Find a pixel’s color value in ColorSync Utility?

Question

Find a pixel’s color value in ColorSync Utility?

I have done this before, successfully. But beginning several months ago--or perhaps longer--I have experienced a problem involving the transparency of windows. In short, the 'magnifying glass' does not 'see' what it is on top of but, rather, sees through this to the desktop. The attached screenshot reveals the magnifying glass identifying purple, while positioned on a white page, which is the color of the desktop under the page. I am baffled because at one time I was able to use this feature as intended. You move the magnifying glass to a pixel and get the color of that pixel--the pixel it appears to be hovering over. I have gone into Accessibility settings and selected 'reduce transparency.' The problem is not resolved.

Mac mini

Posted on Apr 15, 2024 7:19 PM

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Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

126,588 points

Apr 16, 2024 8:24 AM in response to UnknownComplexity

Apple provides the Digital Color Meter in the /Applications/Utilities folder. That can show you the per pixel R,G, and B color value as you move it over the target content.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

251,263 points

Apr 15, 2024 8:48 PM in response to UnknownComplexity

What OS version & which Mac?

What are your settings in Mission Control?

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

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Answer 3

Apr 17, 2024 8:41 AM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for your reply. For system info, see image attached. Same for Mission control Settings. Before posting here, I long had 'Displays have separate Spaces' in Mission Control checked, but unchecked to see if this would resolve the issue (required a log out and log in). This made no difference. I did not yet want to take your advice to create a new admin account because I already have an 'admin' User folder along with an admin_1 User folder, and I do not want a third. But I did try logging out of my admin account and into a "guest account," in which I found the problem to persist. Is trying from a "guest account" tantamount to logging into a newly created admin account, for the purpose of testing this issue? If so, this is a system-wide issue.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 4

Apr 17, 2024 7:49 AM in response to VikingOSX

To VikingOSX: Indeed. Never even opened this before. A nice surprise. I am grateful for your help. I am am no longer interested in resolving the previous issue, but I am still curious if, whatever the cause of that may be, it has other, yet unknown, implications.

Thanks again.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

251,263 points

Apr 16, 2024 2:58 AM in response to UnknownComplexity

I'm at a loss, sorry.:(

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Find a pixel’s color value in ColorSync Utility?

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