3 Quick Ways to Convert CMYK To Pantone In Illustrator

⚠️ Before You Start: If you’re using Adobe Illustrator v28.0 or later, you won’t be able to convert CMYK to Pantone unless the Pantone color books are already installed.

👉 Not sure how to get the Pantone Color Books back? Follow this step-by-step guide first: How To Find Pantone Colors In Illustrator.

Then come back here to start converting CMYK to Pantone with the methods below.

In this post, you will learn 3 quick ways to convert CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator. But before this, you will have to first install the Pantone Color files in your latest Illustrator folder. Once that is done, come back here and follow this tutorial.

Pantone Vs CMYK

CMYK is a process color made up of four ink colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. While CMYK and Pantone are used for print jobs, RGB and HEX colors are used for the web.

Pantone is a color matching system with specific colors, commonly known as the Pantone Matching System or a set of PMS colors. You may have also heard of Pantone spot color.

The Pantone Color System is created such that every color has a unique color code. This allows every printing process with different manufacturers to produce your artwork with consistent colors.

Why Convert CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator?

If you’re working on a print project and want to ensure color consistency across different printers, converting CMYK to Pantone is a must. Unlike CMYK, which can vary from one printer to another, Pantone colors are standardized. That means the deep blue you see on screen will be the same deep blue in print—no surprises.

This guide is perfect if you’re searching for:

• How to convert CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator
• Best CMYK to Pantone Illustrator method
• Pantone conversion Illustrator tutorial
• Find closest Pantone match in Illustrator
• CMYK to PMS Illustrator tips

Whether you’re preparing brand assets, packaging design, or marketing materials, converting your CMYK colors to Pantone using Illustrator will help you maintain that polished, professional finish across all media.

How To Convert CMYK to Pantone

The first step to convert CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator is to open the Swatches Panel. Next, open the Swatch Libary on the bottom left of the panel. Then, go to Color Books > Pantone+ and select a Pantone book.

This opens up a Pantone Palette. Select your object, then enter your Pantone Color Code or select the Pantone color swatch you want from the Pantone Palette.

It gives you a step-by-step guide on how to install Pantone color files which were removed from the latest Adobe Illustrator app. It’s only after this step, then you can follow the methods below.

Method 1: Use Recolor Artwork Tool

You can use the Recolor Artwork Tool which has been programmed to help you automatically convert CMYK to Pantone Illustrator accurately and in real time. You can do this very quickly to change any image color.

Step 1: Select the objects on your Illustrator artboard

Let’s say you have a few objects of varying colors on your artboard and you’d like to change them to Pantone. Make sure your artboard is not hidden, then select all of them by using the keyboard shortcut command A on Mac or control A on Windows. Or you can go to the top menu, and click Select > All.

Step 2: Select Recolor Artwork in the main menu

With all objects selected, open the Recolor Artwork Tool by going to the top menu, and select Edit > Edit Colors > Recolor Artwork.

Or, you can click on the Recolor Artwork icon on the Path options panel. Make sure your workspace is not “Essentials” which removes the Path options panel.

This opens up a color panel with a color palette of the objects you’ve selected.

Step 3: Select Pantone Color Book

Go to Color Library, which shows “None” by default. Click on it and select Color Books > Pantone+ Solid Coated. You should choose any of the color bridge books that work for you or your printer. After selecting a color book, the color conversion will be applied to your selected objects.

Next, open up the Swatches Panel by going to Window > Swatches on the Top Menu. You will see that the Pantone colors are saved as color swatches in the Swatches Panel.

Method 2: Use Advanced Recolor Options

Step 1: Select the objects on your Illustrator artboard

Same as in method 1, select all objects by using the keyboard shortcut command A on Mac or control A on Windows. Or you can go to the top menu, and click Select > All.

Step 2: Select Recolor Artwork in the main menu

With all objects selected, open the Recolor Artwork Tool by going to the top menu, and selecting Edit > Edit Colors > Recolor Artwork. This opens up a color panel with a color palette of the objects you’ve selected.

Step 3: Convert with Advanced Options

Click the button that says Advanced Options at the bottom of the Recolor Artwork Panel.

In the Advance Recolor Options dialog box, click on the small icon with 6 squares, under the word “None”.

Then, click on Color Books and select your preferred Pantone Color Book in the dropdown menu.

The option “None” changes to the Pantone color book that you’ve selected. Click the OK button.

Next, open up the Swatches Panel by going to Window > Swatches on the Top Menu. You will see that the Pantone colors are saved as color swatches in the Swatches Panel.

Method 3: Use Pantone Color Code

If you have the exact Pantone color code, you can use it to convert the CMYK color of each object to Pantone in Illustrator.

Step 1: Open Swatch Library

Open your Swatches Panel. Then open Swatch Library which is represented with an icon of 3 books on the bottom left of the panel. If you roll over it with your cursor, it says “Swatch Libraries Menu”.

Step 2: Select Pantone Color Book

Select your preferred Pantone Color Book by going to Color Books > Pantone+ and selecting any of the Pantone books available.

Step 3: Search with Pantone Color Code

The select Pantone Palette opens up. Go to the search bar and key in the Pantone code. You will start to see that the swatches are filtered to a smaller set of options closest to the code you’ve entered.

Next, select your object and click on the color swatch on the Pantone Palette that matches the original CMYK color.

Color Difference After Converting CMYK To Pantone

Converting CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator is not like changing CMYK values in the Swatches Panel. There isn’t a color mode for Pantone or CMYK Pantone, but only for CMYK and RGB.

Pantone is not managed by Adobe, and the rights are held by another corporation, Pantone LLC. In this case, Adobe can only include Pantone in its products based on its partnership terms with Adobe.

Note that the color conversion from CMYK to PMS (Pantone Matching System) gives you the closest Pantone swatches available, it may not look exactly the same as the original CMYK color.

Also, the color tone and how it looks on your screen depends on the Pantone swatch book you select for conversion.

For example, I have a square here that looks red on my screen, it has CMYK values of 0 100 100 0. After converting it to Pantone solid uncoated, the color changes to a pink tone on my screen.

Best Method: CMYK to Pantone in Illustrator

Using the Recolor Artwork Tool is the best CMYK to Pantone converter for me. It’s the most straightforward way to convert CMYK to Pantone in Adobe Illustrator.

Using Advanced Recolor Options is great only if I have to edit the colors. It gives some leeway for customization.

As for the method of using Pantone Color Code, most of the time, I won’t have the Pantone code and I will be the one to find out and supply it to the production team. In this case, I won’t be able to use this method unless I have the code.

I’d say all methods can work to your advantage if used appropriately.

What’s your favorite way to convert CMYK to Pantone? Let me know in the comments below!