How this works

Pantone spot colors are mixed inks formulated to specific recipes. CMYK is a process-color system that reproduces colors by overprinting cyan, magenta, yellow, and black dots. Most Pantone codes have an approximate CMYK equivalent published in the Pantone+ Color Bridge guide — those are the values shown here.

The conversion is necessarily approximate: spot colors can include fluorescents, metallics, and pigments outside the CMYK gamut. For jobs where color accuracy is critical (brand colors, packaging), print the spot color instead of approximating it in CMYK.

Common questions

Why does my CMYK output look different from the Pantone chip?

Your monitor approximates the conversion in RGB. Pressroom output depends on paper, dot gain, ink film density, and proofing condition. Always proof against a calibrated reference before approving for press.

I see “PMS”, “Pantone+”, “C”, “U”… what's the difference?

“PMS” (Pantone Matching System) is the umbrella system. “C” suffix = coated paper reference, “U” = uncoated. The same Pantone code prints differently on coated vs uncoated stock, so the published CMYK approximations differ too.