Monitor Profile Unloading on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10

Users can sometimes have their monitor profiles unload on Windows 7

Some users have reported that their X-Rite created display profile looks great but it will be “unassigned” or “kicked out” after a period of time… after the PC goes to hibernate or standby, after restarting the PC, or simply after a certain period of time!  If a user is sure that their display profile is being un-assigned by the Windows 7 operating system, consider the following recommendations first. Although this was written for Windows 7, everything will apply except for Aero Mode… Windows 8 and Windows 10 have dropped that visual theme.

1. Be sure to be using the most current version of the X-Rite profiling application.
2. Disable Windows Defender. Open Control Panel "Windows Defender", select "Tools" > "Options" > "Administrator". Uncheck the option to "Use This Program". Select "Save" and then "Close". Restart the computer. See also: Windows Defender - Turning Off & On.
3. Disable User Account Control (UAC). Open Control Panel > "User Accounts" and select "Change User Account Control Settings". Drag the slider down to "Never Notify" and click "OK". Restart the computer. Note: it might be necessary to reinstall the X-Rite profiling software with UAC set to never notify. See also: User Account Control in Vista and Windows 7.
4. Turn off the system’s semi-transparency "Aero" desktop theme. Go to Control Panel and then open "Personalization". Scroll down to select "Windows 7 Basic" theme instead of a "Windows Aero" theme.
5. Check to see if the display’s menu has “DDC” or “DDC/CI” enabled or turned on.  If so, disable it or turn it off in the display’s menu.  Dell monitor menus tend to place “DDC/CI” in the “Other Settings” of the menu.
6. Open Control Panel and then "Color Management". 
   1. In the "Devices" tab, add a check to "Use My Settings for this Device". Make sure that the X-Rite created monitor profile is selected as the default.
   2. Click on the "Advanced" tab and check the box to "Use Windows Display Calibration" to control loading the video LUTs.
   3. If the option "Use Windows Display Calibration" is grayed out, click on "Change System Defaults" bottom left in the window. A Color Management setup window for the System Level appears. Do not apply any changes for assigned profiles here. Click on "Advanced" tab and select the option to "Use Windows Display Calibration".
   4. Select "Close" and then exit "Color Management".
   5. Restart the computer

The instructions for step #6 can also be viewed at the following web site: http://www.pusztaiphoto.com/articles/colormgmt/win7/