White Balance
Darkroom’s white balance controls live with the other color adjustments in the Adjustments tool.
White balance should be one of the first edits you make. It creates a neutral starting point for your photo; every later color choice builds on top of it. Because white balance affects everything downstream, set it before you lean hard on Color (HSL), HSL Curves, or Color Grading.
Temperature and Tint
- Temperature moves the image cooler on the left, warmer on the right. On a RAW photo it shows Kelvin, starting from the camera’s as-shot value. On any other photo it stays a relative warmer/cooler control.
- Tint moves it toward magenta on the left, or green on the right.
The sliders have a wide range, so a strong cast — green through a windshield, magenta after the camera overcorrected a forest — can usually be corrected before the slider runs out. White pixels stay white. Temperature and Tint shift the color of the scene without painting a tint across the brightest highlights.
Use small moves when you’re correcting a cast. Push further when you want a creative mood — warmer golden-hour feel, cooler evening light, or a stylized grade that starts from a deliberate white-balance choice rather than a neutral one.
Auto White Balance
Auto analyzes the photo and looks for plausible neutral regions. It deliberately ignores very dark pixels, clipped or strongly colored areas.
When an image contains usable neutral information, Auto gives you a neutral starting point. In sunsets, stage lighting, heavily colored scenes, it may make only a small correction, or a wrong one.
White Balance Picker
The picker is the eyedropper beside Auto. Tap it, then drag it onto a neutral area of the photo and use that as the reference for the whole image. Auto and the picker use the same color model as the renderer, so their results stay consistent with manual Temperature and Tint.
Good targets:
- A detailed grey wall or card, something like concrete or other near-neutral surfaces.
- An off-white shirt that isn’t clipped white, or a paper with visible texture.
Avoid:
- Very bright, or even clipped, light sources.
- Reflections and specular highlights, or very dark or strongly colored areas.
Working with the histogram
When making white balance edits it can be very useful to use the Histogram to follow how Temperature and Tint affect the balance of the red, green, and blue channels. For a natural result, check that neutral subjects, such as a grey card or white clothing, look free of unwanted color casts. Auto or the Picker can provide a starting point, which you can then refine to suit the light and mood of the photo.
Compatibility
Auto White Balance and the Neutral Color Picker are only available for photos. For video, use Temperature and Tint manually. Existing edits and older presets keep their original white balance rendering, so looks you already made don’t change. Applying a preset leaves the Temperature and Tint already on the photo.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use Auto White Balance?
Tap Auto in the White Balance controls (inside Adjustments). It looks for plausible neutral regions and ignores very dark, clipped, or strongly colored pixels. When the photo has usable greys or whites, it gives you a neutral starting point — then refine Temperature and Tint. In sunsets, stage lighting, or heavily colored scenes it may make only a small correction, or a wrong one. Auto is for photos; on video, set Temperature and Tint by hand.
What should I tap with the White Balance Picker?
Tap the eyedropper beside Auto, then drag it onto a surface that should be grey or off-white and isn't clipped: a concrete wall, a grey card, an off-white shirt with visible texture. Avoid light sources, specular highlights, and very dark or strongly colored areas. The picker sets Temperature and Tint from that reference using the same color model as the sliders.
Why does Temperature show Kelvin on some photos?
On RAW photos, Temperature is shown in Kelvin and starts from the camera's as-shot value. On any other photo, Temperature is a relative number — cooler on the left, warmer on the right.
Why didn't Auto or the Picker change looks I already made?
Existing edits and older presets keep their original white balance rendering, so a look you already saved doesn't shift. New edits use the current Temperature and Tint model, including Auto and the Picker.
Why don't Temperature and Tint color the brightest whites?
They leave white pixels white. The sliders shift the color of the scene, and the brightest highlights stay neutral. The range is wide enough for a strong cast — green through a windshield, or magenta after a camera overcorrected a forest. An older edit or preset can still tint the whites, because existing edits keep their original white balance rendering.
Related
- Adjustment Sliders — where Temperature, Tint, Auto, and Picker live
- Histogram — spotting casts and clipping
- Selective Color — fine color work after white balance is set
- HSL Curves — continuous hue/sat/luminance shaping