# Color profiles Work with the ICC profiles that describe device and working color spaces. ## Overview A [`ColorSyncProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfile) wraps an ICC profile, the description of a device or working color space that ColorSync uses to convert color accurately. Create profiles from a name, a file, or raw ICC data, and read a profile’s tags and header. To round trip a profile through raw ICC bytes, use [`ColorSyncProfileCopyData(_:_:)`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyData(_:_:)) to get the bytes you embed in an image or file, and [`ColorSyncProfileCreate(_:_:)`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreate(_:_:)) to reconstruct a profile from bytes you extract. On macOS, you can also install a profile for the current user in `~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles`, or for everyone on the system in `/Library/ColorSync/Profiles`. To convert color between profiles, build a [`ColorSyncTransform`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncTransform). To bridge to Core Graphics, pass a profile to . ## Topics ### Profiling objects [`ColorSyncMutableProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncMutableProfile) A reference to a mutable ICC color profile. [`ColorSyncProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfile) A reference to an immutable International Color Consortium (ICC) color profile. ### Creating a profile [`ColorSyncProfileCreateWithName`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreateWithName(_:)) Creates a profile from a predefined profile name. [`ColorSyncProfileCreateWithURL`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreateWithURL(_:_:)) Creates a profile from ICC profile data at a URL. [`ColorSyncProfileCreateWithURLAndOptions`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreateWithURLAndOptions(_:_:_:)) Creates a profile from ICC profile data at a URL, using the given options. [`ColorSyncProfileCreateMutable`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreateMutable()) Creates an empty mutable profile. [`ColorSyncProfileCreateMutableCopy`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreateMutableCopy(_:)) Creates a mutable copy of a profile. ### Embedding and extracting profiles [`ColorSyncProfileCopyData`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyData(_:_:)) Copies the flattened data from a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileCreate`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCreate(_:_:)) Creates a profile from ICC profile data. ### Accessing standard RGB profiles [`kColorSyncSRGBProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncSRGBProfile) The sRGB color profile. [`kColorSyncAdobeRGB1998Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncAdobeRGB1998Profile) The Adobe RGB (1998) color profile. [`kColorSyncDisplayP3Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncDisplayP3Profile) The Display P3 color profile. [`kColorSyncDCIP3Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncDCIP3Profile) The DCI-P3 color profile. [`kColorSyncITUR709Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncITUR709Profile) The ITU-R BT.709 color profile. [`kColorSyncITUR2020Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncITUR2020Profile) The ITU-R BT.2020 color profile. [`kColorSyncROMMRGBProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncROMMRGBProfile) The ROMM RGB (ProPhoto RGB) color profile. [`kColorSyncACESCGLinearProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncACESCGLinearProfile) The ACEScg linear color profile. [`kColorSyncGenericRGBProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericRGBProfile) The generic RGB color profile. ### Accessing generic and special profiles [`kColorSyncGenericGrayProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericGrayProfile) The generic gray color profile. [`kColorSyncGenericGrayGamma22Profile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericGrayGamma22Profile) The generic gray color profile with a gamma of 2.2. [`kColorSyncGenericCMYKProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericCMYKProfile) The generic CMYK color profile. [`kColorSyncGenericLabProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericLabProfile) The generic CIELAB color profile. [`kColorSyncGenericXYZProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncGenericXYZProfile) The generic CIEXYZ color profile. [`kColorSyncWebSafeColorsProfile`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncWebSafeColorsProfile) The web-safe colors profile. ### Reading profile data [`ColorSyncProfileCopyDescriptionString`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyDescriptionString(_:)) Copies the localized description string of a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileCopyHeader`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyHeader(_:)) Copies the header from a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileGetURL`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileGetURL(_:_:)) Returns the URL of a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileGetTypeID`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileGetTypeID()) Returns the unique identifier for the ColorSync profile opaque type. ### Managing tags and the header [`ColorSyncProfileContainsTag`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileContainsTag(_:_:)) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether a profile contains a given tag. [`ColorSyncProfileCopyTag`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyTag(_:_:)) Copies a tag from a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileCopyTagSignatures`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileCopyTagSignatures(_:)) Copies the tag signatures of a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileRemoveTag`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileRemoveTag(_:_:)) Removes a tag from a mutable profile. [`ColorSyncProfileSetHeader`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileSetHeader(_:_:)) Sets the header of a mutable profile. [`ColorSyncProfileSetTag`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileSetTag(_:_:_:)) Sets a tag in a mutable profile. ### Inspecting color characteristics [`ColorSyncProfileIsWideGamut`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileIsWideGamut(_:)) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether the display profile describes a wide-gamut color space. [`ColorSyncProfileIsPQBased`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileIsPQBased(_:)) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether the profile uses ITU BT.2100 PQ transfer functions. [`ColorSyncProfileIsHLGBased`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileIsHLGBased(_:)) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether the profile uses ITU BT.2100 HLG transfer functions. [`ColorSyncProfileIsMatrixBased`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileIsMatrixBased(_:)) Returns a Boolean value indicating whether the profile is matrix-based. [`ColorSyncProfileEstimateGamma`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileEstimateGamma(_:_:)) Estimates the gamma of a profile. [`ColorSyncProfileVerify`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileVerify(_:_:_:)) Verifies whether a profile can be used. ### Finding installed profiles [`ColorSyncIterateInstalledProfiles`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncIterateInstalledProfiles(_:_:_:_:)) Iterates over the installed profiles. [`ColorSyncProfileIterateCallback`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileIterateCallback) A callback that the framework invokes for each installed profile during iteration. ### Installing profiles [`ColorSyncProfileInstall`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileInstall(_:_:_:_:)) Installs a profile in the specified domain. [`ColorSyncProfileUninstall`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileUninstall(_:_:)) Uninstalls a profile. [`ColorSyncIterateInstalledProfilesWithOptions`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncIterateInstalledProfilesWithOptions(_:_:_:_:_:)) Iterates over the installed profiles, using the given options. [`COLORSYNC_PROFILE_INSTALL_ENTITLEMENT`](/documentation/ColorSync/COLORSYNC_PROFILE_INSTALL_ENTITLEMENT) [`kColorSyncProfileComputerDomain`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileComputerDomain) The profile domain for profiles shared by all users of the computer. [`kColorSyncProfileUserDomain`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileUserDomain) The profile domain for the current user’s profiles. ### Accessing profile properties [`kColorSyncProfileClass`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileClass) A key for the profile’s class. [`kColorSyncProfileColorSpace`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileColorSpace) A key for the profile’s color space. [`kColorSyncProfileDescription`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileDescription) A key for the profile’s localized description. [`kColorSyncProfileHeader`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileHeader) A key for the profile’s header data. [`kColorSyncProfileIsValid`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileIsValid) A key indicating whether the profile is valid. [`kColorSyncProfilePCS`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfilePCS) A key for the profile’s connection space (PCS). [`kColorSyncProfileURL`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileURL) A key for the profile’s URL. ### Computing profile digests [`ColorSyncProfileGetMD5`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncProfileGetMD5(_:)) Returns the MD5 digest for a profile. [`ColorSyncMD5`](/documentation/ColorSync/ColorSyncMD5) An MD5 digest that uniquely identifies a profile, as defined by the ICC specification. [`COLORSYNC_MD5_LENGTH`](/documentation/ColorSync/COLORSYNC_MD5_LENGTH) [`kColorSyncProfileMD5Digest`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileMD5Digest) A key for the profile’s MD5 digest. ### Tracking changes and cache [`kColorSyncProfileRepositoryChangeNotification`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileRepositoryChangeNotification) A notification that ColorSync posts when the profile repository changes. [`kColorSyncProfileCacheSeed`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileCacheSeed) The current profile-cache seed (uint32_t), sent with [`kColorSyncProfileRepositoryChangeNotification`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncProfileRepositoryChangeNotification). [`kColorSyncWaitForCacheReply`](/documentation/ColorSync/kColorSyncWaitForCacheReply) An iteration option that waits for the profile cache to finish updating before returning. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. 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