Adjust duotone Overprint Colors for print

Last updated on Oct 10, 2026

Learn how to preview and adjust overprint colors in a duotone image so the on-screen display more closely matches the printed result in Adobe Photoshop on desktop.

Use the Overprint Colors dialog to preview how combined inks appear in a duotone image. Calibrate your monitor and compare the preview with printed ink samples for the most accurate results.

  • Open an 8-bit grayscale image that has been converted to Duotone mode.
  • Calibrate your monitor for accurate color preview.
  • Use a printed sample of the overprinted inks as a reference when evaluating the on-screen display.

Adjust Overprint Color display

Select Image > Mode > Duotone.

Select Overprint Colors.

Select the color swatch for the ink combination to adjust.

Select the desired color in the Color Picker, and then select OK.

Repeat steps 3–4 for additional ink combinations.

Select OK.

View individual printing plates

To verify how each ink separates for printing:

Select Image > Mode > Multichannel after specifying the ink colors.

Open the Channels panel.

Select each spot color channel to examine its printing plate.

Select Edit > Undo Multichannel to return to Duotone mode.

Make any ink distribution adjustments before converting the image to Multichannel mode. If you edit the image after conversion, you can restore the original duotone state only if it’s available in the History panel.