Calibrating Your Aoc Monitor: A Step-By-Step Guide

Calibrating your AOC monitor can be done in a few different ways, some more precise than others. The first step is to determine whether your monitor needs calibration. If you're using your monitor for colour-critical tasks, such as photo or video editing, calibration is important to ensure that colours are displayed accurately. If you don't need to execute colour-critical tasks, calibration might not be necessary, as AOC monitors often have good colour accuracy straight out of the box.

If you decide to calibrate your monitor, you can use either built-in Windows/Mac tools or a calibrator device such as a colorimeter or spectrophotometer. Before calibrating, make sure your monitor has reached its normal operating temperature and condition by turning it on for at least 30 minutes. Also, ensure your monitor is in its native resolution and select the default colour settings.

For Windows 10, you can use the built-in colour calibration tool by searching for Calibrate display colour in the search bar. This tool will guide you through adjustments to gamma, brightness, contrast, and colour balance.

For MacOS, go to System Preferences > Displays > Colour and select Calibrate to open the Display Calibrator Assistant utility.

If you want a more precise calibration, you can use a calibrator device like a colorimeter or spectrophotometer. These devices connect to your computer via USB and work with included calibration software. Most calibrator devices have a design that lets them hang securely from the top of the display. Follow the on-screen instructions of the calibration software, and you'll create a custom colour profile that tells your graphics card to alter the colour output for more accurate colours.

Calibrating with built-in Windows/Mac tools

Before you start, make sure your monitor has been on for at least 30 minutes so it has reached its normal operating temperature and condition. Also, ensure your display is in its native resolution, for example, if it’s a 4K monitor, run the display in 4K resolution.

Calibrating on Windows

To open the calibration tool on Windows, type “Calibrate display color” into the search bar and click on the option that appears. You can also launch the Control Panel and click "Hardware and Sound", then "Display", and then the "Calibrate color" link.

The Display Color Calibration tool will guide you through adjusting gamma, brightness, contrast and colour balance. For gamma, adjust the slider so that you can no longer see a point in the middle of each circle. The tool will then guide you through the rest of the process, and you will be able to compare the new calibration with the previous calibration before finalising.

Calibrating on Mac

On a Mac, you need the Display Calibrator Assistant. To access this, open the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon on the top left corner of your screen, then choose System Preferences. Inside the System Preferences, look for the Display option and click on it, then click on the Color tab. You will now see the Display profile on the left and three options on the right – click on the one named Calibrate to start the process.

Another option is to type ‘calibrate display color’ in Spotlight and open it via the search results. As with Windows, the tool will guide you through the calibration process, which includes setting up the contrast control, adjusting brightness, and setting the white point. Once you’ve been through all the steps, you’ll be able to see a summary of the settings and finalise the calibration.

Calibrating with a calibrator

Calibration with a calibrator is a more precise and objective method to achieve accurate colours from your monitor, compared to the subjectivity of each individual’s perception. Calibrators range from $180-280 and are connected to your computer via USB. The calibrator device will hang from the top of the display and sit very close to the panel.

Before you begin, make sure your display is prepared for calibration. This includes selecting the default mode, letting the monitor warm up, and ensuring the panel is free of smudges.

Once your display is ready, install and open the calibration software and follow the on-screen instructions. If your monitor has separate colour controls in the OSD for adjusting the individual channels (red, green, blue), check if there is an option to select in the calibration software. The calibrator will then suggest adjustments in the monitor’s OSD to achieve the best possible accuracy. The software will guide you through the calibration process and create a custom “colour profile” for your monitor.

If you want to make sure that what you see on the display is also what you will see when it’s printed out, opt for a spectrophotometer instead of a colorimeter. However, these come at a considerably higher price point.

Adjusting gamma

Gamma is a crucial aspect of monitor calibration, as it directly affects how you perceive colours on your screen. By adjusting the gamma, you can ensure that the colours displayed on your monitor are accurate and true to life. Here's a step-by-step guide to adjusting the gamma on your AOC monitor:

• Access the Calibration Tool: On Windows, type "Calibrate display colour" in the search bar and click on the option that appears. On macOS, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays > Colour > Calibrate.
• Set the Correct Display: If you have multiple monitors, ensure that the calibration window is on the AOC monitor you want to calibrate.
• Review the "Good Gamma" Example: The calibration tool will provide you with an example of what a "Good gamma" setting looks like. Take note of this example as you adjust your gamma settings.
• Adjust the Gamma Slider: On the left side of the calibration window, you will find a slider that controls the gamma. Move the slider up or down until the image in the middle of the page matches the "Good gamma" example as closely as possible.
• Fine-Tune with Brightness and Contrast: After adjusting the gamma, you may need to fine-tune the brightness and contrast settings. Follow the on-screen instructions in the calibration tool to adjust these settings.
• Compare Before and After: Most calibration tools will allow you to compare the "Before" and "After" calibration settings. Toggle between the two to ensure that you are happy with the changes you have made.
• Save Your Calibration: Once you are satisfied with the gamma, brightness, and contrast settings, click "Finish" or "Done" to save your calibration profile.

It is important to note that the exact steps may vary slightly depending on your operating system and AOC monitor model. Additionally, some AOC monitors may have multiple gamma presets (e.g., Gamma 1, Gamma 2, Gamma 3) that you can choose from. In such cases, you can use calibration software or hardware to determine which preset is closest to the ideal gamma value of 2.2.

Adjusting brightness

Adjusting the brightness of your AOC monitor is an important step in the calibration process. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:

Windows 10 Display Colour Calibration Tool:

• Ensure your monitor has been on for at least 30 minutes to reach its normal operating temperature.
• Set your display to its native resolution. For example, if you have a 4K monitor, run it in 4K resolution.
• Select the default colour settings on your monitor and disable any alterations such as gaming mode or low blue light mode.
• Open the Windows 10 built-in colour calibration tool by typing "Calibrate display colour" into the search bar.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and colour balance.
• For gamma adjustment, use the slider so that you no longer see a point in the middle of each circle (refer to Figure 1 in the AOC guide).
• Continue following the calibration tool's instructions to adjust brightness, contrast, and colour balance.
• At the end, choose "Current calibration" if you're satisfied or return to the "Previous calibration" to start over.
• Click "Finish" to save the calibrated colour profile.

MacOS Display Calibrator Assistant:

• On your Mac, go to the Apple menu, then System Preferences, Displays, and Colour.
• Select "Calibrate" to open the Display Calibrator Assistant utility.
• Alternatively, use the Spotlight search bar (MacOS Catalina 10.15) to search for "Displays" and select Colour, then Calibrate.
• Follow the utility's instructions to adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and white balance.
• Select your preferred colour temperature and create a custom profile.

Using the Monitor's OSD (On-Screen Display):

• Single-click the power button or the menu button on your monitor.
• Navigate to the "Brightness" setting using the left/right buttons.
• Adjust the brightness to your desired level.
• If the brightness is already too high, you may need to set it to 100% and then it will automatically reset to 0%.

Using a Calibration Tool or ICC Profile:

If the above methods do not work for your specific AOC monitor model, you can try using a calibration tool or downloading an ICC profile. However, these methods may only work in certain programs.

Adjusting contrast

Adjusting the contrast on your AOC monitor is a simple process. First, ensure your monitor has been on for at least 30 minutes so that it has reached its normal operating temperature. Next, check that your display is set to its native resolution. For example, if you have a 4K monitor, make sure it is running in 4K resolution and not a reduced resolution of 1080p.

Then, select the default colour settings on your monitor and disable any alterations such as gaming mode or low blue light mode. You can do this by pressing the "Menu" button on your monitor and selecting the factory default colour settings from the on-screen menu. If you've never changed the colour settings, this step is not necessary.

Now, open the calibration tool on your computer. On Windows 10, type "Calibrate display colour" into the search bar and click on the option that appears. On MacOS, go to System Preferences > Displays > Colour and select "Calibrate".

Follow the on-screen instructions to adjust the gamma, brightness, and contrast. For gamma, adjust the slider so that you no longer see a point in the middle of each circle. For brightness, adjust the settings so that your display meets the criteria listed under the picture in the calibration tool. For contrast, review the "Good contrast" example and adjust your display's contrast until the photo in the calibration tool matches the criteria.

Finally, click "Finish" on Windows or "Done" on MacOS to save your calibration settings.

Frequently asked questions