Understanding Color Spaces: Why sRGB Still Matters
Color spaces are like languages for color. Use the wrong one, and your vibrant sunset photo looks washed out on someone else’s screen.
The Three Main Color Spaces
sRGB (1996)
- Coverage: ~35% of visible colors
- Devices: Every monitor, phone, printer
- Best for: Web, sharing, general use
- Why it wins: Universal compatibility
Display P3 (2015)
- Coverage: ~50% of visible colors
- Devices: iPhone X+, modern Macs, high-end Android
- Best for: Photography, video
- Why it matters: 25% more colors than sRGB
Rec. 2020
- Coverage: ~75% of visible colors
- Devices: 4K HDR TVs
- Best for: Professional video
- Reality: No display can fully show it yet
The Web Problem
Most browsers assume sRGB. If you upload a P3 image without conversion:
- Safari: Shows P3 correctly (on P3 displays)
- Chrome/Firefox: May clamp to sRGB
- Result: Inconsistent colors across browsers
Best Practices
- For web: Convert to sRGB before upload
- For photography: Keep P3 master, export sRGB for web
- For video: Use Rec.709 (HD) or Rec.2020 (HDR)
How to Check
Our Color Palette Tool shows you the exact colors in your image. If you see colors outside the sRGB gamut, consider converting before web use.
Analyze your image colors with our Color Palette Extractor.