How to Use Inkjet Printer Profiles: Photoshop CC / Epson / Windows

This brief tutorial will show you how easy it is to properly use a printer color profile from Photoshop CC. 

If you're not familiar, you can learn more about printer profiles and why they can be helpful.

Quick Tip:
When using a printer profile, you will tell Photoshop to be charge of color management.
This means you will be turning off the color management controls of your inkjet printer in the process.

To begin - File > Print or hit Ctrl + P on your keyboard.

The Photoshop print dialog with preview will appear. This dialog is important. Spend time to understand the available controls.

At the bottom left you will notice three check boxes. They activate a soft proof in the preview. 

The preview uses the paper profile you will choose in the steps below.

Match Print Colors - A basic soft proof showing how a print using the profile might look.

Gamut Warning - Will highlight in gray areas of an image where the colors are out-of-gamut for the paper profile.

Show Paper White - Simulates how the tone of the paper will affect the print.

Photoshop Print Dialog Setup

1 - Choose "Photoshop Manages Color" from the "Color Handling" drop down.

2 - Select the profile for your printer and paper in the "Printer Profile" drop down. This menu is arranged alphabetically. Red River profiles all start with "RR".

3 -  Rendering Intent: We recommend Relative Colorimetric for most prints. You can also try Perceptual if your results are not satisfactory. Click here for info on rendering intent.

4 - Check Blackpoint Compensation

5 - Click Print Settings to launch the Printer Preferences (print driver dialog)

1 - MEDIA TYPE - Start by setting the media type - we tell you the right setting in the instructions that come with the profile download or on the download page.

2 - Color - Set this drop down menu to Color.

3 - PRINT QUALITY - Pick your preferred print quality. With Epson printers, the "Quality" or "Level 4" setting is recommended for most print projects.

4 - MODE - Set the mode to "Off (No Color Adjustment)".

5 - Paper Size and Source - Verify or choose your paper size and feed source.

6 - Click OK - This will return you to Photoshop's print dialog. You can then click print.

=========

Older Epson printer property instructions.

Start by setting your media type - we tell you the right setting in the instructions that come with the profile download or on the download page.

Note: The Red River Paper profile name will not appear in this drop down! Only Epson paper types.

Next, Color Management should automatically be set to ICM / Off (No Color Adjustment) by Photoshop. If it is not then make your settings look like the screen grab below.

Pick your preferred print quality and paper size then click OK to go back to Photoshop. Once there click Print. That's it!

Video Tutorial Available

Watch How to Use Printer Profiles - Photoshop CC  / Epson  / Windows

Questions?

Contact us via the support center