TechNote

ICC profiles in Photoshop 6.0 and later

What's covered

Using and embedding profiles in Photoshop

Hardware and software for creating monitor profiles

This record will give you a basic understanding of ICC profiles and how you can use them to get consistent and predictable color representation in Photoshop 6.0 or later.

The ICC (International Color Consortium) was established in 1993 by eight industry vendors (including Adobe Systems) for the purpose of creating, promoting, and encouraging the standardization and evolution of an open, vendor-neutral, cross-platform color management system. This group introduced the standard device profile format used to characterize color devices. (For more information about the ICC, see www.color.org .)

What is an ICC profile?

An ICC profile is a file that describes how a particular device reproduces color; that is, it describes the device's color space. ICC profiles can be created for three types of devices: a display device (monitor), an input device (a scanner or digital camera), or an output device (a printer). A profile that accurately characterizes a device gives you the best results in a color-managed wokflow.

ICC profiles can be either generic or custom. Generic profiles are created by the device manufacturer. The manufacturer creates the profile by using profiling software and instruments to examine the color characteristics of a group of the same devices under controlled conditions. The generic profile that comes with a device is not specific to that device or its working conditions.

Custom profiles describe a specific device under set working conditions. Typically, custom profiles are created by using a color measuring instrument, such as a spectrophotometer or colorimeter, and its companion software. You can also create custom display profiles by using Adobe Gamma (Windows), the Display Calibrator Assistant (Mac OS X), or ColorSync (Mac OS 9.x) to modify a generic profile for your monitor. (Adobe Gamma is a control panel that installs with various Adobe programs, including Photoshop for Windows. See the Related Documents section of this document for more information on using Adobe Gamma.) Third-party applications let you create a display profile by using a colorimeter to characterize your screen; some also let you create an input profile for your scanner and a output profile for your printer.

Using and embedding ICC profiles in Photoshop

Photoshop 6.0 and later support ICC profiles for all display, input, and output devices. Photoshop and other ICC-aware applications use profiles to produce colors more accurately, so they look consistent when printed or viewed on a different devices. Photoshop also uses profiles to better convert RGB values to CMYK and vice versa, to display images from Photo CDs with more accurate color, and to soft proof an image so you can see more accurately how it will look with different settings.

You can embed ICC profiles into any of the following RGB, CMYK, or grayscale files saved from Photoshop 6.0 or later: .psd, .eps, .tif, .jpg, .pct, or .pdf. An embedded profile remains with the file, so the device's color space information can then be read by any ICC-aware application. To embed a profile in a file, do either of the following:

In Photoshop 7.x, choose File > Save As, and select ICC Profile [profile name] (Windows) or Embed Color Profile [profile name] (Mac OS).
In Photoshop 6.x, choose File > Save As, and select Embed Color Profile [profile name].

For more information on using ICC profiles in Photoshop, see the Photoshop online help or user guide.

Where to obtain ICC profiles

Photoshop installs a selection of generic profiles for display and output devices to the following locations:

Windows XP	Windows/System32/Spool/Drivers/Color Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended
Windows 2000	Windows/System32/Spool/Drivers/Color (Photoshop 6.x) Windows/System32/Color (Photoshop 7.x) Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles (Photoshop 7.x and 6.x) Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended (Photoshop 7.x and 6.x)
Windows 98 and Me	Windows/System/Color Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended
Windows NT 4.0	Winnt/System32/Color Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended
Mac OS X	Library/ColorSync/Profiles Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Profiles Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended
Mac OS 9.x	System Folder: Color Sync Profiles System Folder: Application Support: Adobe: Color: Profiles System Folder: Application Support: Adobe: Color: Profiles: Recommended

Adobe doesn't create the profiles that it includes with its applications but distributes these profiles as a courtesy. Some service providers create color profiles for specific devices; contact the service provide to determine if they have a profile for their output device. Generic ICC profiles are usually available from the device manufacturer. Contact the manufacturer or search their Web site to obtain the generic ICC profiles. ICC profiles may also be included with other applications that handle color management, such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign.

Hardware and software for creating monitor profiles

An accurately calibrated and characterized monitor is a prerequisite for color management. Listed below are companies that make software or hardware (or both) that generates ICC profiles for an individual monitor.

ICC Profilers	URL	Software
Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation	www.agfa.com	ColorTune and ColorTune Pro
Apple Computer	www.Apple.com/colorsync	ColorSync
Chromix	www.chromix.com	Color Management, ColorThink, Profile Central
ColorVision	www.colorvision.com	Optcal, PhotoCal, Profiler RGB, Profiler CMYK, Profiler Pro, Doctor Pro
Color Savvy	www.colorsavvy.com	SavvyProfileSuite, ProfileMonitor,Savvy WiziWYG Pro
Color Solutions	www.color.com	ColorBlind Professional ColorBlind ICC
CreoScitex Corporation	www.creoscitex.com	Profile Wizard
GretagMacbeth	www.gretagmacbeth.com	EyeOne Design, EyeOne Photo, EyeOne Proof, Profile Maker Publish Pro
Kodak Polychrome Graphics	www.kpgraphics.com	ColorFlow ICC Profile Tools, ColorFlow ICC Monitor Profile Builder, ColorFlow Input Profile Builder
Monaco Systems	www.monacosys.com	MonacoProfiler, MonacoEZcolor, MonacoPROOF
Pantone	www.pantone.com	Personal Color Calibrator
PictoColor Corporation	www.picto.com	ColorSynergy, iCorrect
Praxisoft	www.praxisoft.com	WiziWYG
Sonnetech/E-Color	www.colorific.com	Colorific
Southwest Software	http://www.swsw.co.uk	Color Encore for Monitors, Color Encore ICC Input
X-Rite	www.xrite.com	ColorShop