What is registration?

For full-color printing, registration means the alignment of all four color plates. When the item is printed, the press operators review registration marks placed outside the trim area to confirm the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black layers line up precisely. When they do, the piece is said to be in register.

• Registration marks: small crosshair targets on the sheet the operator uses to check alignment.
• In register: all four colors sit exactly on top of one another for crisp images and text.
• Out of register (misregistration): a slight shift that leaves color fringing or thin white gaps.
• Why it matters: tight registration keeps fine detail and small text sharp.