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What is sRGB?
sRGB is the standard RGB colour space for monitors, printers and the web, usually assumed for images that carry no profile. Adobe RGB (1998) has a wider gamut that print professionals sometimes prefer, but sRGB is large enough for many printers.
Diagram: sRGB inside a wider gamut. Schematic, not to scale.
sRGB and Adobe RGB
| sRGB | Adobe RGB (1998) | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Standard colour space for monitors, printers and the web; usually assumed for 8-bit images with no profile | Wider gamut for fully colour-managed workflows |
| Used by | Many consumer cameras and scanners by default | High-end print professionals often prefer it |
| Large enough for many low-end inkjet printers, so sRGB images often print satisfactorily | Wider gamut than sRGB; Wikipedia notes sRGB is smaller than CMYK in some areas, especially blue-greens | |
| Source | WSRGB | WSRGB |
For a photo you will send to print, Printumo suggests one consistent colour profile such as sRGB, and Expert Photography says to choose sRGB or Adobe RGB for the destination. If you are unsure and the file will go to a print service you have not asked, keep it in sRGB, the profile most services assume when none is embedded.
- Check what profile your camera or phone saves; it is often sRGB.
- Do not convert back and forth between profiles; convert once, at the end.
- Ask the print service which profile it expects.
Photo shape and pixel count matter more for print size than profile; see photographing for print.
Sources
- Wikipedia: sRGB (fetched 2026-11-12)
- Printumo: how to photograph artwork for print (fetched 2026-11-12)
- Expert Photography: the easy guide to photographing artwork (fetched 2026-11-12)
Figures from these pages are paraphrased and re-checked on 2026-11-12. Where two sources disagree, both figures are shown. Hardware and wall products vary, so follow the pack instructions.