How to Fix Image Color and Saturation Loss in WordPress

You spend hours editing a photo only to have it look dull and washed out once uploaded to WordPress. We have faced this exact frustration many times with our own featured images.

This problem usually happens because of a simple mismatch between color profiles. Luckily, you can fix it in just a few seconds by converting the file before you upload it.

In this guide, we will show you how to fix image color and saturation loss in WordPress.

Here is a quick overview of the topics we will cover in this post:

Why Do Some Images Lose Color and Saturation in WordPress?

One of the main reasons for the loss of color and saturation in images is color space.

A ‘color space’ is a specific range of colors that a camera or screen can display. You can think of it like a specific box of crayons. Some boxes have more shades than others.

Different forms of RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color space are used across the internet. The two most common forms are Adobe RGB and sRGB.

Many professional photographers capture photographs using Adobe’s RGB color space, which has more colors and offers much better results.

However, most content management systems (CMS), like WordPress, rely on the sRGB color space. When you upload an image, WordPress compresses it and often strips out the embedded ‘ICC profile’ metadata (the label that tells screens which colors to use).

Without this label, browsers treat the image as sRGB, causing the colors to look washed out.

Images captured with Adobe RGB color space are more vibrant and accurately display colors in high tones. When converted by WordPress, those vibrant colors are replaced with slightly muted tones.

For example, here’s a comparison of an image with different image qualities. The picture on the left is taken using the Adobe RGB color space. However, when uploaded to WordPress, the image loses its vibrancy and looks dull.

WordPress also compresses the resized images, which may contribute to slight quality loss. For more details, read our guide on how to increase or decrease WordPress JPEG image compression.

With that in mind, let’s look at how to easily prevent image color and saturation loss in WordPress.

How to Fix Color and Saturation Loss for Images in WordPress Using Photoshop

The easiest way to fix this issue is by converting your images to sRGB color space before uploading them to WordPress. This can be easily done using an image editing tool like Adobe Photoshop.

This is the exact method our own design team uses here at WPBeginner. It ensures all the screenshots and feature graphics you see in our tutorials are crisp and color-accurate every single time.

Method 1: Convert Images to sRGB

First, you will need to open your image in Adobe Photoshop.

From here, simply head to File » Export » Save for Web (Legacy) from the menu at the top.

This will bring up the Save for Web dialog box. Here, it is critical that you check the box labeled ‘Convert to sRGB’.

This makes sure the image will look the same on WordPress as it does in Photoshop.

Method 2: Edit Color Settings in Photoshop

On the other hand, you can use this method if you are not satisfied with the result of the first method.

In Adobe Photoshop, go to Edit » Color Settings. This will bring up the color settings dialog box.

You need to select ‘North America Web/Internet’ from the settings dropdown menu.

Next, under the Color Management Policies section, select the RGB settings to Convert to Working RGB. Then, click the ‘OK’ button to save your settings.

Now, you need to open the original photograph or image that you wanted to upload.

If the working space profile mismatches, then Photoshop will show a warning and ask you what to do.

You should select ‘Convert document’s color to working space’ and then click ‘OK’. Your photo’s color profile is now more accurately converted. You can now save the image to preserve your changes.

Repeat the process for all the images that you want to upload. Now, you can safely upload these converted images without any color or saturation loss in WordPress.

How to Fix Color and Saturation Loss in WordPress With GIMP

GIMP is a powerful free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. You can use it to convert the color space for your WordPress uploads.

GIMP basically detects each image you try to open to see if it has a color profile embedded. If your image is in Adobe RGB color space, then GIMP will automatically show you a dialog box to convert it.

Sometimes an image may not have an embedded color profile, or GIMP may fail to read it correctly. In that case, you will need to manually change the color space.

First, you need to know what color space your photograph may be using. Usually, it is Adobe RGB, but it could be different. If you are unsure, then you can check your camera device to figure this out.

Simply open your image in GIMP. Then, go to Image » Color Management » Convert to Color Profile.

Once you have applied the color profile, GIMP can now safely convert it to sRGB without losing colors.

Simply go to Image » Color Management and then select the ‘Convert to Color Profile’ option.

A new dialogue box will now open.

A new dialog box will open. Set the ‘Convert to’ option to ‘sRGB built-in’ (or sometimes labeled just ‘Built-in RGB’) and click the ‘Convert’ button.

GIMP will now convert the color profile to sRGB, and you can save your image. Simply repeat the process for other images you want to upload to WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Image Color in WordPress

Over the years of helping thousands of users, we’ve noticed a few questions about WordPress images pop up again and again. Here are answers to the most common ones we receive.

Does WordPress always reduce image quality?

By default, WordPress compresses images to help your website load faster. This can sometimes cause slight pixelation, but the color loss is usually caused by the missing sRGB profile we discussed earlier.

Can I fix the color of images already uploaded to my Media Library?

Currently, WordPress cannot automatically fix the color profile of images that are already uploaded. You will need to convert the original image to sRGB on your computer and then re-upload it to your media library.

Is sRGB the best color space for all web images?

Yes, sRGB is the standard color space for the web. Almost all web browsers and devices are designed to display it correctly. Converting your images to sRGB ensures the colors look consistent for all your visitors.

Additional Resources for Image Optimization

Here are some guides you can go through to ensure your images are properly optimized:

• How to Properly Add Images in WordPress (Step by Step)
• WebP vs. PNG vs. JPEG: The Best Image Format for WordPress
• Beginner’s Guide to Image SEO – Optimize Images for Search Engines
• How to Bulk Edit Featured Images in WordPress
• How to Choose the Best Web Design Software (Compared)
• Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Image Sizes (+ Best Practices)
• Best WordPress Image Compression Plugins Compared

We hope this article helped you fix image color and saturation loss in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on ways to prevent image theft in WordPress and how to clean up your WordPress media library.

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