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alisonBDD4522
Participating Frequently
June 20, 2025
Answered

Color settings management

  • June 20, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 2578 views

Hello- I have done lots of Googling but I am still very confused about mismatched color profiles. It began when I thought I sent the same art to the printer as previously, with a small type change. But, the color numbers changed when it arrived there. I am not sure what I chose (or what I am supposed to choose) when I opened it to make the edit and then re-saved it. After thought I thought I synced the profiles across CC but now I get warnings every time I open anything in InDesign or Illustrator (attaching screen shots). I have one particular file that it is important that the cmyk colors do not change when I 1) open it, then 2) cut and paste something in that file to another, and then 3) when the printer opens it. When opening do I preserve color numbers? Embedded profile? Should I sync in Bridge to North American General Purpose 2 or North America Prepress 2? I am most concerned that the colors match across print projects that I send out and that my screen shows me said colors before I send it out. Thank you for any help! !

Correct answer Ton Frederiks

Preserve numbers is what you want.

In Illustrator:

Use the embedded profile will keep the numbers, even for linked content in the file.

Discard will keep the numbers, but will ask again when you try to pick up a color from a linked file in the document.

Anyway if you don’t convert or include profiles when saving as PDF, you will keep the numbers.

2 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 21, 2025

Like Monika said, avoiding changing color profiles is generally best for CMYK documents, it keeps your blacks as 100% K and does not introduce mixed inks for 100% process colors.

If you want to attach your current CMYK profile from your Color Settings, you can do so by selecting it in Edit > Assign Profile and save the file.

This does not convert your colors and will prevent the Mismatch warning on opening.

A
alisonBDD4522Author
Participating Frequently
June 21, 2025

So don't convert, but should I always discard, or use the embeddedwhen it asks me? Do both of those 2 choices preserve the CMYK mix? Which is better? These are almost all files I have created, I never realized I was embedding any profiles in my Illustrator or InDesign files. Thank you!

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 21, 2025

Preserve numbers is what you want.

In Illustrator:

Use the embedded profile will keep the numbers, even for linked content in the file.

Discard will keep the numbers, but will ask again when you try to pick up a color from a linked file in the document.

Anyway if you don’t convert or include profiles when saving as PDF, you will keep the numbers.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 20, 2025

Please show your color settings (Advanced view)

A
alisonBDD4522Author
Participating Frequently
June 20, 2025

I did the synchronized this mornoing but it is not affecting the warning messages / choices when opening files. Thank you!!!

 

 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 20, 2025

Illustrator Color settings look OK. There shouldn't be any number conversions be happening with those settings.

 

I would discuss the color profile, because AFAIK the US Web profile is outdated. GRACOL is what is currently used. But you need to discuss with the printer.

 

When exporting a PDF for print you have another situation in which color conversions might happen. Do you regularly preflight exported PDFs with Acrobat?

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