Guide
Colorware setup guide
From buying a key to a tuned Rust picture in about two minutes. Everything below matches the current Colorware build.
Step by step
1. Install
- Get a key. Buy a weekly or lifetime key on colorware.cc or from a verified reseller. It arrives instantly on your order page and by email.
- Download. Go to download.colorware.cc, paste your key, click Verify, then Download. You get a single file,
colorware.exe. There's nothing to install. - Run it. Double-click
colorware.exe. If Windows SmartScreen shows a warning, click More info, then Run anyway. - Enter your key. Paste the key and continue. The first launch locks the key to this PC. A weekly key's seven days start from this first launch, not from when you bought it.
Reference
2. The controls
Every slider has its own reset button, each group has Reset section, and Reset at the bottom puts everything back to the profile's values. Changes apply instantly while Auto apply is on.
| Control | Range | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightness | −0.50 to +0.50 | +0.00 | Lifts or lowers the whole picture. Small steps go a long way. |
| Gamma | 0.50 to 2.00 | 1.00 | Contrast and midtones. Use it to pull detail out of shadows without washing out the sky. |
| Saturation | 0.00 to 3.00 | 1.50 | Colour intensity across the frame. 1.00 is the game as it ships; 0.00 is black and white. |
| Vibrance | 0.00 to 2.00 | 1.00 | Boosts muted colours more than strong ones, so grass and skin don't go neon. |
| Warmth | −1.00 to +1.00 | +0.00 | Shifts the picture towards blue (negative) or orange (positive). |
Presets
3. Profiles
Four profiles are built in. Click one to load its values, adjust the sliders, then Create profile to save your own version under its own name.
| Profile | Saturation | Brightness | Warmth | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom | 1.50 | +0.00 | +0.00 | Richer colour with nothing else changed. The starting point. |
| Cold | 1.30 | +0.00 | −0.35 | Crisp daytime picture, cleaner edges against the sky. |
| Warm | 1.30 | +0.00 | +0.35 | Long sessions, easier on the eyes. |
| Night Vision | 0.60 | +0.08 | −0.40 | Night. Lifts the dark so silhouettes and doorways show up sooner. |
Import and Export save profiles as files, so you can back them up, share them with friends, or move them to a new PC.
Rust
4. Setting it up for Rust
- Reset the in-game picture first. Put Rust's own brightness and gamma back to default, so Colorware isn't fighting them.
- Daytime: start from Custom or Cold. If the sky looks too strong, lower Saturation a little or raise Vibrance instead, which keeps grass natural.
- Night: switch to Night Vision. If it's still too dark on your monitor, raise Gamma in small steps before touching Brightness.
- Save both as your own profiles, for example "Rust day" and "Rust night", and switch with one click when the sun goes down.
- Turn on Auto apply so your profile is active the moment Colorware opens.
Shortcuts
5. Hotkeys and settings
- F9 turns every effect on or offIt works system-wide, even while the game is focused. The status badge shows Disabled (F9) while effects are off.
- Auto applyThe toggle at the bottom. When it's on, slider changes and profile switches apply instantly.
- Start with WindowsIn Settings. Colorware opens when you sign in, with your last profile active.
Extra
6. Crosshair overlay
Colorware also has a crosshair designer. Set the size, thickness and gap, pick or save presets, and turn on Show overlay in-game to draw it on top of the game. Like the colour filter, it sits on top of the screen and doesn't touch the game.
Fixes
7. Troubleshooting
Nothing changes in game
Check the status badge says Active. If it says Disabled (F9), press F9. Also make sure Auto apply is on, or click a profile again to re-apply it.
"Key locked to a different machine"
Each key works on one PC. If you've changed PC or reinstalled Windows, open a Support ticket in the Discord with your key and we'll reset it.
"Key expired"
Weekly keys last seven days from the first launch. Grab a new key or a lifetime key on colorware.cc.
"Update available"
Download the new build from download.colorware.cc and replace your old colorware.exe. Your key and profiles carry over.
Colorware won't open
Windows 10 may be missing the WebView2 runtime. Colorware tries to install it on its own. If that fails, install "Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime" from Microsoft's website and try again.
Moving to a new PC
Export your profiles first, then open a ticket for a key reset. On the new PC, download Colorware, enter your key, and import your profiles.
Still stuck? Open a ticket in the Discord, or use the Open Discord button inside the app.