Inspiring

Answered

Do I need to save my SVGs as EPS before placing them into InDesign?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
October 14, 2022
3 replies
788 views

Or will the print PDF export automatically convert them into the best format suited for printing, at the highest quality?

I still don't know why don't printers like SVGs?

Because I cannot export from my AI files into EPS.

How to

Correct answer Willi Adelberger

Open the SVG and save (not export) it as ai file.

Community Expert

Community Expert

Also, SVG can’t be color managed, which means its color could randomly change depending on the InDesign document’s profile assignments. Here I’m working in CMYK mode in Illustrator:

Saved as an SVG, the color is converted to RGB with no embedded profile, which means the SVG will get the InDesign document’s assigned RGB profile—the color is completely different in appearance in this InDesign document with ProPhoto RGB assigned:

Also the 100% Black has been converted to 4-color in InDesign:

If I export to default PDF/X-4 and inspect the object, the original US Web Coated (SWOP) CMYK color has been converted to ProPhoto RGB:

Chris P. BaconAuthor

Inspiring

I see.

But then why won't Illustrator let me export my SVGs into AI, so that I could upgrade their colours?

Because if you choose to buy graphical assets instead of creating them, you will get the SVG download option often, without the AI format option.

Because according to this thread AI is the best.

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

Correct answer

Community Expert

Open the SVG and save (not export) it as ai file.

Community Expert

Community Expert

No you don't need to save your SVGs to EPS or AI

It can be directly placed into InDesign - as others have said.

And as others have said - it only supports RGB. @Steve Werner

Meaning if you have 100% black text in your SVG file

It's converted to 4 colour black for printing - which is undesireable for litho printing

But possibly unnoticeable on Digital printing.

SVG comes with Caveats.

EPS are fine for InDesign

AI or PDF - as stated already by @Willi Adelberger

Either way if you need 100% black - then you cannot use SVG.

Community Expert

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Beginning with InDesign 2021, InDesign can correctly import SVG files which is a vector format.

Many printers don't like SVGs because they are not educated in this change.

Here's part of the Adobe Help file about the issue:

Chris P. BaconAuthor

Inspiring

I see, so the articles that say use EPS for print instead of SVG are obsolete, I suppose.

Community Expert

Community Expert

Yes, that was the (sad) workaround before InDesign added support for SVG. (Small correction: Support was added in InDesign 2020 (November 2019).