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The sublimation printer settings that matter are few: mirror the image, choose the right paper or media type, pick a print quality, and make sure color is managed once, either by the printer maker's software or your ink maker's profile. Get those right and most color problems disappear. Everything else is fine-tuning with test presses.
How you set them depends on your printer. Factory sublimation printers (Epson F-series, Sawgrass, Brother SP-1) do much of it for you. A converted EcoTank leaves it to you and your ink maker.
The core settings at a glance
| Setting | What to choose | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Mirror | On (or flip in your design app) | The print goes face down on the blank |
| Paper / media type | The setting your printer or ink maker specifies for sublimation paper | Controls how much ink lands on the sheet |
| Print quality | High or best for shirts and photos; standard if hard goods bleed | Trade-off between smoothness and ink load |
| Color management | Printer maker's software or ink maker's profile, never both | Prevents double correction |
| Paper size | Match the actual sheet, including custom mug sizes | Avoids scaling and cropped edges |
| Scaling | 100% / actual size | Keeps your design dimensions accurate |
| Borderless | Off unless your printer and paper support it | Most sublimation designs include bleed and are trimmed |
Settings by printer
Epson SureColor F170 and F570
Epson ships dye-sublimation print software for Mac and Windows, tuned for its own T49M ink. That's where color is decided, so you don't need to add an ICC profile.
- Install Epson's sublimation driver from Epson's support page for your model.
- Choose the paper setting that matches your sublimation paper. If you use Epson's DS Multi-Use Transfer Paper, pick that; with third-party paper, start with Epson's recommended sublimation setting and test.
- Turn mirror on in the driver, or flip the design in your app.
- Set the paper size to your actual sheet. The F170 takes sheets from 3.5 inches wide up to 8.5 x 47.2 inches.
- Press a test before judging color. Owner complaints about F170 color usually trace back to the wrong paper setting or judging the unpressed print.
The F570 Pro adds Epson Edge Print Pro, a RIP with layout and color tools; the standard F570 uses the driver.
Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000
Sawgrass routes printing through Sawgrass Print Utility, which applies Sawgrass color settings for its ink and paper. You don't download or install ICC profiles. Design in your usual app or the MySawgrass Design Tool, send the job to Print Utility, and let it handle color. Follow Sawgrass's setup steps for mirroring so the design isn't flipped twice. If colors look off, check you're using the paper Sawgrass's settings expect before changing anything else.
Brother SP-1
The SP-1 is built around Brother's free Artspira app, which handles design-to-print on iOS and Android. US retailers also list Windows 10/11 and macOS 11–14 support through AirPrint. If you print from a computer, set mirror in your design app or the print dialog, and keep paper and quality at Brother's recommended sublimation settings.
Converted Epson EcoTank (ET-2800, ET-2850, ET-15000, ET-8550 and others)
Epson's EcoTank drivers are tuned for Epson's regular ink, not third-party sublimation ink, so the ink maker's instructions are your settings guide. Some ink makers supply ICC profiles; others, including Cosmos Ink and A-SUB, say their inks are formulated to print without one, and Hiipoo sells its EcoTank ink as "Free ICC Printing."
A common starting point that crafters use and many ink makers echo:
- Paper type: a matte setting, often Premium Presentation Paper Matte.
- Quality: high or best.
- Mirror: on.
- Color: the ink maker's recommendation, either their ICC profile or the driver's standard color with no profile.
Then press a test strip and adjust. If hard goods look blurry or oversaturated, crafters often try standard quality to lay down less ink. Our EcoTank conversion guide covers the full setup.
Color management without the headache
Sublimation color is managed in one of two places:
- The printer maker's software (Sawgrass Print Utility, Epson's sublimation driver), or
- An ICC profile from your ink maker, applied by your design app.
The mistake is doing both. If your design app applies an ICC profile, turn off color adjustment in the printer driver so color isn't corrected twice; if you rely on the driver or Print Utility, don't assign an extra profile in the app. Follow your ink maker's exact steps, because the menu names differ between Windows and Mac drivers.
Two more rules help: design in RGB unless your printer software asks for something else, and don't judge color on paper. Sublimation ink looks dull until it's pressed. Our sublimation software guide covers which apps support color management.
Mirroring on Windows and Mac
- Windows (Epson drivers): a mirror image option is usually in the driver's More Options or Page Layout tab.
- Mac: check Flip horizontally in the print dialog's Layout section, or mirror the design in your app.
- Cricut Design Space: there's a mirror toggle in the print setup.
Choose one place to mirror. Mirroring in both the app and the driver flips the design back.
Settings for mugs and small items
- Use mug-size paper or set a custom size. A-SUB sells 3.5 x 9-inch sheets for 11 oz mugs, which feed in printers that accept narrow media, such as the F170 with its 3.5-inch minimum width.
- Set the custom paper size first, then size the design to match, with a little bleed.
- Gang small designs (coasters, ornaments, keychains) on a letter sheet and trim apart.
- Check orientation. Long mug wraps usually print in landscape.
Our guide to how to sublimate a mug has press settings once the print is ready.
Paper side and paper choice
Print on the bright white, coated side of sublimation paper. Many papers mark the back, and Cricut's paper has a pink back so you can't load it wrong. Paper weight and coating change how much ink the sheet holds, so if you switch brands, run a new test. Our best sublimation paper guide compares the common options.
A test-print routine
- Print a small test design with solid colors, a gradient, black text and a skin tone.
- Press it on the blank type you sell most.
- Compare under daylight against your screen.
- Change one setting, print again, press again.
- Save the winning settings as a preset in your driver or app.
Keep a log of paper, ink, settings, time and temperature for each blank.
Common mistakes
- Mirror off, or mirrored twice. Text reads backward or flips back.
- Wrong paper type. Too much ink causes bleeding; too little looks faded.
- Double color correction. A profile in the app plus driver color adjustment shifts colors.
- Judging the paper print. Press before you change settings.
- Ignoring lines or banding. That's usually clogged nozzles, not settings; run a nozzle check and see our clogged sublimation printer guide.
FAQ
What are the best sublimation printer settings for Epson?
On an Epson SureColor F170 or F570, use Epson's dye-sublimation driver, choose the paper setting that matches your sublimation paper and turn mirror on. On a converted EcoTank, follow your ink maker's settings; a common starting point is a matte paper type such as Premium Presentation Paper Matte, high or best quality, and mirror on.
Should sublimation be printed on high quality?
Usually yes for shirts and photo designs, because higher quality settings give smoother gradients. On hard goods that bleed or look blurry, some crafters drop to standard quality to lay down less ink. Change one setting at a time and judge only the pressed result.
Do you mirror sublimation prints?
Yes, for almost everything. The print goes face down on the blank, so text and designs must be mirrored to read correctly. The exception is clear blanks pressed from behind, such as some glass and acrylic, where the design is viewed through the material; follow the blank maker's directions.
What color settings should I use for sublimation?
Factory printers handle color for you: Sawgrass Print Utility applies Sawgrass color settings, and Epson's sublimation software is tuned for its T49M ink. On a converted printer, use your ink maker's ICC profile or its no-profile settings. Don't stack corrections: if the app applies a profile, turn off color adjustment in the driver.
How do I mirror sublimation prints on a Mac?
Either mirror the design in your design app before printing, or use the macOS print dialog's Layout section and check Flip horizontally. Don't do both, or the design will flip back.
Next steps
Set mirror, paper type, quality and color management once, save them as a preset, and change them only after a pressed test tells you to. If you're still choosing a printer, factory models like those in our Epson F170 vs Sawgrass SG500 comparison take most of the guesswork out of color.