case, but before Wayland came along, colord was the service that applied ICC profiles to a display. I'm not sure it still works on Wayland though. I feel like DisplayCal should be able to disable it, but you can too:

sudo systemctl stop colord
[-] jpicture@lemmy.zip 1 points 7 hours ago

This sounds very convenient and I think Wayland does use colord - will give it a go 👍

[-] undrwater@lemmy.world 3 points 22 hours ago

I don't know the answer, but for troubleshooting, perhaps try to start a window manager / desktop environment without a display manager.

Additionally, a simple window manager like sway perhaps.

[-] jpicture@lemmy.zip 4 points 22 hours ago

That's an interesting idea - thanks. Perhaps a simple window manager would have no colour management to begin with. Will look into it 👍

[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago

Probably nothing helpful as you are already way past my understanding. Maybe look at the Darktable documentation or even the "green lantern" stuff (IIRC the name). GL or (something) Lantern is/was an open source software for Canon cameras that breaks out all DSLR features on nearly any Canon camera.

Nearly a decade ago, I had a makeshift product photography studio and messed with Macbeth color charts and profiles matched to a monitor. The tutorial guides I followed were from these two projects IIRC. GL.

[-] doodoo_wizard@lemmy.ml 1 points 21 hours ago

Iirc you can’t in gnome. You can create a color management profile that doesn’t do anything though but depending on what you’re trying to accomplish that might not be useful.

I’m saying the following as a literal lifelong linux user who has had to learn about color management and set it up in multiple environments: you will most likely be happier doing whatever you’re doing on a mac.

[-] jpicture@lemmy.zip 1 points 9 hours ago

You can create a color management profile that doesn’t do anything

That would actually be great! I need a completely un-managed baseline to build off. How is it done?

you will most likely be happier doing whatever you’re doing on a mac.

I have too much sunk cost fallacy with this now and cannot turn back. If you have any practical tips for survival please share them!

[-] doodoo_wizard@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 hours ago

Uhh displaycal? I think is the program. Last I looked nothing worked right in Wayland or gnome, so if either of those are in your setup it’s worth getting rid of em.

You’re not gonna like my practical tip: generate a profile on Windows or mac computer and copy the profile to the linux machine.

I don’t know what you’re actually trying to accomplish so if that’s not absolutely secret squirrel shit maybe lay it out but my other advice is the same as the first verse: use a mac instead of trying to colorimeter a linux attached display. Unless you’ve shelled out for a very good monitor, use a mac with a built in display.

this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2026
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