Installation, licensing, and troubleshooting

Installing and updating, the free trial and license, files that won't open, a preview that won't render, starting a photo over, and how to reach us.

Install and update

On Windows, download the current build from the site and run the installer. On the first launch, Windows SmartScreen may show a warning; if it does, choose More info, then Run anyway. Tone Caliper runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit).

On macOS, download the disk image, open it, and drag Tone Caliper to your Applications folder. Tone Caliper requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later on an Apple Silicon Mac.

Tone Caliper checks for updates on launch and asks before installing one. When an update is available you'll see an Update available dialog; choose Install & restart to apply it.

Your free trial and license

The trial is the complete app for 14 days, with full editing and full-resolution export. When the trial ends, editing and export lock until you activate a one-time license key, which unlocks the app on up to three computers.

Start the trial with an internet connection: the app reaches the server once to begin, then it works offline. For current pricing, use Buy a license in the app or see the pricing page.

1. Open Settings, License. Open Settings from the gear in the top-right corner, then the License section.

2. Paste your key. Keys from your purchase email look like TCAL-…. Paste it into the field.

3. Activate. Choose Activate. The app confirms and unlocks.

4. Moving computers? On the old computer choose Deactivate on this machine to free a seat, then activate the new one. If a computer dies before you can deactivate it, email support and we'll free the seat.

Files that won't open

Tone Caliper opens JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIF, and camera RAW from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Panasonic, Olympus/OM System, Pentax, and Adobe DNG (including Apple ProRAW, Ricoh GR, and DJI). A few RAW formats aren't supported — Samsung SRW, Sigma X3F, Nikon Coolpix NRW, and Nikon's High Efficiency (HE/HE*) compressed NEF from the newest bodies — and files in those formats are skipped rather than shown as broken thumbnails, so a folder of them can look empty. For the full list, see Exporting and supported files.

On Windows, HEIC and HIF rely on Microsoft's HEVC/HEIF Media Extensions. If a HEIF image won't open, you'll see a message that the extensions are missing; installing them from the Microsoft Store fixes it. On macOS, HEIF opens natively — there is nothing to install.

When the preview is black

If the photo panel is black while the color wheel still works, the app couldn't start GPU rendering and says so on the canvas. Updating your graphics drivers is the usual fix, and it also helps if rendering feels sluggish.

Starting a photo over

To undo an experiment, Reset all returns the current photo to how it came in. Reset all is itself undoable, and your original file on disk is never written to. Many individual controls also reset on a double-click. If the app reports Catalog not found, the catalog file has moved: choose Retry, use Locate… to point at it, or Start a new catalog.

Report a bug or reach us

The Beta feedback button in the bottom bar sends straight to the developer. Pick Bug, Idea, or Other, describe what happened, and optionally leave an email for a reply. Before it sends, it shows exactly what's attached; your photos never leave your computer. You can also reach us at support@tonecaliper.com.