About the Color Management Module (CMM)

The Color Management Module (CMM), sometimes called the color engine, is the part of the color management system that maps the gamut (range of colors) of one color space to the gamut of another.

When Advanced Mode is selected in the Color Settings dialog box, Photoshop lets you choose a CMM from the Engine menu in the Conversion Options area of the dialog box. For most users, the default Adobe (ACE) engine will fulfill all conversion needs.

Typical engine choices include:

Adobe (ACE)

Uses the Adobe color management system and color engine. This is the default CMM in Photoshop.

Microsoft ICM

(Windows) Uses the Microsoft ICM color management system and its default color matching method.

Apple ColorSync

(Mac OS) Uses the Apple ColorSync color management system and its default color matching method.

Apple CMM

(Mac OS) Uses the Apple ColorSync color management system and the rendering intent chosen in the Color Setting dialog box.

Other CMMs can be loaded on your computer and chosen in the Color Settings dialog box. These CMMS are generally specialized and are of use only to knowledgeable users.