Convert before releasing image?

Forum|Forum|1 day ago
February 24, 2026
2 replies
37 views

Should an image file always be converted to profile before releasing for output (digital or print)? Or, can the image simply remain with the assigned profile? In both cases, the profile would be embedded when saved.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

This is one of the many times that the answer is “it depends.” It all depends on whether the currently embedded profile is appropriate for the intended delivery medium, which can involve whether the target delivery medium is color-managed. If those two things are true, you might not have to convert to profile. Otherwise, find out what profile it should be changed to, and then convert to that.

For example, if an image’s embedded color profile is ProPhoto RGB:

Delivery medium	Target color gamut	Convert to target gamut profile?
Web site or mobile	sRGB or no color management assumed	Yes
Web site or mobile	Color-managed web browser assumed	Not necessarily
Press, early binding workflow	Device-specific CMYK	Yes
Press, late binding workflow	Device-specific CMYK	No (will be converted at the RIP)
Print, inkjet photo	Device-specific RGB	No (will be converted by printer driver)
Video, HD	Rec.709 (sRGB-ish)	Yes
Video, UHD	DCI-P3	Yes

You can see that even within the same medium, different output workflows or standards can change how you decide to embed the profile.

Linds1234Author

Participant

Thank you! And thanks for this great chart!

So, always assign and embed (for the appropriate output), and check if it needs to be converted?

Convert if:

Output method is not color-managed
Required by press
A video file
Web image

Conrad_C

Community Expert

Yes, you could summarize it that way. But it’s still best to always check for “it depends,” on every job, because different clients and services might use different applications with different color management settings.

For example, you might not have to convert for video if the video editing application can interpret ICC profiles. This was rare in the past but becoming more common now. Until recently Adobe Premiere didn't know what to do with ICC profiles in still images so you had to convert. But now, at long last, Premiere finally supports ICC profiles by default, so as long as nobody changed those Premiere color settings, you can now actually embed whatever the current profile is and not convert.

It’s like D Fosse said: “Make no assumptions.”

D Fosse

Community Expert

No stock answer here, it depends on the output.

For web, convert to sRGB and embed the profile.

For inkjet printers, keep the document in the original color space. Conversion happens on the fly as you print, either in Photoshop or in the printer driver.

For commercial offset print, always ask the printer. Make no assumptions.

Linds1234Author

Participant

I really expected just a “yes” answer 😂 Glad I asked!

Okay, I will keep a workflow with assigned and embedded, and check if converting is needed.

Thank you!

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