CxF - Color Exchange Format

The universal file format for digital color communication:

In a global world, communicating color data electronically is a hot issue. Global workflows and value chains, whether they are found in a B2B or B2C process, as well as in-house digital workflows from designer to press are demanding common, adequate and effective means to communicate color and appearance. CxF is a new standard allowing seamless, worldwide, digital communication of all commercially significant aspects of color. Furthermore, CxF is defined in a completely open way so that all aspects of a color can be communicated, even when the application and the color communication features required are unknown. For example, every software vendor implementing / supporting CxF is able to extend the information set to the needs of a new application without affecting the general usability. Wherever color communication is mission-critical, CxF should be considered the communication solution of choice.

Press Release

June 11, 2015 - ISO Committee Adopts X-Rite’s Color Data Exchange (CxF) Format as Industry Standard
Read Full Press Release

CxF Resources

View  CxF White paper [PDF 76 KB]
View  CxF Standard [PDF 316 KB]  

CXF3 schema (release 3.0)
View  CxF3 Schema Overview [PDF 296 KB]
Download the CxF3 XML Schema and Documentation [ZIP 1.1 MB]
Download the CxF3 Schema (CxF3_Core.xsd) [ZIP 12 KB]
To request CxF SDK licensing via email, click here.

CXF2 schema (release 2.1)
View  CxF2 Schema Outline [PDF 154 KB]
Download the CxF2 XML Schema and Documentation [ZIP 5.3 MB]