Apple Explains How to Custom Calibrate the New MacBook Pro Displays

In a new support document, Apple has detailed how to measure and fine-tune the calibration of the display on the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

macbook pro 3
The new MacBook Pro models feature XDR displays with mini-LED backlighting and support for one billion colors, but certain workflows may require custom calibration:

Every MacBook Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display undergoes a state-of-the-art factory display calibration process on the assembly line to ensure the accuracy of the P3 wide color panel and the individual backlight LEDs. In addition, the factory calibration process enables sophisticated built-in algorithms to accurately reproduce a variety of color spaces used by media workflows today, including sRGB, BT.601, BT.709,​ and even P3-ST.2084 (HDR).

The factory display calibration process lets MacBook Pro users enjoy an exceptional viewing experience right out of the box. If your workflow requires custom calibration, you can measure your display, then fine-tune the calibration.

The process involves using a spectroradiometer and a set of QuickTime movie test patterns from Apple to evaluate the calibration of the display. The test patterns can be downloaded from the AVFoundation page on Apple's website under Related Resources > Color Test Patterns, with complete instructions available in Apple's support document.

In System Preferences > Displays, users can fine-tune the calibration of the MacBook Pro's display by providing the white point and luminance values measured by the spectroradiometer and the expected values for their target.

Apple's support document includes additional tips for measuring and fine-tuning the calibration.

Related Stories

Reports Suggest Mini-LED 'Blooming' Effect on New MacBook Pro Displays Not an Issue

Thursday October 28, 2021 1:56 am PDT by Sami Fathi

Reports suggest that despite the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros sharing the same mini-LED display technology as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the new Mac computers are not obviously suffering "blooming," a phenomenon found on the iPad Pro. The new MacBook Pros and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro consist of mini-LED technology, which uses dimming zones. These local dimming zones allow specific screen ...

New MacBook Pros Have Up to 3x Brighter Displays for HDR Content

Tuesday October 19, 2021 8:41 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple's new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with improved "XDR" displays with mini-LED backlighting. Impressively, both new MacBook Pro models have up to 3x brighter displays compared to the previous-generation models, although the increased brightness is likely limited to HDR content. The new MacBook Pro models achieve up to 1,000 nits sustained full-screen brightness...

First Impressions From New MacBook Pro Owners: Benchmarks, Weight, ProMotion

Tuesday October 26, 2021 1:00 pm PDT by Juli Clover

It's officially MacBook Pro launch day, and customers around the world who pre-ordered after last Monday's event are receiving their devices today. We've already seen reviews of the new MacBook Pro models from media sites, but now first impressions from everyday users are available. New 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro owners are sharing their opinions on the MacRumors forums and Reddit, and their ...

Apple's New $19 Polishing Cloth is Sold Out Until Late November

Tuesday October 19, 2021 1:04 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Alongside the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, Apple introduced a $19 "Polishing Cloth" that's designed to be used with Apple devices. Made from a "soft, nonabrasive material," the cloth is suitable for Apple displays, including the nano-texture glass of the Pro Display XDR. It's also suitable for use with the mini-LED display of the new MacBook Pro models and all manner of iPhones, iPads, ...

MacBook Pro Unboxing Videos and Reviews Shared Ahead of Tomorrow's Launch

Apple's embargo on reviews of the new MacBook Pro has now lifted ahead of its launch tomorrow, giving the first official hands-on look at the company's much-anticipated new high-end laptop. In addition to our review roundup, we have gathered together a number of unboxing videos and reviews of the new MacBook Pro. The key new features of the redesigned MacBook Pro include the M1 Pro and M1...

Don't Buy a MacBook Pro Right Now

New MacBook Pro models are expected to be announced on Monday at Apple's "Unleashed" event, bringing some of the biggest improvements to the product line to date, including some surprising changes, so any prospective MacBook Pro buyers should wait for the new devices to come out. According to our full feature breakdown aggregated from our coverage from a wide range of sources, including...

New Video Provides Extensive Hands-on Look at New 16-inch MacBook Pro [Updated]

Saturday October 23, 2021 4:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

A new video posted to YouTube today offers viewers perhaps the best real-world look yet at Apple's latest 16-inch MacBook Pro. Update: The video has been removed. The eight-minute video, narrated in Vietnamese, shows the new MacBook Pro's display notch, thinner bezels, full-size keyboard, and additional ports in close-up, as well as the thicker design, all of which are compared side by...

New Images Offer Even Closer Look at New 14-Inch MacBook Pro

Saturday October 23, 2021 3:46 pm PDT by Sami Fathi

Ahead of an official launch later this week, new images sent to MacRumors show the new 14-inch MacBook Pro on display at an Apple Authorized Reseller, offering us an even closer look at Apple's entirely revamped MacBook Pro. The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros were by far two of the most highly anticipated and talked about Apple product releases of the entire year. Now that Apple has...