Match the color in different images



The Match Color command matches colors between multiple images, between multiple layers, or between multiple selections. It also lets you adjust the colors in an image by changing the luminance, changing the color range, and neutralizing a color cast. The Match Color command works only in RGB mode.

When you use the Match Color command, the pointer becomes the Eyedropper tool. Use the Eyedropper tool while adjusting the image to view the color pixel values in the Info panel. This panel gives you feedback about changes in color values as you use the Match Color command. See View color values in an image.

The Match Color command matches the colors in one image (the source image) with colors in another image (the target image). Match Color is useful when you’re trying to make the colors in different photos consistent, or when certain colors (such as skin tones) in one image must match the colors in another image.

In addition to matching the color between two images, the Match Color command can match the color between different layers in the same image.

Match the color between two images

  1. (Optional) Make a selection in the source and target images.

    If you don’t make a selection, then the Match Color command matches the overall image statistics between images.

  2. Make the image that you want to change active, and then choose Image > Adjustments > Match Color.

    If you’re applying the Match Color command to a specific layer in the target image, make sure that layer is active when you choose the Match Color command.

  3. From the Source menu in the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, choose the source image whose colors you’ll be matching in the target image. Choose None when you don’t want to reference a different image to calculate the color adjustment. With None chosen, the target image and the source image are the same.

    If necessary, use the Layer menu to choose the layer from the source image whose colors you want to match. You can also choose Merged from the Layer menu to match the colors from all the layers in the source image.

  4. If you made a selection in the image, do one or more of the following:

    • In the Destination Image area, select Ignore Selection When Applying Adjustment if you’re applying the adjustment to the entire target image. This option ignores the selection in the target image and applies the adjustment to the entire target image.

    • In the Image Statistics area, select Use Selection In Source To Calculate Colors if you made a selection in the source image and want to use the colors in the selection to compute the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection in the source image, and use the colors from the entire source image to compute the adjustment.

    • In the Image Statistics area, select Use Selection In Target To Calculate Adjustment if you made a selection in the target image and want to use the colors in the selection to calculate the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection in the target image and compute the adjustment by using the colors of the entire target image.

  5. To automatically remove a color cast in the target image, select the Neutralize option. Make sure that the Preview option is selected so that your image is updated as you make adjustments.
  6. To increase or decrease the brightness in the target image, move the Luminance slider. Alternatively, enter a value in the Luminance box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1, and the default is 100.
  7. To adjust the color saturation in the target image, adjust the Color Intensity slider. Alternatively, enter a value in the Color Intensity box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1 (which produces a grayscale image), and the default is 100.
  8. To control the amount of adjustment applied to the image, move the Fade slider. Moving the slider to the right reduces the adjustment.
  9. Click OK.

Match the color of two layers in the same image

  1. (Optional) Make a selection in the layer you want to match. Use this method when matching a color region (for example, facial skin tones) in one layer with a region in another.

    If you don’t make a selection, then the Match Color matches the colors of the entire source layer.

  2. Make sure that the layer you want to target (apply the color adjustment to) is active, and then choose Image > Adjustments > Match Color.
  3. From the Source menu in the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, make sure that the image in the Source menu is the same as the target image.
  4. Use the Layer menu to choose the layer whose colors you want to match. You can also choose Merged from the Layer menu to match the colors from all the layers.
  5. If you made a selection in the image, do one or more of the following:

    • In the Destination Image area, select Ignore Selection When Applying Adjustment if you’re applying the adjustment to the entire target layer. This option ignores the selection in the target layer and applies the adjustment to the entire target layer.

    • In the Image Statistics area, select Use Selection In Source To Calculate Colors if you made a selection in the source image and want to use the color in the selection to compute the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection in the source layer and use the colors in the entire source layer to compute the adjustment.

    • In the Image Statistics area, select Use Selection In Target To Calculate Adjustment if you want to use only the colors in the selected area of the target layer to compute the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection and use the colors of the entire target layer to compute the adjustment.

  6. To automatically remove a color cast in the target layer, Select the Neutralize option. Make sure that the Preview option is selected so that your image is updated as you make adjustments.
  7. To increase or decrease the brightness in the target layer, move the Luminance slider. Alternatively, enter a value in the Luminance box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1, and the default is 100.
  8. To adjust the range of color pixel values in the target layer, adjust the Color Intensity slider. Alternatively, enter a value in the Color Intensity box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1 (which produces a grayscale image), and the default is 100.
  9. To control the amount of adjustment applied to the image, adjust the Fade slider. Moving the slider to the right reduces the amount of adjustment.
  10. Click OK.

Remove a color cast with Match Color

The Match Color command can adjust the brightness, color saturation, and color balance in an image. The advanced algorithms in the Match Color command give you better control over luminance and color components of the image. Because you are adjusting the color in a single image rather than matching the colors between two images, the image you’re correcting is both the source and the target image.

  1. Choose Image > Adjustments > Match Color.
  2. In the Image Statistics area, make sure that None is chosen in the Source menu. The option specifies that the source and the target are the same image.
  3. To automatically remove a color cast, select the Neutralize option. Make sure that the Preview option is selected so that your image is updated as you make adjustments.
  4. To increase or decrease the brightness in the image, adjust the Luminance slider. Moving the Luminance slider to the left darkens the image, and moving the slider to the right brightens the image. The luminance control tries not to clip pixels (change them to pure black/no detail or pure white/no detail) in either the shadows or highlights. However, it may clip pixels because an image can have only either 8‑bit or 16‑bit values.
  5. To increase or decrease the saturation of colors in the image, adjust the Color Intensity slider. Moving the Color Intensity slider to the left reduces the color saturation, and the image becomes monochromatic. Moving the Color Intensity to the right increases saturation and intensifies the colors.
  6. To control the amount of adjustment applied to the image, adjust the Fade slider. Moving the slider to the right reduces the amount of adjustment.
    Note: You can use the Match Color controls separately to apply a single correction to the image. For example, you can adjust only the Luminance slider to brighten/darken an image without affecting the color. Or you can use the controls in different combinations, depending on the color correction you’re making.
  7. Click OK.

Save and apply settings in the Match Color command

  • In the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, click the Save Statistics button. Name and save the settings.
  • In the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, click the Load Statistics button. Locate and load the saved settings file.