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C
Carh
January 22, 2026
Question

Printing a booklet from PDF moves elements around on the page

  • January 22, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 89 views

I create manuals in InDesign and export them to PDF from which they're printed as either double sided A4 pages or as double sided A3 booklets.  The problem is with the A3 booklet prints: On at least one page three text boxes (unlinked and with different paragraph styles) and a line shape drawn in InDesign move. They are on the bottom 3cm of the page and none of the text or images higher up on the page nor the images or text on the master page that was applied to the page are affected. On the print, the text in one of the text boxes even flows to the next line and it has an indent where there shouldn't be.

 

If it was the whole page that was affected I'd imagine it's to do with margins, but the fact that it's only the bottom area that's changed has me confused. Other people print the pages so I'm hoping there's something I can do on my end. I've attached a screenshot of my InDesign document and an image showing how it printed in A3 booklet.

2 replies

Randy Hagan
Community Expert
Randy HaganCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 23, 2026

Unfortunately, I can't see what you've got because the preview function here is broken and I don't download unknown files. Could you please repost with the graphics embedded in the body of the post?

 

Without seeing your examples, could it be that you have graphic elements that cross reader spreads within your InDesign documents before you create your PDF? By my experience that's the Number One Reason why elements don't print correctly when InDesign documents are recomposed as booklets. 

 

If that's the case, the fix is to 1) duplicate the offending elements, then 2) arrange them so they don't exist past the "crossover" that turns your reader spreads into booklets.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Randy

Luke Jennings3
Community Expert
Luke Jennings3Community Expert
Community Expert
January 25, 2026

It's unusual for a printer to want you to create a booklet (printers spreads), ordinarily they would want single pages. That said, elements moving around and type reflowing should never happen. Is your Acrobat version up to date? What InDesign export setting do you use? are you modifying your pdf before printing to booklet? (optimizing for size and unembedding fonts). Are you printing to postscript (.ps) and using distiller to create a pdf? this is not recommended.

If the issue is originating at your printer, they are doing something wrong and you should look for a new printer.

C
CarhAuthor
January 26, 2026

Hi Luke.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. To answer some:

  • I export out of InDesign using the default Press Quality preset.
  • The PDF is one document consisting of 52 individual pages.
  • I am not modifying the PDF post export on my side, but I don't know if the company printing it does. 
  • I've done more asking around and the A4 pages were printed in-house, but the A3s were printed by the product manufacturer and I don't know if they changed anything. I am not in contact with anyone at that company.
creative explorer
Community Expert
creative explorerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 23, 2026

@Carh what type of printer are you using? Are you printing straight from InDesign? Save as a PDF to print?

m
C
CarhAuthor
January 23, 2026

Unfortunately I am not involved in the printing process so I don't know what printer they're using. As far as I know they print straight from the PDF, which is exported from InDesign. 

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