Vivid Support

HDR brightness did not become available

Your Mac did not allow the extra brightness to switch on. Sometimes this is a system limit, like the Mac running hot or the battery being low, but these steps usually fix it:

• Turn off Vivid.
• Turn off "Fallback HDR" in Vivid's settings.
• Raise your Mac's display brightness to maximum.
• Turn Vivid back on. It should now work.

This display's gamma table was already changed.

Another app has changed your Mac's colour settings, and Vivid stops rather than risk causing a problem.

Try this:

• In System Settings > Displays, switch the built-in display's preset (colour profile) to a different one, then switch it back.
• Make sure the preset is "Apple XDR Display", "Pro Display XDR" or "Studio Display XDR" (to match your display).
• Turn off Night Shift and quit any other app that changes display colour, then quit and reopen Vivid.
• If you have just unlocked your Mac or plugged in a monitor, wait a few seconds and try again. If it still fails, do the preset switch above.

Supported displays

Vivid works with all M-series MacBook Pro, Pro Display XDR and Studio Display XDR. The regular Studio Display (non-XDR) is not supported.

Vivid fully supports macOS up to the latest macOS 27 Golden Gate.

My screen isn't much brighter

Check the preset in System Settings > Displays. It should be "Apple XDR Display", "Pro Display XDR" or "Studio Display XDR" to match your display.

• On macOS 26 or later, turn off "Automatically adjust brightness".
• Your Mac may also limit brightness when it is warm - this is controlled by macOS to protect the display.

Brightness goes back to normal a second after turning Vivid on

f.lux, Night Shift or other colour apps can interfere with Vivid. Turn them off, then try again.

See also This display's gamma table was already changed.

I can't see the Vivid menu bar icon

If you have too many menu bar items, macOS hides the newest icons. Close a few items, or hold Cmd and drag the Vivid icon to the right so it stays visible.

Can I change brightness in smaller steps?

Hold Shift and Option while changing brightness.

Is Vivid safe for my display?

Vivid uses the display's built-in HDR brightness range, the same as when you edit HDR video. macOS limits brightness if needed.

Apple says: "1000 nits of brightness. Pro Display XDR can sustain 1000 nits of brightness across the full screen. This means that a pro can edit an HDR photograph or video with the entire frame at 1000 nits of brightness, indefinitely."

While we believe Vivid is safe to use, we can not be held responsible for any damage that occurs to your display as a result of using this software.

Will Vivid use more battery?

Yes. A brighter screen drains the battery faster. Vivid is best used on power, or in bright environments.

What about colour accuracy?

Vivid does not change colours. SDR content looks brighter. For colour-critical work, check your work at standard brightness.

Does Vivid use much CPU?

No. Vivid does not add noticeable CPU use.

Some HDR videos look oversaturated

Some HDR videos on YouTube and other streaming platforms can look oversaturated. Turn Vivid off while watching - the video brightens the display itself.