Remove a color cast from a photo

Learn how to correct a color cast in Adobe Lightroom.

Published December 15, 2025

00:01

Introduction

In this video, you're going to learn how to remove unwanted color cast from your photos using Lightroom CC.

There are several reasons why your photos can have a color cast: The settings in your camera, the lighting conditions and even the time of day can all affect the color of the light in your photos.

Regardless of the reason, removing color cast is a common problem that you can quickly fix in Lightroom CC in several ways.

For this video, you can follow along with any image that has a color cast, or you can download the photo that I will be using from the Adobe page for this tutorial.

Once you have downloaded and imported the file, you will see it in the photo grid.

Select it, then click on the Edit button.

Expand the Color panel by clicking on it.

00:45

Understanding color cast and white balance controls

Here, you will find powerful controls to adjust the white balance in your photos.

Removing a color cast or white balancing an image can be done by manually adjusting the Temp and Tint sliders.

The workflow is straightforward.

01:00

Correcting color cast with temperature and tint sliders

Start with the Temp slider to compensate for the color temperature.

Then use the Tint slider to neutralize any remaining green or magenta tints.

Let me show you how this works by removing the unpleasant yellow color cast in this photo.

By the way, feel free to make any adjustments that look good to your eye, it's not necessary to use the same values that you see on screen.

The Temp slider controls the temperature, the balance between blue and yellow.

You can drag the Temp slider to the left to cool the image.

In other words, you're adding blue to compensate for the yellow color cast.

The image looks much better now.

But if you look closely, you will see a slight purple or magenta tint.

It's more noticeable here in the bright areas.

To reduce this tint, you can drag the Tint slider to the left to add green to compensate for the extra magenta.

Although these sliders are actually powerful, sometimes it could be difficult to know where to start or how to adjust them.

Lightroom CC offers several presets that you can use

02:06

Using white balance presets for quick corrections

to quickly white balance a photo.

The presets are available through this drop-down.

If you're working with RAW images, the drop-down will display the same preset names that you will find on your camera for setting white balance.

Non-RAW files have already been processed and compressed, giving you less information to work with and you will only have three options: As Shot, Auto and Custom.

As Shot is the default settings.

You can use this option to reset your sliders.

Auto is an automatic white balance correction where Lightroom CC determines the best settings for your photo.

In some cases, you may need to fine tune the Temp and Tint sliders to improve the adjustment.

And finally, Custom is any setting that is different than the previous two.

I'll reset the Temp and Tint sliders by selecting As Shot.

Perhaps the best tool for removing a color cast from your photos

03:01

Removing color cast with the white balance selector

is the White Balance Selector, often referred to as the Eyedropper Tool.

You can select it by pressing W on the keyboard or clicking on the Eyedropper icon.

The Eyedropper Tool is very easy to use.

All you need to do is find an area that should be a neutral gray and click on it.

The challenge is finding something in your photo that should be a neutral gray.

Start by analyzing your photo and think of what in your photo should be grey and not have a color cast.

Avoid pure white areas like specular highlights.

In this image, we have a lot of options.

Several of these cups and lids should be a neutral grey.

I'll click on the side of this cup and Lightroom CC, will move the Temp and Tint sliders to a position where they white balance the selected grey.

Click on the Show Original icon to see the before image and click again to see the after.

If you're unhappy with your result, you can click on another area or fine tune the sliders.

Remember that these adjustments are all subjective, so it's up to you to decide how the image should look.

04:10

Fine-tuning and creative color adjustments

Also, you could use these controls to add creative adjustments.

For example, you could enhance or even add a yellow color cast to any of your photos such as a photo of a morning landscape.

Now that you know how to remove unwanted color cast using Lightroom CC, go ahead and try these techniques out with your own photos.

What you learned: How to correct a color cast

A color cast is a color tint over your photo. Color casts can be caused by several factors, including the settings on your camera, the lighting conditions, and even the time of day.

Use the Temp and Tint sliders

To remove a color cast manually, drag the Temp slider to the left to cool your photo or drag it to the right to warm it.
If you have a green or magenta tint, use the Tint slider to offset it. Drag the tint slider to the left to add green or drag it to the right to add magenta.

White balance a photo automatically

Use the White Balance presets drop-down menu to apply an automatic white balance adjustment.
Choose Auto to let Lightroom determine the best white balance settings for your photo.

Use the White Balance Selector

The White Balance Selector, often called the eyedropper tool, can remove a color cast with one click. Click the eyedropper icon to select the tool. Then click an area in your photo that you think should be neutral gray.

Presenter: Jesus Ramirez
Photographer: Billy Delfs

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