Enable True Tone on Mac: Step-by-Step Guide

Updated 6 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To enable True Tone on a Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS), go to Displays, and check the True Tone box. This option is available on MacBook Pro models from 2018 onward and on the Apple Pro Display XDR, and it automatically adjusts your display’s colors and brightness to match the ambient light in your environment.

What Is True Tone?

True Tone is a display technology introduced by Apple that uses sensors to measure the color and brightness of the light around you. It then adjusts the white balance of your screen so that colors appear consistent and natural, much like a piece of white paper under different lighting conditions. The goal is to reduce eye strain and make the viewing experience more comfortable, especially when you move between rooms with different lighting.

How True Tone Works

Your Mac has an ambient light sensor (usually located near the camera or in the display bezel) that continuously samples the surrounding light. When True Tone is enabled, the system uses that data to shift the display’s color temperature—warmer in warm lighting, cooler in cool lighting. This is not the same as Night Shift, which schedules a red-shift in the evening to reduce blue light exposure. True Tone adjusts in real time and is designed to make the screen look as if it’s reflecting the environment, rather than imposing a fixed color cast.

How to Enable True Tone on Your Mac

The steps are straightforward, but the exact menu names depend on your macOS version.

Click the Apple menu (top-left corner) and select System Settings (macOS Ventura or later) or System Preferences (macOS Monterey and earlier).
Click Displays.
Look for the True Tone checkbox. If you don’t see it, your Mac or display may not support the feature.
Check the box to enable it. Uncheck to disable.

If you have a built-in display (like on a MacBook Pro), the option appears in the main Displays pane. On an external Apple display like the Pro Display XDR, you’ll need to select the display in the Displays menu first.

Which Macs Support True Tone?

True Tone is not available on every Mac. It requires specific hardware—the ambient light sensor and a compatible display. Apple lists the following as supporting True Tone:

MacBook Pro (2018 and later)
MacBook Air (2018 and later)
iMac (2020 and later, with Retina 4.5K/5K displays)
iMac Pro (2017)
Apple Pro Display XDR
Apple Studio Display

If you have an older Mac or a non-Apple external monitor, the True Tone option will not appear. Some third-party monitors may have their own similar feature, but it’s not controlled by macOS.

Why You Might Not See the True Tone Option

If the checkbox is missing, the most common reason is hardware support. But there are a few other possibilities:

External display: True Tone only works on the built-in display of supported Macs, except for Apple’s own external displays (Pro Display XDR, Studio Display).
macOS version: Very old versions of macOS (before Mojave 10.14) don’t have True Tone for Macs.
Display settings: If you’re using a clamshell mode (lid closed) with an external monitor, the option may be hidden.

If you’re sure your Mac supports it and it’s still missing, try resetting the NVRAM (on Intel Macs) or simply restarting. On Apple Silicon Macs, a restart often resolves minor display setting glitches.

True Tone vs. Night Shift vs. Auto Brightness

These three features are often confused, but they do different things:

True Tone: Adjusts white balance to match ambient light color.
Night Shift: Shifts colors to the warmer end of the spectrum after sunset (or on a schedule) to reduce blue light.
Auto-Brightness: Changes the overall screen brightness based on ambient light levels, not color.

You can use all three at once. True Tone and Night Shift work together—True Tone handles the base white point, and Night Shift adds an additional warm tint in the evening. Some users find that combining them makes the screen too yellow, so you may want to experiment with Night Shift’s intensity or schedule.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

If True Tone seems to have no effect, or the screen looks odd, try these steps:

Make sure the ambient light sensor isn’t blocked by a case or sticker.
Check if you’re in a room with very bright, direct sunlight—True Tone may not compensate fully.
Go to System Settings > Displays and toggle True Tone off and on again.
If you’re using an external display, ensure it’s Apple’s and that it’s updated to the latest firmware.
Reset the display settings by holding Option while clicking “Scaled” in the Displays pane, then choose Default.

If the screen looks too warm or too cool even with True Tone off, that’s not a malfunction—it’s just your display’s default color profile. You can adjust the color profile in Displays > Color Profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does True Tone drain battery? The ambient light sensor uses negligible power, and the display adjustment itself doesn’t increase energy consumption. In fact, because True Tone often makes the screen slightly dimmer in warm light, it might save a tiny amount of battery compared to a fixed bright white.

Can I enable True Tone on an external monitor? Only on Apple’s own external displays (Pro Display XDR and Studio Display). For other monitors, you’d need to use the monitor’s own settings, if it has a similar feature.

Why does my MacBook Pro not have True Tone? If it’s a model before 2018, it lacks the necessary hardware. Also, if you’re running a hackintosh (macOS on non-Apple hardware), True Tone will not work because the sensor isn’t present.

Is True Tone the same as Night Shift? No. True Tone matches ambient light; Night Shift reduces blue light on a schedule. They can be used together.

Can I turn off True Tone permanently? Yes, just uncheck the box in Displays settings. It will stay off until you re-enable it.

Does True Tone affect color accuracy for photo editing? Yes, it changes the white point, so if you need accurate colors, you should turn it off and use a calibrated color profile instead.

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