Acrobat Reader crashes when compressing PDFs exported from Keynote

Question

Whenever I export a PDF from Apple Keynote and try to compress it using Acrobat (Mac), the program freezes or crashes during the compression process. This happens with multiple files, regardless of size or settings.

I’m now forced to use free tools like iLovePDF just to get the job done, even though I pay for Adobe.

Please look into this compatibility issue between Keynote-exported PDFs and Acrobat’s compression feature.

creative explorer · Answer

@Monitorhead Unofrtunately, it isn't just Adobe.... so, unless you have the 'power' to let Apple to get their stuff put-together, it isn't 100% all of Adobe's fault! It is a compatibility issue between the way Keynote exports PDFs and how Acrobat's compression feature processes them, often leading to crashes or freezes. Apple's internal PDF library (used by Keynote) and Adobe's PDF library (used by Acrobat) can sometimes have subtle differences. When Keynote exports a PDF, it may contain certain elements or data structures that Acrobat's compression algorithm has trouble parsing, especially with images.

How come you don't use Apple's built-in Preview app? Typically, this app often fixes whatever issue was preventing Acrobat from compressing the original file. You can then open this new PDF in Acrobat and compress it further if needed. Or if you still wanting it as a Presentation, export/save as a PowerPoint (.pptx) file first. Then, open the .pptx file in PowerPoint and export it as a PDF from there. The PDF generated by PowerPoint is more likely to be compatible with Acrobat's compression tools.

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