Summary
In early 2022, Pantone changed its licensing model with Adobe. This resulted in changes to Creative Cloud users accessing Pantone color books.
Several pre-loaded color libraries, also known as Pantone Color books, were removed from Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop in software updates between August and November 2022. In the latest Creative Cloud apps, the Pantone Color books that remain are:
- Pantone + CMYK Coated
- Pantone + CMYK Uncoated
- Pantone + Metallic Coated
Graphic designers that need other Pantone colors in their Creative Cloud workflows are forwarded to the Pantone Connect plugin available on Adobe Exchange.
Since the licensing agreement between Pantone and Esko is unchanged, DeskPack users can still create Pantone swatches as described below.
Symptoms
You may get the following notification in Photoshop and Illustrator when opening a file containing PANTONE+ Solid Coated inks:
Files will still open up correctly in both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator (make sure to install the November 2022 update).
For DeskPack users
As before, DeskPack users can still do basic PANTONE color operations using the Esko Color Engine plugin:
In the Window menu, you can open Esko > Color Engine
Here you can find two options:
1] Add Ink From Ink Book: allows you to browse the PANTONE+ Solid Coated/Uncoated ink books included in the DeskPack plugins, to add any PANTONE inks to the Adobe Illustrator Swatches panel to use in the document.
2] Replace Ink: allows you to convert a certain spot color in your document into a PANTONE+ ink from the Solid Coated/Uncoated ink books
Tips & Tricks
For quick access, you can assign a keyboard shortcut to the "Add Ink from Ink Book..." command.
DeskPack Color Conversions
For more info on DeskPack related color conversions and their licensing, see:
For Studio users
As before, Studio users can still add basic PANTONE color swatches to the Adobe Illustrator's swatches panel using the Insert Operation option and choosing to add the color swatch to the Swatches panel:
- Visualizer Finishing Operations list > Add Operation
- Choose PANTONE Color to add and press OK:
- As Scope, choose to 'Add Swatch' using the automatically filled out Swatch Name:
| Article information | |
|---|---|
| Applies to | DeskPack - Color Engine plugin 22 and newer Studio - Visualizer plugin 22 and newer |
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| Last revised | |
| Author | SDME |
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