Dark Gray Text that Looks Black

If you’re reading this message, it’s likely because our graphics team has reviewed your manuscript and found some text that may not print the way you expect. While certain colors may appear to be solid black, they could actually be dark gray.

On your screen, this difference may not be immediately noticeable—only if the text is next to solid black for comparison. However, it will become apparent in the printed version, as printers render these colors differently.

The image above shows a close-up scan of how printers handle these shades using a method called halftoning. Text set to 100% black prints with a smooth, solid fill and sharp edges. In contrast, text set to 85% black is made up of a combination of black dots and unprinted paper, which creates a grayish effect when viewed from a normal distance. This will result in edges that appear less smooth.

We don’t require that all text be 100% black—many authors intentionally use different shades or halftones for stylistic reasons. However, we’ve noticed that many authors accidentally use dark gray swatches that don’t print as expected. For this reason, we’ll flag text in the 80-99% range, as it’s difficult to identify on a screen and may be unintentional. If the text is set below 79%, we won’t issue a warning, assuming you’ve done so deliberately, as it should be more obvious on your monitor.

If you’re aware of the tinted text and are happy with how it looks, there’s no need to make any changes. Just select "as is" when resubmitting your order, and we’ll print it as you’ve set it.

Keep in mind that our tools only identify live text. If you’ve outlined or rasterized the text (i.e., turned it into an image), it won’t be flagged, even if it uses a halftone. To ensure everything looks how you expect, we recommend ordering a proof copy.