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M
Mike Diehl
Known Participant
April 17, 2020
Question

Adding greyscale color profile to Indesign CC2015

  • April 17, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 1716 views

I recently rebuilt a QuarkXPress document I'd used for years in InDesign. This is a document that is output in black-and-white for the print version, and color for the online PDF version. I seem unable to output a PDF as greyscale to see how a "standard" conversion might look, something I could do easily in Quark (v. 9 even). I saw one post indicating three or four profiles at the bottom of the list, but I don't have them. There are no greyscale profiles available to me in my color settings. Where can I find them or how can I add them, so I can output a greyscale PDF?

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2 replies

M
Mike DiehlAuthor
Known Participant
April 25, 2020

I had the need to print a greyscale PDF yesterday and inexplicably, several greyscale options appeared at the bottom of the profile list. Why they weren't visible before, why they were yesterday, I haven't a clue. Maybe they'll stick around.

rob day
Community Expert
rob dayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 25, 2020

They would not be there if you chose Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers), you have to choose Convert to Destination in the Export>Output dialog.

M
Mike DiehlAuthor
Known Participant
April 25, 2020

That was never clear to me. Seems confusing, if not intentionally. But now I know. Thank you.

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

Here's an article I wrote a long time ago about how to export a grayscale PDF in InDesign:

https://indesignsecrets.com/finding-export-pdf-to-grayscale-in-indesign-cs6.php

 

M
Mike DiehlAuthor
Known Participant
April 17, 2020

I appreciate that, Steve -- but I do not have any greyscale profiles to choose from.

rob day
Community Expert
rob dayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 25, 2020

There are no greyscale profiles available to me in my color settings.

 

InDesign does not have a grayscale color space—grayscale objects output to the CMYK black plate with their values unchanged. The document’s assigned CMYK profile handles the preview for the black plate.

 

You can convert all of the color in an InDesign document to a Gray profile on a PDF export, and any Gray profiles installed in the system’s profiles folder should be at the bottom of the list. At a minimum Photoshop’s default Gray profiles should be there. This is a PDF/X-4 preset.

 

 

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