Revamp Your Mac Experience: Master the Surprising Simple Trick to Adjusting Color Temperature!
Are you looking for a way to improve your Mac experience and make it easier on your eyes? Look no further than adjusting your color temperature! This simple trick can make a big difference in the way you use your computer.
What is Color Temperature?
Color temperature refers to the color of the light emitted from your Mac’s screen. It is measured in kelvins (K), with lower kelvin values representing warmer, more yellow light and higher kelvin values representing cooler, bluer light. Most people find that a warm temperature, typically around 2700-3000K, is easier on the eyes and more comfortable to look at for extended periods of time.
How to Adjust Color Temperature on Your Mac
Adjusting the color temperature on your Mac is straightforward and can be done in just a few simple steps:
- Open System Preferences and click on Displays.
- Click on the Color tab.
- Click on the Calibrate button.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the color balance and temperature.
It’s important to note that the best color temperature for you will depend on your environment and personal preference. If you are in a dimly lit room, warmer colors will be more comfortable to look at, while rooms with bright light may require cooler colors to reduce glare.
Benefits of Adjusting Color Temperature
Adjusting your Mac’s color temperature can provide a number of benefits, including:
- Reduced eye strain: The warmer color temperature is easier on the eyes and can help reduce eye strain, fatigue, and even headaches from extended use.
- Improved sleep: Exposure to blue light, which is emitted from cooler temperatures, can interfere with sleep by suppressing the production of melatonin. Adjusting to a warmer color temperature in the evening can help promote better sleep.
- Enhanced color accuracy: Adjusting the color temperature can also enhance color accuracy and make it easier to see subtle differences in color.
Take Control of Your Mac Experience
Adjusting your Mac’s color temperature is a simple and easy way to make a big difference in your experience with your computer. Whether you are using your Mac for work or pleasure, take control of your experience and try out different color temperatures to find the one that works best for you.
How many hours do you spend in front of a computer each day? Not sure? Well, according to a health survey in 2014, adults spend nine hours a day in front of screens. This might not seem like a big deal. After all, you’ve gotten so used to spending your time in front of smartphone, tablet, or laptop screens. But it is actually a big deal for your eyes.
Eyestrain
According to All About Vision, “Studies show that eye strain and other bothersome visual symptoms occur in 50 to 90 percent of computer workers.” Our eyes experience pain and fatigue when used for long periods of times, hence the name. It may also be accompanied by red eyes and a headache. What’s worse is that it may decrease productivity and increase irritability.
Sure, you may have taken the necessary precautions to protect your eyes, such as replacing your old CRT monitor with LCD screens, blinking more often and even going to the eye doctor regularly, but you may have forgotten one tiny yet extremely important thing: adjusting the color temperature of your computer.
Color Temperature
This phrase refers to the “spectrum of visible light emitted by a color display.” Displays emit a combination of blue, orange, red and yellow light. During the day it’s okay to have a bright screen, as it is balanced out by the bright sun. However, at night you need to have a warmer color display. Apps like Flux automatically adjust the color of the computer’s display depending on your location. It detects when the sun rises or sets and adjusts the color temperature accordingly.
Now, if you don’t like to install apps like Flux, you can still manually adjust the color temperature on your Mac.
Step 1: Go to System Preferences and open Display.
Once on the Display dashboard, choose “Color.”
Step 2: Go through the Display Calibrator Assistant.
On the left you’ll see the sequence of the settings you need to adjust. Click on “Continue” to move on to the next step.
You can leave the settings on Target Gamma if you’d like. The important thing is the next setting: Target White point. Ideally you want to choose D65 for the daylight setting. As you can see, it is “equivalent to midday sunlight.”
Click on “Continue” and then choose a name for this setting. You can simply name it “Day” to indicate that it is the color you must use during daytime. Hit “Done” to save the setting.
Step 3: Create and save different display settings for night and day.
Now, repeat Step 1 and 2. This time, choose “D50” in order to get a “warm yellowish white” color. Flux also does the same thing at night time. It chooses a warmer and yellower light in order to help reduce eyestrain. Label this setting “Night” and save it.
When you work in the morning, just go to “System Preferences -> Display -> Color” and click on “Day.” When the sun sets and you’re still working, just click on “Night.”
Changing the color temperature of your Mac is super simple, yet it can help your eyes in a big way.
Irene Enriquez is a freelance writer and a tech blogger. She believes that technology, like smartphones and mobile apps (and even video games!), can help people live a more productive and happier life. Visit her personal tech blog to get unique insight and practical tips about apps, video games and social media.
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