Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/photo-scan-colour-profiles/ # Photo Scan Colour Profiles: Why the Same Image Looks Different Diagnose scan colours that change between apps. Understand embedded ICC profiles, assign versus convert, and a controlled sRGB export check. Scanning & preservation5 min readUpdated 13 September 2026 Quick answer ## The short version Before correcting a scan that looks different between apps, check its embedded colour profile and export settings. Convert a sharing copy to sRGB when appropriate; do not simply assign sRGB to an image encoded in another colour space. A profile mismatch is different from fading in the original print. ## First decide where the colour change appears Open the same saved file in your editor and another viewer on the same display. Compare those before comparing a laptop with a phone. If the saved file changes appearance between applications, investigate colour handling. If every application shows the same orange cast and the physical print is also orange, you have a different problem: the source may need a restrained colour correction. Both problems can occur together, so solve them separately. Use a duplicate for this investigation. Write down the filename, embedded profile reported by the editor, scanner output setting and export setting. If the file has no embedded profile, record 'untagged', not 'sRGB'. An application may assume a colour space without that assumption being stored in the image. This small record makes it possible to undo a mistaken fix instead of compensating for it with another edit. ## What an ICC profile does—and what it cannot do A colour profile describes how colour values should be interpreted. Adobe distinguishes assigning a profile, which leaves the colour values unchanged, from converting to another profile, which changes values for the destination colour space. Embedding the intended profile helps compatible software interpret the exported file. These operations are not interchangeable shortcuts for increasing saturation. A profile is not evidence of the original colour of a faded dress or wall. It helps manage the colours captured now. It also cannot fix glare, clipped highlights, an inaccurate source profile or a poorly adjusted display. When historical colour matters, preserve the uncorrected scan and record any interpretive restoration separately from colour-management decisions. A consistent display of a guess is still a guess. ## Run a controlled export check 1. Select one representative scan containing skin, a pale area, a dark area and a saturated object. Keep the master unchanged. Close unrelated editing experiments so you do not accidentally compare different versions of the picture. 2. Read the document profile in a colour-managed editor. If the scanner's saved output setting confirms that profile, preserve it. If the file is untagged and the intended space is unknown, investigate the scanner settings or an earlier file; do not cycle through profiles until the preview looks pleasing. 3. Make a delivery copy using a colour-space conversion to sRGB and embed that profile where the export supports it. Adobe recommends sRGB for web delivery. Keep pixel dimensions and compression settings steady for this comparison. 4. Reopen the exported file in the editor, confirm its reported profile, and compare it with the master at the same size. Then open that exact exported file in the destination viewer. Record whether the discrepancy appeared during export or only after delivery. ## Worked example: the green jacket changes after sharing Suppose a hypothetical scan called FAM-0318-master.tif is tagged Adobe RGB. The jacket looks acceptable in your editor but dull in a sharing preview. Save FAM-0318-web-srgb.jpg by converting to sRGB with the profile embedded. Do not overwrite the TIFF, and do not first increase the jacket's saturation. This tests the delivery path without altering the restoration itself. If the reopened JPEG already differs dramatically inside the same editor, inspect conversion and export settings. If it looks comparable there but different after uploading, compare the downloaded delivery file as well as the website preview. A service may create a separate preview. If only a second device differs, investigate that device's display and viewing conditions. None of these observations alone proves that a service damaged your master. ## A compact troubleshooting record - Source: exact filename, embedded profile or 'untagged', and whether the scanner's output setting is known. Do not use a screenshot as the source for the comparison. - Export: destination profile, whether a conversion occurred, whether the profile was embedded, pixel dimensions and file format. Record automatic colour enhancements separately. - Viewing: application, device and whether you opened the saved file or a generated preview. Hold display brightness and any warm/night viewing mode steady during the check. - Outcome: 'difference begins in export', 'difference begins in preview' or 'unresolved'. A specific unresolved finding is more useful than adding several corrective filters that conceal the original problem. ## Prepare a print without correcting colour twice Ask the print provider for its required colour space and whether its ordering system applies automatic enhancement. Follow that workflow rather than assuming a printer profile should be assigned directly to every image. Keep a separate print export with its settings noted. A screen comparison cannot substitute for a proof when the print's colour is important. For a family portrait, order a small proof from the actual provider before a large batch. Compare it under consistent light, and judge skin and neutral areas before chasing very saturated colours. If the source was faded, distinguish the chosen restoration palette from delivery consistency: your goal may be a repeatable, pleasing interpretation, not a claim to have measured colours that no longer survive. ## FAQs Should I assign sRGB to every old scan? No. If an image is correctly tagged with a different colour space, convert a delivery copy to sRGB instead. Assigning a profile changes interpretation without translating the existing colour values. Does a missing profile mean the photo is damaged? No. The pixels may be intact, but their intended colour interpretation is uncertain. Check the capture settings or a better-documented source before assigning a profile. Can an ICC profile restore faded original colours? No. Colour management controls interpretation and delivery of captured values. Repairing fading is a separate edit, and completely lost original colours may remain unknown. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - Adobe: [Change color profiles in Photoshop]() - Adobe: [Color-managing documents for online viewing]() ## Related - [Correct a cast in the actual photo]() - [Choose TIFF or JPEG scan files]() - [Check a restoration before accepting it]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Get Started]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo restoration editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.