Select Window > Color > Swatches to open the Swatches panel.
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Use spot colors for printing
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to apply and manage spot color inks for commercial printing projects in Adobe InDesign.
Spot colors print as separate, premixed inks and are ideal for exact color matching or specialty effects like fluorescent or metallic finishes. They’re commonly used for branding and packaging, but each spot color requires an extra plate and adds cost. Before applying spot colors in InDesign, confirm your printer’s supported color systems, review their swatch guide, and ensure your document setup supports plates beyond CMYK.
Add a spot color swatch
Select the panel menu icon and then select New Color Swatch.
Choose the color-matching system your printer supports (such as PANTONE+ Solid Coated) in Color Mode.
Select Spot in Color Type.
Locate your desired color by entering the number from your swatch book or scrolling through the list.
Select OK to add the spot color to your Swatches panel.
The spot color now appears in your Swatches panel with a spot color icon (a circle with a dot) next to its name, indicating it will print as a separate ink.
Apply spot color to objects
Select the frame or object you want to color with the Selection tool.
Select your spot color swatch from the Swatches panel.
To apply color to the stroke instead of fill, select the Stroke icon in the Tools panel or Swatches panel, then select your spot color.
Tip
Create tint variations of your spot color by selecting the spot color in the Swatches panel, then choosing New Tint Swatch from the panel menu. Tints print on the same plate as their parent spot color.
Verify spot color separations
Select Window > Output > Separations Preview.
In the Separations Preview panel, select Separations from the View dropdown menu.
Verify your spot color appears as a separate item in the list with a printer icon next to it, indicating it will generate its own printing plate.
Select individual separations in the list to preview which elements will print on each plate.
If your document contains more spot colors than intended, or if you need to convert spot colors to process colors, use the Ink Manager before final output.
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