I have big issues to export my Indesignfile to PDF. I really need help. I have tried all that I can find in Adobe Helpcenter. Restarted my Mac etc.

Forum|Forum|20 days ago
May 23, 2026
5 replies
247 views

The error message I get is 'This document contains links to files/URLs that are not accessible.' Check your network connection or the original content source. And this:

'2 issues (1 error) found with background data. Could not export PDF file.'

Correct answer Peter Spier

I believe these errors can also be caused on Mac by permission issues on the folders where the links are stored.

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Hi Anita,

Probably a macOS security setting. All InDesign full access to your hard disk drive.

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-privacy-security-settings-on-mac-mchl211c911f/mac

Mike Witherell

Peter Spier

Correct answer

Community Expert

I believe these errors can also be caused on Mac by permission issues on the folders where the links are stored.

Terryl Asla

Participant

I am having a similar problem. I am unable to save an Indesign file to PDF; the file just keeps trying to save--forever. Should I reinstall Indesign or…?

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Terryl Asla,

Thanks for reaching out, and sorry for the trouble you’re experiencing with the PDF export. Could you please confirm the exact InDesign version and macOS version you are using? Also, let us know if this happens only with a particular file or with all InDesign files.

Please try the troubleshooting steps mentioned in the following articles, as they cover cases where PDF export hangs or never completes and may help isolate the issue:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/pdf-export-background-task-hangs.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/unable-to-export-pdf.html

https://community.adobe.com/questions-671/indesign-export-to-pdf-and-packaging-crashes-indesign-897891?postid=3558166#post3558166

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mJ8jQY2r2s&t=13s

Please let us know how it goes after trying these steps, and we’ll continue to assist further based on your observations.

Thanks,
Abhishek

Anita samingAuthor

Participant

Hi,

I am sorry but the problem is not solved. At the moment am I reinstalling Indesign 2026.
I have converted all images to TIFF. And not to big files. I have also used standard PDF/X-4:2010. And now am reading the links you sent me. I have an Mac Mini two years old.

Joel Cherney

Community Expert

I’m not sure what the menu items would be called in Swedish, but if you go to the Window menu and select Links, then InDesign will pop open a panel showing all of the files - typically image files - that have been placed into your InDesign document. One of them is missing. Each image in your screenshot has the little chain icon in the upper left, indicating that the linked file is present. Somewhere on your page 1, there is a missing linked file with a red circle with a white question mark:

You should be able to use the Links panel to find your image and re-link it. Usually, a missing link doesn’t prevent PDF export - it’d ordinarily export a PDF successfully , but with the low-res preview image.