At what age does the iris typically set its color?

The typical age range when the iris sets its color is between 3 to 6 months. During this period, the amount of melanin—pigment that determines the color of the iris—begins to stabilize, which affects the final color of the eyes.

Newborns often have bluish-gray eyes because melanin is not fully developed at birth. As the child's exposure to light increases and their body produces more melanin, the eye color may change. By the time a baby reaches about 6 months of age, the eye color generally settles, allowing caregivers to see the definitive color that the eyes will have into early childhood.

This physiological process is influenced by genetics as well, which determines how much melanin is produced, but the window of 3 to 6 months is key for when most changes in eye color occur and start to stabilize.