colordctl

colordctl [OPTION...] { COMMAND [ARGS...] }

-h, --help
    Show help information

--version
    Display version and exit

--scope
    Filter by scope (system, user)

--user
    Filter by username

colordctl is the command-line client for the colord D-Bus service, enabling management of system-wide color profiles and devices on Linux. Colord provides a standardized way to handle ICC profiles for accurate color reproduction across displays, printers, scanners, and cameras.

This tool allows querying service status, listing and installing profiles, associating profiles with devices, and interacting with color sensors like colorimeters. It's essential for color-critical workflows in graphic design, photography, and printing, integrating with desktop environments like GNOME and KDE.

Colordctl communicates via D-Bus, requiring the colord daemon to be running (typically via systemd). Profiles are stored in standardized directories, supporting V4 ICC profiles and device linking. Common tasks include verifying calibration status or dumping sensor data for verification.

Requires running colord daemon; limited to D-Bus permissions. Some subcommands need polkit authorization. Not all hardware sensors supported.

status: Print daemon status.
profile {list, add, remove, dump}: Manage ICC profiles.
device {list, get-profile}: List/control color devices.
sensor {list, read-color}: Handle colorimeters.
icc: Import/export profiles.

colordctl status
colordctl profile list
colordctl device list

Developed by Richard Hughes starting 2010 for GNOME Color Management. Integrated into major distros by 2011; active in freedesktop.org/colord project.

colord(8), systemctl(1), dbus-send(1)