---
name: "get_color_depth"
section: "3alleg"
platform: "linux"
package: "liballegro-doc"
version: "2:4.2.2-2.2"
release: "Debian 6.0 (Squeeze)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/get_color_depth"
---

# get\_color\_depth(3alleg)

Returns the current pixel color depth. Allegro game programming library.

## NAME

get\_color\_depth - Returns the current pixel color depth. Allegro game programming library.

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<allegro.h\>**

**int get\_color\_depth(void);**

## DESCRIPTION

Returns the current pixel format. This can be very useful to know in order to write generic functions which select a different code path internally depending on the color depth being used.

Note that the function returns whatever value you may have set previously with set\_color\_depth(), which can be different from the current color depth of the screen global variable. If you really need to know the color depth of the screen, use bitmap\_color\_depth().

## SEE ALSO

[**set\_color\_depth**(3alleg)](/set_color_depth/3alleg.md), [**bitmap\_color\_depth**(3alleg)](/bitmap_color_depth/3alleg.md), [**exrgbhsv**(3alleg)](/exrgbhsv/3alleg.md)