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Participant
Oct 6, 2023 10:39 AM UTC
Question

RGB colour values change when copying an object from Illustrator to Indesign

Illustrator document colour mode IS set to RGB

Indesign document 'intent' is set to web.

Coliur setting working spaces are the same in both software.

I have used bridge to sync my adobe softwares

 

this is for Indedsign and Illustrator 2024

 

But when i copy an RGB object from Illustrator to Indesign, the values change by 1 or 2 pixels on each channel.

 

See screen shots. it's causing a real mess with brand colours i don't want to set them as spots.

 

See how in indesign the name of the swatch stays the same being named after the RGB values but the colour mix slightly changes

13 replies

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 20, 2025 12:07 PM UTC

Oh, I just realized that you are not the same commenter as the OP. You have the opposite settings. Either way, they should be harmonized with the synchronized Color Settings and both files be the same color model between the two applications. Generally, File>Place; don't drag n drop.

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Mike Witherell
Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 18, 2025 10:38 PM UTC

Since your Illustrator file is set to RGB; so should your Edit > Transparency Blend Space be RGB  for InDesign. Web intent is not the main thing.

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Mike Witherell
ArnoEnzo23364758
Known Participant
Oct 18, 2025 10:46 PM UTC

My Illustrator file is set to CMYK.

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Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 18, 2025 11:26 AM UTC

For InDesign, what is Edit > Transparency Blend Space set to? RGB right?

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Mike Witherell
ArnoEnzo23364758
Known Participant
Oct 18, 2025 10:24 PM UTC

"Document CMYK"

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Participating Frequently
Oct 18, 2025 9:07 AM UTC

I'm seeing this same thing happen also in CMYK colour space.
I'm copying an object from Illustrator with swatch specs C=38 M=70 Y=88 K=40 to Indesign and when pasted in InDesign the colour swatch has changed to C=39 M=79 Y=89 K=41).
Same colour spaces/profiles. While the difference is minimal, it IS present.

Both Illustrator and InDesign are latest versions 2025, run on Win 10.

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rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 18, 2025 10:02 AM UTC

Hi @ArnoEnz0 , Can you share or attach a sample AI and ID file with the problem

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rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 6, 2023 12:12 PM UTC

Hi @Daniel24299474wzlh , The Color Settings or assigned profiles might affect the appearance of the pasted RGB values, but shouldn’t affect the values themselves—there’s no color conversion when you paste an RGB object.

 

I can’t replicate your problem in CC2021, so it could be a bug. Have you tried resetting your caches and prefs in both apps?

 

RGB 245|97|74 in Illustrator with ProPhoto assigned:

 

Pasted into InDesign with sRGB assigned I get a mismatched appearance, but the values match:

 

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Peter Spier
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 6, 2023 11:24 AM UTC

Synching the color settings in Bridge doesn't mean that the color spaces assigned in the documents cannot be changed after creation nor would it affect any existing files. It only sets up the default conditions for new work.

Check the profiles actually assigned to each file.

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Willi Adelberger
Community Expert
Community Expert
Oct 6, 2023 10:49 AM UTC

Normally you should not copy & paste. Save ai ai and place it in InDesign. 

Do both, the ai file and the indd have the some color profile?

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Participant
Oct 6, 2023 11:11 AM UTC

Indeed they do have the same profiles. I understand that copying and pasting isn't best practise but i've not encountered this issue before.

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