Check if a PDF is CMYK or RGB
See which color types your PDF uses (CMYK, RGB, grayscale or spot colors) and find solid colors with very heavy ink.
Checked entirely in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded.
RGB vs CMYK in plain terms
Screens make color by mixing red, green and blue light (RGB). Printing presses mix cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks (CMYK). Inks can't reproduce every screen color, so RGB files get converted before printing. When the printer does the conversion, you don't control how bright colors shift.
Where RGB hides
- Photos and screenshots placed in the design.
- Shapes or text colored with hex codes in web-based design tools.
- Drop shadows, glows and other transparency effects.
- Pasted charts or logos from other documents.
The report lists the pages where RGB appears and whether it's in images or in shapes and text.
Spot colors
Spot colors, such as Pantone colors, are printed with a specific pre-mixed ink. They're great when you've paid for that ink, but on a normal CMYK job they're converted, and the result can differ from the swatch. The check lists spot color names so you can confirm they're intended.
Converting properly
- Canva: download as PDF Print with the CMYK color profile (paid Canva plans).
- InDesign or Illustrator: export with PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 and the output profile your printer recommends (for example GRACoL or FOGRA).
- Affinity: set the document color format to CMYK with your printer's profile, or export with a PDF/X preset.
Questions
Why doesn't the tool convert RGB to CMYK for me?
Accurate conversion depends on your printer's press, paper and color profile. A generic conversion can shift colors in ways you won't see until the job is printed. It's safer to convert in your design app with the profile your printer provides, or let the printer convert it.
Is RGB always a problem?
No. Many online printers accept RGB and convert it for you. The main risk is that very bright colors (vivid blues, greens, oranges and pinks) come out duller. If your printer requires CMYK, the check can mark RGB as a problem: tick “My printer requires CMYK”.
What is total ink coverage?
It's the sum of the cyan, magenta, yellow and black percentages in a color. A rich black like 75/68/67/90 adds up to 300%. Printers limit this, often to around 300% (less on uncoated paper), because heavy ink can smudge or dry slowly.