Matte vs glossy profiles — pick the right black ink path

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Windows 11/10, macOS (Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey), Printers, Color Management, ICC Profiles, Photography/Design

Matte vs glossy ICC profiles on Windows 10/Windows 11 or Mac — Epson, Canon, HP, Brother

Technician

Hey! Let’s dial in your print color management. Tell me your printer brand (Epson, Canon, HP), ink type (pigment or dye), and what paper you’re using (matte, glossy, baryta, RC, or fine art cotton). We’ll choose the correct ICC profile, black ink path (photo black vs matte black), and driver media setting to hit maximum DMAX and avoid metamerism or bronzing.

Customer

I’m on macOS with an Epson SureColor pigment printer. I have Epson Premium Luster and a cotton matte paper. Which profile and black ink should I pick? My matte prints look flat and blacks aren’t deep.

Technician

Flat blacks on matte are classic DMAX and paper white issues. On glossy/luster, the printer uses Photo Black (PK) for a higher DMAX, rich contrast and less grain; on matte/fine‑art, you must route through Matte Black (MK) which sits differently in the fibers and naturally has lower DMAX.
The fix is correct ICC profile + matching media type + soft proofing with paper white simulation. We’ll also check ink limiting to prevent muddy shadows on matte and gloss optimizer/chroma optimizer options on luster to reduce bronzing.

Customer

Where exactly do I select the right ICC profile on Mac, and how do I keep the driver from double-managing color?

Technician

macOS + ICC workflow (Photoshop/Lightroom/Affinity):
1) In the app, set Color Handling = Application Manages Color and choose the exact ICC paper profile (e.g., SC-P700 Premium Luster or your matte paper profile).
2) Click Print Settings → Media Type and pick the matching paper type so the driver uses the correct ink limit and black ink path (PK for luster/glossy/baryta; MK for matte/cotton/rag).
3) In the driver’s color controls choose Color Mode = Off (No Color Adjustment) to avoid double color management.
4) Soft proof with Simulate Paper & Ink to preview the lower DMAX on matte vs luster and adjust shadows using Black Point Compensation and a gentle S‑curve.

Customer

What about Windows and Canon? My colleague prints from Windows 11 in Photoshop to a Canon PRO‑1000 with baryta and glossy RC.

Technician

Windows 10/11 + Canon workflow:
• In Photoshop set Photoshop Manages Colors, pick the ICC that matches the baryta or RC glossy paper (manufacturer or lab profile).
• In the Canon driver select the exact Media Type (e.g., Photo Paper Pro Platinum / Baryta) — this enforces **Photo Black** ink, prevents banding, and optimizes ink laydown.
• Under Color Matching, choose None or ICM Off. Under Advanced, enable Chroma Optimizer if available to reduce bronzing and improve gloss differential.
• Use Relative Colorimetric with Black Point Compensation for most photos; try Perceptual for wide‑gamut images that clip on matte.

Customer

When should I switch to matte black? And does switching PK↔MK waste ink?

Technician

Use Photo Black (PK) for glossy, luster, semi‑gloss, baryta, and RC. Use Matte Black (MK) for matte, fine‑art cotton, washi, watercolor papers. Many Epson/Canon pro models auto‑switch based on Media Type; older Epson models physically purge ink when switching PK↔MK, which does consume ink. Plan your jobs by paper type to minimize switchovers.

Customer

My prints on glossy look punchy but skin tones are a bit orange under warm light. Is that metamerism? Any way to reduce it?

Technician

That’s likely metamerism interacting with the viewing light and the paper’s optical brightening agents (OBAs). Tips:
• Choose papers with low OBA for gallery work (baryta or OBA‑free matte).
• Enable chroma/gloss optimizer on glossy to reduce gloss differential and bronzing.
• Profile to the exact paper batch or download the manufacturer’s ICC profile for your model; then soft proof under the target illuminant (D50/D65).

Customer

Do I need custom ICC profiles or are the canned profiles from Epson/Canon good enough?

Technician

OEM canned ICC profiles are solid for branded papers. You’ll see the biggest gains from a custom ICC when you use third‑party papers, switch inksets, or need consistent neutral B&W without color casts. A home profiling kit (affordable target chart + spectro) lets you optimize ink limits and gamut mapping for your exact printer.

Customer

Any app‑specific traps? We print from Lightroom, Photoshop and sometimes Illustrator/PDF.

Technician

Lightroom/Photoshop: pick the paper’s ICC, set Application Manages Color, and turn driver color off.
Illustrator/PDF: many drivers default to Printer Manages Colors; override this and choose the ICC, or convert the PDF to the paper profile before printing.
Qimage/Canon Professional Print & Layout/Epson Print Layout: great for layout nesting, sharpening for print, and consistent color pipeline.

Customer

How do I get deeper blacks on matte without crushing shadows?

Technician

Use the matte paper’s ICC, then in soft‑proofing enable Simulate Paper & Ink. Apply a subtle shadows‑only curve or use Soft Proof Proof‑Setup presets; print with Relative Colorimetric + Black Point Compensation. If your driver allows, reduce ink density slightly or choose a Thicker Paper setting to avoid cockling. For monochrome, try the printer’s Advanced B&W mode with the matte profile.

Customer

Great — so the rule is: glossy/luster/baryta → Photo Black profile; matte/fine‑art → Matte Black profile; soft proof and disable double color management?

Technician

Summary: Exactly. Choose the paper‑matched ICC, set the driver’s Media Type to route the correct black ink path (PK for glossy/luster/baryta, MK for matte/fine‑art), turn driver color off to avoid double management, then soft proof and use BPC. Need hands‑on help tuning gamut, ink limits or gloss optimizer? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when choosing matte vs glossy profiles: pick the ICC profile that matches your paper and printer, set driver Media Type to trigger the right black ink path (Photo Black for glossy/luster/baryta; Matte Black for matte/fine‑art), disable driver color adjustments to prevent double color management, then soft proof with paper white and apply Black Point Compensation for detailed shadows.

FAQ

Step‑by‑step (Windows 10/11)

1. In your app choose Photoshop/Lightroom Manages Colors and select the paper’s ICC profile.
2. Open Print Settings → pick matching Media Type to trigger the correct black ink path (PK or MK).
3. Set driver color to Off/None/ICM Off to prevent double color management.
4. Choose Relative Colorimetric + BPC (or Perceptual) and soft proof before printing.

Step‑by‑step (macOS)

1. Select the exact paper ICC profile in your app and set Application Manages Color.
2. In the driver choose the correct Media Type (glossy/luster/baryta → PK; matte/fine‑art → MK).
3. Set Color Mode = Off (No Color Adjustment) and enable chroma/gloss optimizer if available.
4. Soft proof with Simulate Paper & Ink and enable Black Point Compensation.

Sources

• Adobe — Printing and color management
• Apple — Print from your Mac
• Epson — Drivers & Utilities
• Canon — Professional Print & Layout
• HP — Photo paper profiles & drivers

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