Color Management

Color Convert uses the PDF Press engine to perform ICC-based color space transformations. Upload your target device ICC profile (FOGRA39, GRACoL, SWOP, or custom) and convert pages from one color space to another using the correct rendering intent. Soft proofing simulates how colors will look on the target device without altering the file. Gamut warning highlights colors that fall outside the destination profile's reproducible range.

Best for:RGB → CMYK ConversionPress Profile MatchingSoft ProofingGamut CheckingColor Space Normalization
Color Management — ICC color management: convert between color spaces, soft-proof on screen, and check gamut boundaries.

Color Management

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ICC color management: convert between color spaces, soft-proof on screen, and check gamut boundaries.

Color Convert uses the PDF Press engine to perform ICC-based color space transformations. Upload your target device ICC profile (FOGRA39, GRACoL, SWOP, or custom) and convert pages from one color space to another using the correct rendering intent. Soft proofing simulates how colors will look on the target device without altering the file. Gamut warning highlights colors that fall outside the destination profile's reproducible range.

Best for:RGB → CMYK ConversionPress Profile MatchingSoft ProofingGamut CheckingColor Space Normalization
How It Works

Color Convert uses the PDF Press engine to perform ICC-based color space transformations. Upload your target device ICC profile (FOGRA39, GRACoL, SWOP, or custom) and convert pages from one color space to another using the correct rendering intent. Soft proofing simulates how colors will look on the target device without altering the file. Gamut warning highlights colors that fall outside the destination profile's reproducible range.

Source Profile:The color space your document currently uses. Most screen-designed PDFs are sRGB. If your file is already CMYK (from InDesign/QuarkXPress), select the matching CMYK profile here.
Destination Profile:The target device ICC profile. Ask your print provider for their specific profile. Common choices: FOGRA39 (EU coated), GRACoL 2006 (US sheetfed), SWOP (US web), Japan Color 2001 Coated.
Rendering Intent:How out-of-gamut colors are mapped. Perceptual: best for photographic images (maintains relative color relationships). Relative Colorimetric: best for spot colors and logos (preserves exact colors that are in-gamut).
Rasterize DPI:Resolution of the pixel-based conversion. 300 DPI is standard for commercial print. 150 DPI is faster for proofing. 600 DPI for high-detail work: dramatically increases processing time and file size.
Color Management — full app view showing options and imposed result

Color Management tool applied. Options panel on the left, imposed result on the right. Click to zoom.

Options Guide
ICC Profile

Upload and manage ICC/ICM profiles for color-accurate transformations.

Upload .icc or .icm files from your print provider or download standard profiles (e.g., FOGRA39 for European coated offset, GRACoL 2006 for US sheetfed, SWOP for US web offset, ISO Coated v2 for general commercial). CMYK profiles are not bundled due to licensing: you must upload your own. The built-in sRGB profile covers standard screen color. Multiple profiles can be loaded simultaneously.

Color Transform

Configure the source and destination profiles and rendering intent for the conversion.

Source Profile: the color space your document is currently in (usually sRGB for screen-designed files). Destination Profile: the target device profile to convert into. Rendering Intent: how out-of-gamut colors are handled:Perceptual (compresses all colors proportionally, best for photos), Relative Colorimetric (preserves in-gamut colors exactly, clips out-of-gamut, best for logos/brand colors), Saturation (maximizes saturation, best for charts/graphics), Absolute Colorimetric (preserves colors exactly including paper white simulation, best for proofing). Rasterize DPI: resolution for the pixel-based conversion:300 DPI for print, 150 DPI for proofing speed.

Soft Proofing

Preview how colors will appear on the target device without modifying the file.

Soft proofing renders the preview through the proofing profile to simulate the target output device on your monitor. This is non-destructive: only the canvas preview changes, not the PDF data. Simulate Paper White: accounts for the paper stock's whiteness: important for uncoated stocks where "white" is actually cream/gray. Accurate soft proofing requires a calibrated monitor (ideally with a hardware calibrator like an i1Display or SpyderX).

Gamut Warning

Highlight colors in the preview that cannot be reproduced by the destination profile.

Out-of-gamut colors are replaced with a solid warning color (default: bright green) in the preview so you can see exactly which areas will lose saturation or shift hue during conversion. This is preview-only: the PDF is not modified. Requires a destination profile to be set. Common problem areas: saturated blues/greens in RGB that can't be reproduced in CMYK, and neon/fluorescent colors.

Pages

Specify which pages to process using a range expression.

Examples: 'all' = every page. '1-5' = pages 1 through 5. '1,3,5' = specific pages. '1-10 odd' = odd pages 1-9. '2-20 even' = even pages 2-20. 'last' = last page. 'last-2' = third from last. Ranges are 1-based. Combine with commas: '1-5, 8, 12-15'.

Expert Tip

Convert RGB sources to CMYK using your press profile (FOGRA39 for European coated, GRACoL for US sheetfed) before imposition. This keeps colour consistent across all pages.

Converting CMYK-to-CMYK with mismatched profiles will shift your colours. Only re-profile when you are actually changing the target press condition.

Used in Recipes

Comic Book Signatures

Comic book or graphic novel imposed in saddle-stitch or perfect-bound signatures.

Preflight
Convert to CMYK
Impose booklet
Add trim marks

Photo Book

Lay-flat photo book with flush-mount or perfect binding.

Preflight
Color convert
Impose signatures
Add trim marks

Corrugated Packaging

Large-format corrugated box or display printed on flatbed or flexo.

Flexo distortion
Color convert
Add marks

Print-Ready Preparation

Standard pre-flight and preparation workflow for incoming files.

Preflight check
Color convert
Optimize

Flexo Distortion

Pre-distort artwork for flexographic plate mounting on cylinders.

Apply distortion
Convert to flexo profile
Add registration

Try Color Management in your browser

PDF Press runs entirely client-side. Upload a PDF, apply Color Management, and download the result — no upload to a server, no sign-up required.

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