Installing the software on Microsoft Windows

Unpacking the .zip archive:

You will need to unzip the downloaded file in the location you have chosen to hold the executable files (perhaps somewhere like \bin). I would NOT put them in \Program Files, since spaces in directory or file names and command line environments are a very bad mix, and will cause you endless problems. The archive will create a top level directory Argyll_VX.X.X, where X.X.X is the version number, and the executables will be in Argyll_VX.X.X\bin.

Making the tools accessible:

You should also configure your %PATH% environment variable to give access to the executables from your command line environment.

For Windows 8, 8.1, 10 & 11, look in
    Desktop -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System And Security -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Environment Variables

For Windows 7, look in
    Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System And Security -> System -> Change Settings -> Advanced -> Environment Variables

For Vista, look in
    Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System And Maintenance -> System -> Change Settings -> Advanced -> Environment Variables

For XP look in
    Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Environment Variables

You want to add the directory you've chosen to your %PATH%, which is a System Variable. Normally you would add this to the end of the current setting, separated by a ';'. 

 So if the current value of PATH is "%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%" and you unpacked Argyll version 3.1.0 in d:\bin\, then you would modify PATH to be "%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;d:\bin\Argyll_V3.1.0\bin", - i.e. you append the path to the Argyll binaries to your PATH, separated by the ';' character. The change will take effect when you start a new command shell, which you start from Start Menu->Accessories->Command Prompt, or Start Menu->Programs->Accessories->Command Prompt. You can check that the environment variable has been set by running the command "echo %PATH%" in the command shell.

The .zip file also contains several useful reference files (such as scanner chart recognition templates, sample illumination spectrum etc.) in the ref sub-directory, all the current documentation in a doc sub-directory, and instrument USB drivers in the usb directory.

NOTE: Vista 64/Windows 7, 8,8.1,10 & 11  64 bit and Beep prompt: Microsoft (in its infinite wisdom) has removed the built in speaker driver, and now relies on systems having a sound card and speakers's installed and turned on to hear system beeps. So if you're wondering where the beeps have gone when using chartread, now you know.

NOTE: Microsofts generic VGA Driver does not appear to support setting the graphics card VideoLUTs. You will need to install a display driver for your specific display hardware to enable this. Note also that it is possible in many cases to use Windows 7 video drivers on Windows 8 systems etc.. If you are having trouble accessing the VideoLUTs, then check in Device Manager that you are running the correct driver for your card, and not using the fallback generic driver.


NOTE that if you wish to use Argyll tools (dispwin) to control display calibration, that you will have to disable any other display calibration loader programs.

Other software that may interfere with display calibration loading and USB instrument access:

There are other programs that will interfere with calibration loading, such as igfxpers.exe that gets installed with nVidia "Optimus" technology.
You may have to disable both the igfx tray module (c:\windows\system32\igfxtray.exe) and the igfxpph Module (c:\windows\system32\igfxpph.dll) in addition to the persistence Module (c:\windows\system32\igfxpers.exe).

A good tool for this is AutoRuns. Note that the igfxpph module may exist in several locations and you have to disable all of them. Reboot after changing settings.

It has also been reported that some RGB LED driver services will interfere with USB instrument access. A known culprit is the Logitech LampArray Service which may be have been installed with Logitech software or by default in MSWindows 11. Other RGB LED drivers and services such as Gigabyte RGBFusion have also been reported as interfering with USB instrument access.  Also reported are MSI Center and SDK. You may need to identify all such services and disable or uninstall them.

Also reported to interfere with access to instruments, is TeamSpeak3. You may need to disable or upgrade to TeamSpeak5 to avoid issues.
Some services are reported to interfere with access to instruments, such as Mountain's BaseCamp.Service. You may need to disable or uninstall this service for instruments to be recognized.

Serial Instruments:

If you are using a serial connected instrument, then there is nothing special to do to enable this.

USB Instruments:

If you are using a USB connected instrument, then suitable USB system drivers may need to be installed.

Note that the Huey, i1 Display Pro, ColorMunki Display and ColorHug colorimeter appears as an HID (USB Human Interface Device Class) device, and hence will be assigned to the default MSWindows HID driver. You therefore don't need to install an Argyll usb system driver for these instruments, although it is possible to select the libusb0.sys driver as an alternative to the default HID driver.

If you are using the JETI specbos 1211, 1201, 1511, 1501 and the Klien K10A then you may need to install the FTDI Virtual COM Port Drivers (VCP), if they are not already on your system. You may have to update to the latest FTDI driver to work with the FTDI FT231XS chip that the JETI specbos 1511, 1501 use.


For all operating system versions you can install the ArgyllCMS libusb0.sys driver by navigating to your ArgyllCMS installation usb directory, and running ArgyllCMS_install_USB.exe from Windows Explorer. This will trigger a UAC prompt which you will have to agree to to proceed. You may have to re-plug an instrument for the new driver to be picked up. The driver won't be selected if you already have it being driven by another driver (see below).

To uninstall the ArgyllCMS libusb0.sys driver, navigate to your ArgyllCMS installation usb directory, and run ArgyllCMS_uninstall_USB.exe from Windows Explorer. This will trigger a UAC prompt which you will have to agree to to proceed.

If you need to update the driver because support for a new instrument has been added, then run  ArgyllCMS_uninstall_USB.exe followed by ArgyllCMS_install_USB.exe.

NOTE that if you are installing the drivers on the ARM CPU version of MSWindows, you may have to temporarily Driver Signature Enforcement using the procedure below. You may also have to temporarily disable secure boot in your UEFI BIOS to be able to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement.

To run ArgyllCMS_install_USB.exe with Driver Signature Enforcement disabled:
    Settings -> Power -> Hold Shift Key down and click "Restart" -> Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options -> Startup Settings -> Restart ->
    (After Reboot) -> "Disable Driver Signature Enforcement" (number 7 on the list)
    After system starts, run ArgyllCMS_install_USB.exe
    You can then re-boot your system to re-enable Driver Signature Enforcement.

Using Argyll drivers with existing OEM drivers:

 If you currently have applications other than Argyll accessing your (non HID) USB connected instrument, then you will have to install the Argyll driver as above, and then switch to using the Argyll driver - see below for instructions on how to do this.

If you are using a recent version of Microsoft Windows and want to often switch between using ArgyllCMS and the OEM driver, you can try using a different physical USB port for each installation, as this reportedly avoids the need to manually switch drivers.

 Jump to your operating system version for the details of how to switch drivers:

Windows 8, 8.1, 10 & 11
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP

Windows 8, 8.1, 10 & 11

To switch between drivers:
    (Plug in the instrument)
    Desktop -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager
    (Locate the instrument in the device list. It may be underneath one of the top level items.)
    Right click on instrument -> Update Driver Software... -> let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer
    (Choose either the Argyll driver or another driver from the list)
    -> Next -> Close

Windows Vista & Windows 7

To switch between drivers:
    (Plug in the instrument)
    Start -> Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager
    (Locate the instrument in the device list. It may be underneath one of the top level items.)
    Right click on instrument -> Update Driver Software... -> let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer
    (Choose either the Argyll driver or another driver from the list)
    -> Next -> Close

Windows XP

To switch between drivers:
    (Plug in the instrument)
    My Computer,  Right Click -> Manage -> Device Manager
    (Locate the instrument in the device list. It may be underneath one of the top level items.)
    Right click on instrument -> Update Driver... -> No, not this time -> Next
    ->Install from a list or specific location (Advanced) -> Next -> Don't search. I will choose the driver to install -> Next
    ->let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer
    (Choose either the Argyll driver or another driver from the list)
    -> Next -> Finish