Is this image CMYK or RGB?
Drop an image to check its colour mode
Any image file, including TIFF and Photoshop
Works with JPEG TIFF PNG PSD GIF
or paste an image or link (Ctrl+V) Paste a link
How it works
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Drop your file in the box above, or tap to choose one.
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We read the information saved inside it. This takes a few seconds.
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The answer appears right away, with a link you can share and the full details if you want them.
CMYK vs RGB, in short
Screens make colour from red, green and blue light (RGB). Printers make it from cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink (CMYK). Files prepared for one often look wrong in the other.
This tool reads the colour mode from the file's structure, so the answer is exact rather than guessed from how the picture looks. It's a quick check before sending artwork to a printer or uploading it to a website.
- CMYK or RGB
- Grayscale and indexed
- Colour profile
- Bit depth
Questions and answers
How can I tell if an image is CMYK or RGB?
Drop it into the box above. The answer is read from the file itself, along with its colour profile and bit depth.
Should I use CMYK or RGB for printing?
Ask your printer. Many online printers accept RGB and convert it; professional presses often want CMYK with a specific profile.
Why does my CMYK image look strange online?
Browsers and apps handle CMYK inconsistently, so colours can shift or look inverted. Convert a copy to RGB (sRGB) for web use.
Can a PNG be CMYK?
No. PNG only supports RGB, grayscale and indexed colour. For CMYK, use JPEG, TIFF, PSD or PDF.
Does converting RGB to CMYK lose colours?
Yes, slightly. Ink can't reproduce some bright screen colours, especially vivid blues and greens, so they become a little duller.
What happens to my file?
Your file is sent over an encrypted connection, read on our servers and deleted automatically after about 24 hours. The answer is kept on a page with its own link, so you can share it. Tool result pages are never listed in search engines.