Code 0008: Text uses rich black

What is the problem?

When printing in CMYK (a colour system that combines Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks to produce a wide range of colours), there are several ways to print the colour black. It can be printed using black ink only (known as 100% K), or as a rich black, which combines black ink with small amounts of the other inks to create a deeper or tinted black.

Using rich black in artwork is perfectly acceptable—and can even enhance visual impact with subtle tonal variations. However, rich black should not be used for text.

Because rich black involves layering multiple inks, it can lead to slight misalignments during printing, causing text to appear blurry or fuzzy, especially at smaller sizes. For crisp, readable text, always use 100% black (K only).

How do I fix it?

Select all the black text in your document and open the Color panel. You should see the following values:

• C: 0%

• M: 0%

• Y: 0%

• K: 100%

If you see any values other than these, your text is using rich black.

To fix the issue, adjust the values to match the ones above—this will ensure your text prints cleanly using black ink only.

Further help

If this warning still appears after uploading your updated file, please contact our team at support@launchtabletop.com for further assistance.