Automatically match image colors

The machine learning-powered Match Colors feature lets you match colors of one image to the colors of another image. You can match colors of images, clipboard items, selections, shapes, or text to any other images or graphics on your device or the web. The Match Colors algorithm analyzes the source and the target images and then applies a wide range of color adjustments to match their lighting, contrast, and color balance.

You can match colors with single layer or, using a color adjustments layer, with multiple layers in a composition.

  1. Do any of the following:

    1. Choose Format > Color Adjustments > Match Colors from the Format menu at the top of your screen.

  2. In the dialog, choose an image to use for color matching and click Match Colors. Alternatively, you can also drag an image from your Layers sidebar, desktop, Finder, web browser, or macOS Photos app to the Color Adjustments pane.

Match colors with Clipboard items

  1. Copy an item (a selection, shape, text or other) you want to match to the Clipboard.

  2. Open an image to which you'd like to match the colors.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • While holding down the Control ⌃ key, choose Edit > Paste and Match Colors from the Edit menu at the top of your screen.

    • Press Control ⌃ + Option ⌥ + Shift ⇧ + Command ⌘ + V on your keyboard.

    You can manually adjust any of the 37 color adjustments available in the Color Adjustments pane, delete or add new ones.

Show before and after or reset adjustments

Show Original: Click the Show Original button or press Control ⌃ + M on your keyboard to see what the image looks like without any color adjustments.

Show Split Comparison: Option ⌥ – click the Show Original button, press Control ⌃ + C on your keyboard, or force-click the canvas.

To reset all Color Adjustments, click Reset at the bottom of the Color Adjustments pane.

Last updated