How do I install an ICC profile?

Updated on 17 September 2026

You want to create colour-accurate print files and need the ISO Coated v2 (ECI) colour profile for this? Then the ICC profile first has to go onto your computer and then into your graphics program. In this guide, we show you step by step how to install an ICC profile on Windows and macOS, how to set it in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, CorelDRAW and Affinity, and what to do if it is missing from the list.

Why a colour profile?

The answer is simple: the printer prints in the ISO Coated v2 (ECI) colour space, or rather in our own colour profile, which is based on the ISO Coated v2 profile. Accordingly, you get the best print result with a vector-based PDF in the CMYK colour space with the ISO Coated v2 (ECI) colour profile.

An ICC profile is a small file with the extension .icc or .icm. The file describes which colours a device or a printing process can reproduce. Your graphics program uses it to convert the colours of your file into the right colour space and shows them on screen as closely as possible to how they will come out in print. ICC stands for International Color Consortium, the association that defined this standard. We explain why colours look different on screen than in print in RGB to CMYK.

Which profile you need depends on the product:

• ISO Coated v2 (ECI) for Standard DTF, Blockout DTF and UV DTF.
• ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI) for sublimation. This profile limits the total ink coverage to 300 per cent.
• Always in the CMYK colour space. Set up white as CMYK 0/0/0/0. For DTF, you can mix black from all colours; for sublimation, set it up as CMYK 0/0/0/100.

You do not need to create your own ICC profile for this.

So how do I install a colour profile?

If you do not have the profile yet, you can download it here: ISO Coated v2 (ECI) for Standard DTF, Blockout DTF and UV DTF, ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI) for sublimation. Unzip the ZIP file and install the profile once in the operating system, and after that your graphics programs find it by themselves.

Download colour profile for DTFDownload colour profile for sublimation

Windows

1. Unzip the folder if you received the profile as a ZIP file.
2. Right-click the ICC file and choose ‘Install Profile’. If you do not see this option in Windows 11, first click ‘Show more options’.
3. Alternatively, copy the file into the folder C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\color.
4. Restart your graphics program.

macOS

1. Unzip the folder if necessary.
2. Copy the colour profile into /Library/ColorSync/Profiles to make it available to all users of your Mac.
3. Or copy it into /Users/[user name]/Library/ColorSync/Profiles to make it available to you only.
4. Restart your graphics program.

If you cannot find the Library folder, it is just hidden:

1. Open the Finder.
2. Click ‘Go’ in the menu bar at the top while holding down the Option key.
3. The menu expands, and ‘Library’ appears in the middle.
4. Then open ‘ColorSync’ and ‘Profiles’.
5. Paste the profile there.

It is quicker via Go > Go to Folder. Enter ~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles there and you land directly in the right folder.

Setting the colour profile in your graphics program

After installing it, set the profile in your program, ideally before you start designing. The menus are named slightly differently depending on the version, but the settings behind them are the same.

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign

For a new file:

1. Open Edit > Color Settings.
2. Under Working Spaces, choose ‘ISO Coated v2 (ECI)’ for CMYK, or ‘ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI)’ for sublimation.
3. Under Color Management Policies, tick ‘Ask When Opening’. The program will then ask you whenever you open a file with a different profile or without a profile.
4. Confirm with OK and create your file in CMYK colour mode.

For an existing file:

• Photoshop: Convert the file to ISO Coated v2 (ECI) via Edit > Convert to Profile. Then check the colours and touch them up where they have become dull.
• Illustrator: Switch to CMYK Color via File > Document Color Mode. When saving as Adobe PDF, set Color Conversion under Output to ‘Convert to Destination’ and choose ISO Coated v2 (ECI).
• Convert, do not assign: In every program, choose converting. ‘Assign Profile’ does not change the colour values, only how they are interpreted. Your file may look noticeably different afterwards.

Tip for several Adobe programs: If the dialog says ‘Unsynchronized’ at the top, your programs are working with different colour settings. Save your settings via ‘Save’ under your own name in the suggested folder. In Adobe Bridge, then choose Edit > Color Settings, select your setting and click ‘Apply’. This way, they apply equally in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

The image shows you the colour settings in Illustrator with ISO Coated v2 (ECI) as the CMYK working space.

CorelDRAW

• New files: Open Tools > Color Management and, on the Default tab, choose ISO Coated v2 (ECI) as the CMYK profile.
• Existing file: Under Tools > Color Management, switch to the Document tab, activate ‘Convert (preserve colour appearance)’ and set CMYK to ISO Coated v2 (ECI).

In older versions, you can find the same settings under Tools > Color Management > Default Settings and Document Settings.

Affinity

• New file: When creating it, choose the colour format CMYK and the colour profile ISO Coated v2 (ECI) on the Colour tab. To make the profile your default, set it in the settings under Colour.
• Existing file: In the document settings, choose ISO Coated v2 (ECI) on the Colour tab and click ‘Convert’, not ‘Assign’.

Canva and other programs

Canva works with pixels and in RGB. For DTF printing, you therefore download your design as a PNG with a transparent background. We do not change any colour values. However, an RGB file or a PNG is converted to CMYK for printing. Bright colours may look slightly duller as a result.

If you use a different program, you will usually find the profile in its colour settings. Exporting your files correctly shows you how to save your file correctly afterwards, for every program.

Profile missing from the list?

You have installed the profile, but your program does not show it? These are the most common reasons:

• Program not restarted. Newly installed profiles only appear after you close the program once and open it again.
• Folder still zipped. Install the ICC file, not the ZIP folder. So unzip it first.
• Different name in the list. In the program, the profile appears under its name ISO Coated v2 (ECI). The file name may be different.
• Shortened list. Adobe programs initially only show their standard profiles for the working spaces. You can see all installed profiles if you choose ‘Advanced Mode’ (Illustrator and InDesign) or ‘More Options’ (Photoshop) in the Color Settings dialog.
• Wrong folder. Check whether the file really is in the color folder (Windows) or in ColorSync/Profiles (macOS).

Planning colours reliably with the colour chart

No screen can show you reliably how your print will look. So if a colour has to be exactly right, take it from a real print. Our DTF colour chart comes on a roll with 964 colour swatches, each labelled with its CMYK value. All 964 colour values are also available for reference as a PDF download. It is printed as a real DTF transfer with ISO Coated v2 (ECI).

Press the colour chart onto a black textile. Every DTF transfer is backed with white, so the colour impression shows true against a black background. Judge the shade on the pressed print, not on the monitor, and enter the CMYK value of the matching swatch in your file for shades.

For glass, metal, smooth plastic and other smooth, hard surfaces, there is the UV DTF colour chart, as the same value can look slightly different there than on textiles. A mini colour chart is also included in the Sample Pack, together with test prints of our products. You can read how to find the right CMYK value on the colour chart in CMYK colour fan for DTF: colour chart with 964 colour values.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I get the ISO Coated v2 (ECI) colour profile?

Download it here: ISO Coated v2 (ECI) for DTF and ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI) for sublimation. You only need to install it once.

Which colour profile do I need for sublimation?

ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI). It limits the total ink coverage to 300 per cent. If there is too much ink on the sheet, the print can dry more slowly and smudge. You install and select it in exactly the same way as ISO Coated v2 (ECI).

What is the difference between ‘Assign Profile’ and ‘Convert to Profile’?

When converting, your program recalculates the colour values for the new profile so that your design looks as similar as possible. When assigning, the colour values stay the same and only the profile changes, so the colours can look noticeably different afterwards. For your print files, you therefore always choose converting.

How can I see in advance whether the colours are right?

In Photoshop and Illustrator, choose Working CMYK under View > Proof Setup. With View > Proof Colors, you switch the print preview on and off. This preview is only reliable on a calibrated screen. Only a real print is binding, which is what our colour chart is for; you can find out more above in the Colour chart section.

Do I also need the profile for PNG files?

Not for the PNG itself. A PNG only supports RGB and cannot carry a CMYK profile, so it is converted to CMYK for printing. If you want to work with ISO Coated v2 (ECI), save your print file as a PDF.

Do I have to create an ICC profile myself?

No. We already have our own customised profile for our DTF transfers. Simply create your file in the CMYK colour space with the standard ISO Coated v2 (ECI) profile. That is all you need.

Why do my colours look paler in print than on screen?

Your screen emits light itself, while printing ink absorbs light. This is why colours always look somewhat brighter and more vivid on screen. In addition, every screen displays colours slightly differently, depending on its type, brightness and settings. Only a real print is binding, and that is what our colour charts are for.

Can I use Pantone or HKS colours?

No, we print exclusively in CMYK. Spot colours such as Pantone or HKS lead to colour deviations. Pick the matching swatch on the colour chart and enter its CMYK value in your file.

Want to be on the safe side? You can add the Pro File Check to your order. We then check the format, the colour mode with colour profile and the main transparency of your gang sheet before production. The resolution and transparency within your design are not included. The Pro File Check is not available for express, Designer and single design orders. If the installation still does not work, our customer service will be happy to help, by phone on +49 2163 9518930 from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 16:00 (German time).

Setting up print files correctlyView the Pro File CheckContact customer service

Also useful: FAQ and the Sample Pack with a mini colour chart.

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Wishing you every success with your projects,

DTF-King Team