Exporting a pdf with a smaller file size (most pages contain full page images with layers of semi-transparent images layered on top of each other)

Forum|Forum|1 day ago
April 9, 2026
3 replies
48 views

Hi there,

I have a newsletter where most pages have full page images, but they are semi-transparent images layered on top of each other. See screenshot for example. I’m trying to create a lower-res version suitable for posting online so I would love a file size under 10 mb. So far the only way I can get close to achieving this is by taking my layers of semi-transparent images, exporting each page as a png (no transparency), reinserting this flat png, to replace the live images, and then exporting the pdf. But then it sucks because I have to have two versions of the document. I would love to get a smaller pdf using my live document. My standard settings for web docs are compress the images to 150ppi. If I export with my regular settings with the live images, it's 66 MBs, but if I replace the live layers of images with flat pngs, it's 11mbs.

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @katielady1 , Also check your PDF Export Output settings. You don’t need to flatten and replace the placed images, they can be flattened on export by setting Compatibility to Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3).

Also set the Destination to sRGB, which will convert any 4 channel CMYK images and color to 3 channel RGB, which will produce a smaller PDF.

leo.r

Community Expert

In addition to other suggestions:

Can you post a screenshot of your PDF export settings window in InDesign with the Compression section selected?

K

katielady1Author

Inspiring

Hi Leo.r,

Here are the settings I generally use for me web pdfs. Thank you!

leo.r

Community Expert

Settings look fine to me.

I wonder if you can post an InDesign file with a single page from your newsletter for testing? (You can put the InDesign file with the images on a cloud service and post a link).

I don’t know if something can be done besides what you’re already doing and what @Scott Falkner suggested.

Also, your process of creating PNGs from pages then replacing them before exporting to PDF can be scripted.

Scott Falkner

Community Expert

Try using Photoshop to layer the images then either place the PSD or save a copy as a flattened TIF or JPEG. In your InDesign file each image is embedded in the PDF. Placing just one image will produce the same effect but embed only one image. As a bonus you’ll find your InDesign file is smaller and probably is faster to edit and preview. Plus Photoshop is much more suited to layering images than InDesign.

K

katielady1Author

Inspiring

Thanks, Scott. I do appreciate that Photoshop is more suited to the layering but I do like the ease of quickly adjusting the position of the layered images and transparency in relation to the text quickly in Indesign, which I am continually doing.

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