Easily Convert RGB to CMYK with Illustrator

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to convert RGB to CMYK with Illustrator. This only requires a few clicks, but some manual adjustments will need to be made after the conversion. You’ll see what I mean moving forward.

If you’ve ever designed something to be printed, your print shop will likely require a document in CMYK color format, even though most design software uses RGB format by default.

In short, RGB is a color format that is intended for use on screens and digital displays. RGB colors are generated using light. CMYK is a color format intended for print. CMYK colors are generated using ink.

Ink cannot generate as many colors as light can, so it’s common for RGB documents to be using colors that are not within the range of what can actually be printed. This is why your print shop will decline to print your document if it’s in RGB format. This is a common problem for us Inkscape users.

When designing for print, you should always start out in CMYK mode. If you’ve already created your design then you’ll need to switch it from RGB to CMYK.


Intro song: "In Da Mood" by Combustibles, used with written permission

[kelyrin-douceuretdessin]

OMG I've been scratching my head for trying to find a workflow that would ensure that I don't get such a big discrepancy when I make a palette/logo in RGB then need to convert it to CMYK !!!! Thank you so so so so much !!!!

[digitalartist]

You solved one of my biggest problems. Thank you.

[stephs]

I went on Adobe Color and found a cool color palette in their explore page. I used the CMYK color codes and put them in my document but it looks off, dull compared to the original colors. I used their RGB color codes and those seem better but the corresponding CMYK codes don't match the ones I was given. I am going to use the RGB codes and hit that exclamation to give me the best colors. THANK YOU!!!

[randallpaints]

You may have helped me with a huge problem. We use a lot of Yellow, Blue, Red in the designs for the company I work for. The guy before me design everything in RGB to get brightness not caring about how cmyk works with printing!!

[SilviaHumbert]

Thank you so much! Super helpful and so well explained. :)

[QUANTUMcustomization]

new knowledge on adobe illustrator. Thanks!

[ana-mariamarcu]

Thank you for the detailed explanation

[Akikosmik]

Thank you so much! this helped me a lot, I subscribed as well <3

[nemosthebandit]

How do you adjust the colors when they aren’t selectable circles on their own Layer?

[md.salauddin]

Thank you so much sir for this helpful video

[muh.rezafahlevi]

Nice brother, from me in 2021
"Thanks!!!"

[anuraggoswami]

Thanks a lot. I was struggling with colours since long. I must have an RGB printer that can print exact colours 😶

[minjipark]

I HAVE A QUESTION. If the different color modes are meant to look different on screen because of what u explained..then why bother to change CMYK colors manually to get the closest brightest RGB color? When you print it, wouldnt it look like how you saw ur rgb color on screen but on a "printed " version?

[ashiqurrahman]

Many thanks, you
solved my problems

[lola]

How to do the same to gradient colors?

[lakuninggeni]

in some book of color index (example: Joen Wolfrom's book), they display one color could use both cmyk/rgb. Example: color of aqua green use C100 M0 Y76 K12 and if workspace using RGB then the code is R94, G161 B105. Can you tell me how to exactly know both RGB and CMYK code in one color like that?

[ShredPerspectivesWorks]

wow ;v but how i can change black color C50 M50 Y50 K 100? i have rgb background and some normal vectors (vectors need C0 M0 Y0 K100) on this.

[sirjhucel]

What should i do if im dealing with a finished illustration? How can i correct the colors? Please help me😊😊😊

[MonsterQraw]

Muchas gracias, amigo, me ayudaste mucho.

[RahulSharma-mokr]

Thank you Nick for such a great simple video, Can I ask do you need to manually adjust all the colours?

Cheers.