The present principles a method and a device for encoding the colors of a point cloud (IPC) representing a 3D object. The method is characterized in that the method comprises: —obtaining (210) a set of points (SP) approximating the geometry of said point cloud (IPC); —encoding (220) a color information data indicating that the color of at least one of the point of said set of points is encoded in a bitstream and that the colors of the other points of said set of points are not encoded in the bitstream. The present principles also relates to a method and a device for decoding the colors of a point cloud.