Find answers to commonly asked questions about Pantone Color books.
With the October 2023 release, the last three remaining Pantone Color books (Pantone + CMYK Coated, Pantone + CMYK Uncoated, and Pantone + Metallic Coated) are removed from InDesign.
Color system manufacturers like Pantone create standardized colors for relaying color information across apps like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, primarily for print design purposes. In early 2022, Pantone changed its licensing model with Adobe, resulting in changes to how customers access Pantone color books.
Standardized pre-loaded color libraries, also known as Pantone Color books, have begun to be phased out of Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop in software updates released as of August 16, 2022.
With the October 2023 release, all the Pantone Color books are removed from InDesign. Customers who rely on Pantone colors in their creative workflows will need a Pantone license via the Pantone Connect plugin available on Adobe Exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Use of Pantone Color books in InDesign
The following scenarios will apply while using any Pantone Color books in InDesign:
- InDesign files with swatches from Pantone Color books will function as before when opened or placed in InDesign (inclusive of past or future software releases).
- InDesign files in app versions released in February 2023 and after with place-linked Photoshop files that use spot channels work as expected in InDesign when colors from Color books are no longer available.
- InDesign files in app versions released before February 2023 with place-linked Photoshop files that use spot channels render Gray/Black in InDesign when colors from Color books are no longer available.
- New InDesign files created after the October 2023 release will require a Pantone license via the Pantone Connect plugin to access Pantone Color books.