> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pixelate.tomblack.ca/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Color palette

> Use automatic palettes, custom palettes, or full-color output in Pixelate.

Palette settings live in the capture manager's local profile by default. Save or assign a `PixelateProfile` when you want multiple capture managers to share the same palette settings.

## Choose a palette mode

Open the **Color Palette** section on the capture manager or on a saved `PixelateProfile` asset.

| Mode                      | Use when                                                               |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Auto Generate Palette** | You want Pixelate to build a palette from the captured image.          |
| **Custom Palette**        | You already have a palette texture and want every pixel snapped to it. |
| Section unchecked         | You want full-color output without palette limiting.                   |

## Auto palette

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable color palette">
    Check the **Color Palette** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select auto generate palette">
    Choose **Auto Generate Palette**. New profiles start in this mode with **Medium** detail.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick palette detail">
    Use **Low** for `8` colors, **Medium** for `12`, or **High** for `16`. Choose **Custom** to edit **Color Count**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview">
    Check the preview before capture. Adjust detail if the output is too flat or too noisy.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<ParamField path="Color Count" type="int" default="16">
  Editable when **Palette Detail** is **Custom**. Low, Medium, and High show their fixed counts as read-only values. Minimum custom value is `1`.
</ParamField>

## Save a generated palette

After Pixelate generates a preview with auto palette enabled, review the generated palette above **Save Palette** in the **Color Palette** section. Click **Save Palette** to save a PNG palette in the export folder without changing the local or shared profile. Assign that PNG as a **Custom Palette** only when you want the profile to reuse it.

## Custom palette

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a palette PNG">
    Make a 1-pixel-tall PNG. Each pixel across the width is one palette color.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Import the PNG">
    Drag it into Unity.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set import settings">
    Select the palette texture and use sRGB color, point filtering, clamp wrap mode, no mipmaps, and no compression.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign it">
    In **Color Palette**, choose **Custom Palette** and drag the texture into **Custom Palette**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If the assigned custom palette is missing or imported with incompatible settings, Pixelate ignores it and captures without palette limiting. When Pixelate detects incompatible import settings, use **Fix import settings** below the Custom Palette field.
</Note>

## Full-color output

Uncheck the **Color Palette** section to capture without palette limiting.