How to Calibrate Your Scanner
For scanner color calibration, you’ll need a color reference sample. Your scanner may have come with one specific to its model. If not, use an IT8 target, which contains specific color patches with a reference file that saves the exact values. When you scan the IT8 target, the software measures the color patches, discerning differences between set color values and the actual values.
How to Calibrate Your Scanner Visually
With visual calibration, you compare the colors from your scanner to those on your monitor manually, making adjustments as you go to get the best possible match. The acronym SCAR (Scan, Compare, Adjust, Repeat) describes this process.
How to Color Calibrate With ICC Profiles
An ICC profile is a small data file specific to each device. It contains critical information on how that device produces color. You can often rely on the printer’s specific ICC profiles for color management. Find ICC profiles on printer and scanner manufacturer websites. Once downloaded, right-click the file and select Install Profile.
Why It’s Important to Calibrate Your Scanner
Without proper calibration, your computer monitor, printer, and scanner define and display the same colors differently. It’s common for colors to shift to other colors between two pieces of equipment. Many users calibrate their monitor to their printer properly, so these devices agree on color definitions. It’s also important that your monitor and scanner are in agreement, so the colors in images you scan don’t shift when you see the images on the screen.
