Can't change Illustrator default black color from 231f20 to 000000

[NWD Robbie]

I've been having this issue for a long time and it's something I've always either not notice or worked around, but it's become incredibly frustrating lately and I can't seem to find a solution to my problem.

Here is my problem:

• I start a new document in CMYK.
• Default fill is ffffff (white), default stroke is 231f20 (grayish black)

This gets applied to any shape I create. When I start using the text tool, the default is a fill of 231f20 and a stroke of ffffff.

Is there any way I can change all default black colors to 000000? I have not yet been able to find a single solution that will solve this problem for new documents or shapes I create, meaning that I have to change the black color a million different times for every project to avoid using any 231f20.

I believe this has been a problem for me with every version of illustrator, mac or pc, since CS6.

Please let me know if you need any additional info.

[mjbelt]

Try these steps:

1. Set your preferred Fill & Stroke.

2. Open the Graphic Styles panel; Window > Graphic Styles.

3. Click the New Graphic Style button.

4. Hold Alt/Opt key and drag the new style onto the default style.
(The default style is the one having a miniature Fill/Stroke symbol in the lower left corner).

Now, pressing 'D' will change all selected objects to the new default style.

[NWD Robbie]

This was one of the threads I had found during my research. Unfortunately it works for converting previous shapes and text to 000000, but it reverts back to 231f20 as soon as I create a new text box. It also does not transfer across documents, so if I create a new document I would have to go through the whole process again.

What's even more weird is that I just noticed that when I change an object from 231f20 to 000000, it actually appears to become a lighter color than when it was 231f20.

[Monika Gause]

If you want Black #000000, then what business has CMYK in this?

[rphils6]

Well, I generally use the color picker in the toolbar to select my fill and stroke, and even in a CMYK document it uses RGB values. So if I want something to have a black fill I will select the object, open the fill box, and drag the color picker over to the bottom left corner until the # says 000000. However, if I look at the actual color window, it is not displayed as 100% K.

Below is a photo comparing the way that I choose a black color (left) vs. what the color window shows me (right).

I'm sure I am missing something here and my apologies if I've just been selecting colors incorrectly my whole life. If anyone has a suggestion on a better way to choose colors in a CMYK document I would love to hear it.

[Leanne5CE2]

I am having this same exact issue years later in 2021 and still no fix from Adobe.

[Doug A Roberts]

This issue was caused by a user trying to apply RGB values in a CMYK document. What fix are you expecting?

[Guest]

Thank you mjbelt. Excellent work around this "not pure black" problem.

[Monika Gause]

There is no workaround.

When you want to use black #000000 then you have to use RGB document color space.

[Michael J. Hoffman]

Is it possible you’re using a template that was originally created in RGB and converted to CMYK?

See this thread: Illustrator Keeps Changing My 100k Black Values To 4 Colors

Mike

[NWD Robbie]

Hey Mike,

Unfortunately not. This happens whether I start a completely new document from scratch (set to CMYK from the beginning) or whether I use a "print" template that Illustrator has that is also rooted in CMYK,

[Ton Frederiks]

Look at CMYK values in a CMYK document.

Your black is 100% K.

You are looking at the RGB equivalent of a 100% black ink, which is never as black as an RGB 000 black

If you want RGB blacks , start with an RGB document.

[rphils6]

Hi Ton, thanks for the explanation. Please see my post above for further explanation of my problem - I would love to hear your suggestion on what I should do for CMYK documents. Leave the value at 000000 and accept the CMYK values as they are? Manually change the CMYK values to 0%, 0%, 0%, 100% K every time?

Thank you for your help!

[Monika Gause]

Please learn about print production.

Black in Print production should be 100% K for small text.

If you need a rich black, select with caution depending on the stock and the process.

[rphils6]

Thanks for the help Monika, it seems I do need to learn more about print production.

[BoxHouse]

Gee, I wish I'd thought to "learn about print production" prior to spending 25 years doing exactly that.  If you don't want to answer a question, then don't.  But answering with a smug (and wrong) non-answer is annoying.  The simple fact is that when people think of black, they want "black", not "a dark grey approximating black".  The values Illustrator gives for "black" is c: 70%, M:67%, Y:64%, and k: 74%.  That's not black.  I don't think it's black, and my clients don't think it's black.  So much like the original poster, I have to go in EVERY TIME and set it to k: 100%.  And you know what? It's not up to you to decide if I'm doing it "the wrong way".  When I send a proof to a client and they see grey instead of black, they really don't care about "learning print production".  They care about whether it's black or not.

[Monika Gause]

---

@BoxHouse  schrieb:

So much like the original poster, I have to go in EVERY TIME and set it to k: 100%.  

---

If you want a document for print, then use a New document profile that is suitable for print. 

And before you berate me, please read the question I was answering. And maybe read the whole thread, because the answer is already in it.

[John Mensinger · Accepted solution]

rphils6  wrote

I would love to hear your suggestion on what I should do for CMYK documents. Leave the value at 000000 and accept the CMYK values as they are?

No. if you're working in CMYK, stop worrying about the hexadecimal values. Leave your black at the default Print profile values of 0|0|0|100 (with the correct equivalent 231F20 if you insist on looking at it). If you set it to 000000 your black becomes an undesirable mix: 75|68|67|90. Small text will not register and print well in that mix.

Manually change the CMYK values to 0%, 0%, 0%, 100% K every time?

That's the default. You don't have to change anything.

[rphils6]

Thank you, I have a much better understanding of everything now!

[BoxHouse]

That's not the default.   I will include a screen shot so you can see what he was actually asking about.  I'm not sure why people are spreading disinformation about something that anyone wh uses Illustrator regularly can easily see for themself.  The bottom line is: the question asked was "How do I set the default black, and not #231f20 grey".   No amount of oddly condescending "git gud" or "learn2Illustrator" comments will ever change that fact.  And yes, CMYK will, in fact, support k:100%.  This isn't a color space issue.  Nor is it an RGB vs CMYK or a Greyscale issue.  The issue is that the default black should be black, and it isn't.

[Monika Gause]

The default black swatch in a CMYK document is 100 K

The default black swatch in an RGB document is RGB 000

If that is not what you are getting, then you are making a mistake when setting up your document. The swatches are already in those New document profiles. So when you are using a preset from the Web, Film, Illustration or Mobile category and then switching it to CMYK, then you get what you are showing.

[Robert________]

Ive been having the same issue as @BoxHouse for a long time. In an RBG document the default black is #231f20. I need to manually adjust it every single time

[Monika Gause]

You need to create the RGB document from a pure RGB new document preset (anything else than "Print"). If that's not what you are doing and you are changing the color mode from the menu, then you are creating the document in the wrong way.

[arnabVADS]

The problem occurs while calculating LRV. K100 (#231F20) and C74.97,M67.92,Y67.05K90.15 (#000000) give wildly different values while calculating the LRV.

[epicbrent]

Most printers have a preferred mix for black and refer to it as rich black. I stick to 40|40|40|100 because 100% K usually prints muted blacks unless the printer or printer's RIP converts it to a rich black. This also fluctuates depending on the ICC profile for the substrate you're printing on. ALWAYS check with your printer to make sure you're getting the correct black. For RGB/sRGB 000000 is fine.