PDF/A error
PDF/A error: DeviceRGB or DeviceCMYK used without an OutputIntent
Using DeviceRGB, DeviceCMYK or DeviceGray in PDF/A-1b requires a matching OutputIntent. What the check means and the two ways out.
A device colour space — DeviceRGB, DeviceCMYK or DeviceGray — appears in the content, and the document has no OutputIntent that gives those values a defined meaning. Either add an OutputIntent for the right colour model, or replace the device colour with a calibrated or ICC-based colour space.
ISO 19005-1 clause 6.2Colour
The Colour check group covers 6.2.2 OutputIntent, 6.2.3.x device colours, 6.2.9–10. The exact sub-clause is reported on the issue itself when the validator raises it.
What causes it
- Text or vector graphics drawn with plain RGB or CMYK operators, which is what most producing applications emit by default.
- Images stored in a device colour space without an embedded profile of their own.
- An OutputIntent exists but for the other colour model — a CMYK intent does not cover DeviceRGB content.
How to fix it
- Add an OutputIntent matching the colour model actually used in the document.
- Convert the document to a device-independent colour space so the dependency disappears.
- Run conversion, which does both: it injects an output intent and converts colours it cannot otherwise resolve.
Frequently asked
Is DeviceGray also affected?
Yes. All three device spaces are device-dependent by definition; grey is not exempt just because it is simple.
Why is one OutputIntent not enough for both RGB and CMYK content?
An output intent describes one output condition. Content in a colour model the intent does not cover still has no defined interpretation, so it still fails.
Check your own document
The validator runs the same engine in your browser and names every failing check. The file is never uploaded.