Issue

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom on Windows displays a black or gray rectangle instead of your photos.

Solutions

Do one or more of the following solutions:

Note: The procedures in this document are based on the default interface of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. If the interface is customized, some procedures can vary. For example, a commonly encountered difference is the navigation to Control Panel from the Start menu. You can navigate Start > Settings > Control Panel instead of Start > Control Panel. Additionally, the procedures in this document assume that you are using the Classic View of the Control Panel. To view the Control Panel in Classic View, click Switch To Classic View on the Control Panel bar on the left side of the window.

Solution 1: Update to the current version of Photoshop Lightroom.

1. In Photoshop Lightroom, choose Help > Check For Updates. 

Solution 2: Change the Windows Color System device profile to a non-WCS profile (Windows Vista and Windows 7 only).

1. Exit Photoshop Lightroom.
2. Choose Start > Control Panel > Color Management.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Change the Device Profile to a standard RGB color profile, such as sRGB IEC61966 - 2.1.

Solution 3: Remove the color profile for your monitor.

Windows XP

1. Exit Photoshop Lightroom.
2. Choose Start > Control Panel > Display.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Click Advanced.
5. Click the Color Management tab.
6. Select the old profile.
7. Click Remove.
8. Click OK.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

1. Exit Photoshop Lightroom.
2. Choose Start > Control Panel > Color Management.
3. In the Profiles Associated With This Device field, select the default monitor profile.
4. Click Remove.

Note: If multiple monitor profiles are listed, it is sometimes necessary to repeat the procedure for each one. Launch Photoshop Lightroom and test to see if the problem is resolved. If it isn't, return to the Display Settings and remove the next profile in the list.

Additional Information

Windows Vista and Windows 7 include the Microsoft Windows Color System (WCS), an OS-level color management platform that uses a unique color profile format. Using Photoshop Lightroom 1.2 or later is required for Lightroom to use WCS profiles.

The monitor profile (also called a color profile or ICC profile) tells your computer's video display card how to accurately display color on your specific monitor. If the profile is damaged, the image data that Photoshop Lightroom sends to the video display card can be corrupted before reaching the monitor. As a result, the photos don't appear. A monitor profile is not required for your monitor to function, but using one is highly recommended.

If the profile you were using was damaged, and it was supplied by the monitor manufacturer, try replacing the file with a new copy. The color profile could have been provided on a CD that came with the monitor. It's also possible that you can download it from the manufacturer's website. Open the C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\color directory, delete the old profile, and copy the new profile into the same directory. Then open the display color management settings through the Control Panel (as in Solution 3 above) and add the profile to the monitor.

If you created a custom profile using a monitor calibration tool or software and it's damaged, create a profile using that tool. (It is highly recommended that you create a custom profile for your computer and monitor rather than using the profile supplied by the manufacturer. More information about the benefits of profiling your monitor can be found in the Working With Color Profiles and Color Management topics of Creative Suite Community Help.)

Products affected