Windows 10 color issues on dual screens Problem with color accuracy on dual monitors
Windows 10 color issues on dual screens Problem with color accuracy on dual monitors
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Two weeks ago I purchased a new OLED monitor and set everything up perfectly. After replacing my old one on the monitor arm, I experienced an issue with oversaturated colors across Windows 10. Initially, I moved the monitor from right to left for gaming or desk use, but now I’m using it solely for simulation.
The first sign was that after a 10-day break, the system recognized the old screen again as the main display. I updated the settings to prioritize the second screen, which worked fine.
However, on the third day, the colors on Screen 2 became overly saturated, regardless of any changes in settings or NVIDIA controls. The issue persisted even when taking screenshots—colors looked normal in the image but still appeared garbled on the actual display.
Interestingly, when switching displays, Chrome, Discord, and Spotify showed normal colors, but the Start Menu, shortcuts, and Taskbar remained heavily oversaturated, with the close button looking like a distorted eye.
I’ve reset all ICC profiles, reinstalled drivers, and even removed DDU to rule out conflicts, but the problem continues. I’m looking for advice on how to resolve this display issue.
Review the Windows video settings to confirm the HDR toggle functions. If it does, adjust it to either off or on. I noticed the system would sometimes freeze and the toggle resolved the issue (at least in my experience). The only other experiences I’ve had besides a bad cable are...
Toggle functions properly now, something I hadn't experienced before. Based on the advice, I've tried switching between multiple windows, pressing alt+b with the mouse, and even changed several cables—including an HDMI 2.1 cable that both GPU and monitor support. The problem persists. When only the OLED is connected, the issue continues. Testing different inputs or cables revealed that through HDMI, the screen always appears oversaturated, even in extended display mode, and screenshots look exaggerated. This behavior doesn't occur with DisplayPort. The resolution settings (8bit, 10bit, 12bit) don't seem to resolve it either. I'm even thinking about upgrading to Windows 11 just to check if it makes a difference.
And for additional checks I just tried swapping cables between the GPU inputs. Changing slots made monitors match what I expected, so screen 1 stays screen 1 and screen 2 stays screen 2. Now everything has flipped back. Applications seem exaggerated when using extend display, but they make sense when only the main screen is active. Still, in both scenarios everything in Windows 10—taskbar, tray, start menu, shortcuts—and any icons appear overly bright and distorted.
There was initially one issue, but after resolving it, a new problem appeared. I’ll ask for assistance in a separate thread. The color shifting issue was fixed by using HDMI 2.1 instead of DP 1.4a. It also stops when the monitors’ ICC profile is set as the default across all Windows via the advanced settings tab.