Unable to add ICC color profile to ColorSync Profiles folder

An easy way to work around this is to simply create a ColorSync/Profiles path in your home folder. From the Finder, hold the Option key down while selecting the Go menu. This will show your Library. Choose Library from the Go menu and then release the Option key.

Once in your Library, create a new folder titled ColorSync. Open the ColorSync folder and create a folder titled Profiles. Move your Gracol profile into that folder.

Now, there is a limitation here. This will only be available to your user account. If the Mac in question has multiple users, you will need to do this in each user's home folder, as the preferences created within a home folder are only accessible to the user who owns the home folder.

Ok, if you need to add this to the main Library folder because this machine has multiple users, you will need to be an admin. I suspect your user account is a Standard account, thus the denial to write the file to this location. Contact your support team and ask that they add the file to the main library.

Hope this is helpful.

jabautn wrote:

I'm really struggling. Attempting to add an .icc color profile in my global /Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder. I download the file "GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.icc" from https://registry.color.org/profile-registry/GRACoL2006_Coated1v2 and from there, attempt to drag the file to the global /Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder. It has a circle with a line through it when I attempt to drop it into any of the color sync folders (including profiles). What am I missing or doing wrong?

Check the permissions on the GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.icc file (CMD-I or File > GetInfo). You may need to change its permissions to "Read and Write" especially for "Everyone." This is a common problem that I've seen with user-downloaded .icc profiles and font files.

It has a circle with a line through it when I attempt to drop it into any of the color sync folders (including profiles).

A bit confusing in the wording there. The file you link to is:

GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.icc

Which is a profile. So I don't know what you mean by including profiles.

What am I missing or doing wrong?

My guess would be you're using your Mac from a guest account, or a standard account with intentionally limited access. You should be able to copy/move anything into or out of the main /Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder simply by supplying your admin password.

Hi VikingOSX,

If I use the AirPrint driver, then the only control you get is slider to turn color printing on or off. If I use the full drivers, then I have full ColorSync control.

What I haven't checked is how it prints B&W when I choose that. It certainly looks like B&W toner only, but I'll have to do a bit of testing later today (on my iPad at the moment) and see if it's printing with black toner, or if it's doing a 4c neutral gray.

I first had to uninstall the Xerox drivers and restart the Mac because even if I added a new printer entry and assigned AirPrint to it, the OS would still grab ColorSync in the print dialogue. I wanted to see how the OS and driver behaved with no manufacturer drivers installed.

With the drivers cleared out, I added the C405 with the AirPrint option. As expected, the only color control you get is one marked Print in Color, which you turn on or off (which now works even with the drivers installed if I choose the Bonjour/AirPrint connection).

Testing out of Safari and a few other apps, turning color off does print B&W without using any CMY toner.

Then I reinstalled the latest drivers to test again. As long as you go into the advanced print settings and choose Xerox Black and White - even with ColorSync enabled - it still prints with black toner only.

Oh heck yes. You can get much cheaper third party toners of course, but they void the warranty to use them, and can actually destroy your printer.

When I looked into that before purchasing a 4c set of genuine cartridges, I learned a few things.

Third party compatible - don't even look at them. Cheap toner and cheaply made cartridges.

Reconditioned - here's the ones that almost got me. I don't how resellers get hold of them to start with, but they take spent, genuine cartridges and refill them with poor quality toner.

I figured you would, but wanted to throw that information out there mostly for others.

With what a more expensive, higher quality laser printer costs, it doesn't make sense to put in cheap toner that can literally trash it.

We bought a 4c set of high capacity cartridges when the initial low page count ones were getting down there. That was now well over a year ago. The black is about half gone, and the CMY ones are still about 85% full. So, while they are expensive, they also last a long time. Far, far longer than your typical inkjet cartidges.

Segue question for you. Does your Xerox driver (or AirPrint) allow you to print strictly in black ink rather than all inks?

I am considering the purchase of a C-410DN and your preceding research was vital to that decision process. Xerox toner pricing has always been sobering.

I would only be using Xerox-branded cartridge replacements. Wouldn't be that often and cost of ownership.