---
name: "xcalib"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xcalib"
version: "0.12-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xcalib"
---

# xcalib(1)

Monitor Calibration Loader

## NAME

xcalib v0.12.0 - Monitor Calibration Loader

## SYNOPSIS

**xcalib** ICC\_FILE\_NAME\
 **xcalib** **-c** **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\]\
 **xcalib** **-i** **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **xcalib** **-g** *NUMBER* **-b** *NUMBER* **-k** *NUMBER* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] \[**-c**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **xcalib** **-R** *NUMBER* **-G** *NUMBER* **-B** *NUMBER* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-S** *NUMBER*\] \[**-T** *NUMBER*\] \[**-H** *NUMBER*\] \[**-I** *NUMBER*\] \[**-C** *NUMBER*\] \[**-D** *NUMBER*\] \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] \[**-c**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **xcalib** **-p***\[=FORMAT\]* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\]\
 **xcalib** **-h***\[=synopsis\|...\]* **-V** **--render** *STRING* \[**-v**\]

## DESCRIPTION

The tool loads ’vcgt’‐tag of ICC profiles to the server using the XRandR/XVidMode/GDI Extension in order to load calibrate curves to your graphics card.

## OPTIONS

### Set basic parameters

**-d**\|**--display** *STRING*	host:dpy\
 **-s**\|**--screen** *NUMBER*	Screen Number\
 **-o**\|**--output** *NUMBER*	Output Number

It appears in the order as listed in xrandr tool.

**-a**\|**--alter**	Alter Table

Works according to parameters without ICC Profile.

**-n**\|**--noaction**	Do not alter video-LUTs.

Work's best in conjunction with -v!

**-p**\|**--printramps***\[=FORMAT\]*	Print Values on stdout.\
\
 	**-p** TEXT		# TEXT\
\
 	**-p** SVG		# SVG\
 **-l**\|**--loss**	Print error introduced by applying ramps to stdout.\
 **-c**\|**--clear**	Clear Gamma LUT

Reset the Video Card Gamma Table (VCGT) to linear values.

### Assign

**xcalib** ICC\_FILE\_NAME\
 *ICC\_FILE\_NAME*	File Name of a ICC Profile\

### Clear

**xcalib** **-c** **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\]\
 **-c**\|**--clear**	Clear Gamma LUT

Reset the Video Card Gamma Table (VCGT) to linear values.

### Invert

**xcalib** **-i** **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **-i**\|**--invert**	Invert the LUT\

### Overall Appearance

**xcalib** **-g** *NUMBER* **-b** *NUMBER* **-k** *NUMBER* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] \[**-c**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **-g**\|**--gamma** *NUMBER*	Specify Gamma (NUMBER:1 \[≥0.1 ≤5 Δ0.1\])

Global gamma correction value (use 2.2 for WinXP Color Control-like behaviour)

**-b**\|**--brightness** *NUMBER*	Specify Lightness Percentage (NUMBER:0 \[≥0 ≤99 Δ1\])\
 **-k**\|**--contrast** *NUMBER*	Specify Contrast Percentage (NUMBER:100 \[≥1 ≤100 Δ1\])

Set maximum value relative to brightness.

### Per Channel Appearance

**xcalib** **-R** *NUMBER* **-G** *NUMBER* **-B** *NUMBER* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-S** *NUMBER*\] \[**-T** *NUMBER*\] \[**-H** *NUMBER*\] \[**-I** *NUMBER*\] \[**-C** *NUMBER*\] \[**-D** *NUMBER*\] \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\] \[**-n**\] \[**-p***\[=FORMAT\]*\] \[**-l**\] \[**-c**\] ICC\_FILE\_NAME \| **-a**\
 **-R**\|**--red-gamma** *NUMBER*	Specify Red Gamma  (NUMBER:1 \[≥0.1 ≤5 Δ0.1\])\
 **-S**\|**--red-brightness** *NUMBER*	Specify Red Brightness Percentage (NUMBER:0 \[≥0 ≤99 Δ1\])\
 **-T**\|**--red-contrast** *NUMBER*	Specify Red Contrast Percentage (NUMBER:100 \[≥1 ≤100 Δ1\])

Set maximum value relative to brightness.

**-G**\|**--green-gamma** *NUMBER*	Specify Green Gamma  (NUMBER:1 \[≥0.1 ≤5 Δ0.1\])\
 **-H**\|**--green-brightness** *NUMBER*	Specify Green Brightness Percentage (NUMBER:0 \[≥0 ≤99 Δ1\])\
 **-I**\|**--green-contrast** *NUMBER*	Specify Green Contrast Percentage (NUMBER:100 \[≥1 ≤100 Δ1\])

Set maximum value relative to brightness.

**-B**\|**--blue-gamma** *NUMBER*	Specify Blue Gamma  (NUMBER:1 \[≥0.1 ≤5 Δ0.1\])\
 **-C**\|**--blue-brightness** *NUMBER*	Specify Blue Brightness Percentage (NUMBER:0 \[≥0 ≤99 Δ1\])\
 **-D**\|**--blue-contrast** *NUMBER*	Specify Blue Contrast Percentage (NUMBER:100 \[≥1 ≤100 Δ1\])

Set maximum value relative to brightness.

### Show

**xcalib** **-p***\[=FORMAT\]* **-d** *STRING* **-s** *NUMBER* \[**-o** *NUMBER*\] \[**-v**\]\
 **-p**\|**--printramps***\[=FORMAT\]*	Print Values on stdout.\
\
 	**-p** TEXT		# TEXT\
\
 	**-p** SVG		# SVG\

## GENERAL OPTIONS

### General options

**xcalib** **-h***\[=synopsis\|...\]* **-V** **--render** *STRING* \[**-v**\]\
 **-h**\|**--help***\[=synopsis\|...\]*	Print help text

Show usage information and hints for the tool.

	**-h** -		# Full Help : Print help for all groups\
\
 	**-h** synopsis		# Synopsis : List groups - Show all groups including syntax\
 **--render** *STRING*	Render	\
 **-V**\|**--version**	Version\
 **-v**\|**--verbose**	Verbose\

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- DISPLAY

  Under X11 systems this variable will hold the display name as used for the -d and -s option.

## EXAMPLES

- Assign the VCGT curves of a ICC profile to a screen

  xcalib ‐d :0 ‐s 0 ‐v profile\_with\_vcgt\_tag.icc

- Reset a screens hardware LUT in order to do a calibration

  xcalib ‐d :0 ‐s 0 ‐c

## SEE ALSO

- oyjl-args(1)

  ## AUTHOR

Stefan Dohla \<stefan AT doehla DOT de\>\
 http://www.etg.e‐technik.uni‐erlangen.de/web/doe/xcalib/

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2013-2026 Kai-Uwe Behrmann\
 License: GPL-2.0 https://opensource.org/license/gpl-2.0