An error exists on this page. Acrobat may not display the page correctly.

[MdesignAZ]

I'm seeing this error when I export pdf files from InDesign:
"An error exists on this page. Acrobat may not display the page correctly. Please contact the person who created the PDF document to correct the problem."

There is another post about this, but even though it says it was solved it really wasn't. Also, that post is 5 years old so I thought I'd try again. 

I looked at the pre-flight panel in InDesign, and it said "No Errors." 

InDesign and Acrobat are both the latest versions: 
InDesign: 18.4
Acrobat: 2023.003.20244

macOS: 13.4.1

The error message is so vague, I am not sure where to start. "An error exists..." is so Sartre-esque.

Everything looks good, there are no missing elements or artifacts. 

TIA everyone

[AkanchhaS]

Hi TIA

Hope you are doing well.

We appreciate that you did follow the suggestion given in a similar discussion. Sadly that did not help to figure out whats causing trouble here. 

The document you are working with, does it contains images in it? Also, was it originally produced from Indesign?

This could be the result of a corrupt image in the PDF file. Please try the suggestion given here: https://answers.acrobatusers.com/Error-Message-An-error-exists-page-Acrobat-display-page-correctly-P... 

If this doesn't help then share the problematic file with us as we'd like to test the same at our end.

Thanks,

Akanchha 

[MdesignAZ]

Thanks for getting back to me. 

:: The document contains images.

:: The document was created in InDesign

I will try the suggestion referenced in the link and post up here. 

Thanks!

[Rudolf337136803z4u]

Hi Akanchha,

Here a file that I have that is also reporting this issue, on Windows 11, using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader,. The file only has text. Only Adobe Acrobat Reader seems to report this error. Other tools, such as any of the latest browsers,, Libre Office Draw, PDF Element, Calibre do not seem to have any issue with the file.

Rudolf

[aschroeger]

Googling this issue, there are A LOT of people having an issue.  I too.

Every PC in the building that ive tried opening the file has this issue. 

I even installed Adobe DC fresh on a new Win 11 laptop fresh out of the box, same issue.

If I open the pdf in Chrome it opens fine.

If I open the PDF in Nitro PDF it says the file was corrupt and repaired, and opens just fine in Nitro.

Whats the smoking gun reason this is happening?

the PDF was created in Adobe Illustrator on a Mac.

[zedn]

just creat outline to the text in Indesign Click on Type > Create Outlines.

[Fatemeh24539536vanw]

Hi, I have the same issue. 
Creating an outline will sort the issue out, but my file has footnotes, and when I turn the text to outline all footnotes disappear. 

[zedn]

I Think you must change the font to a similar one if there is none similar fonts, just Unlink InDesign Text Boxes and Create Outlines for the text boxes one by one.

[Tariq Ahmad Dar]

Hi all, 

Sorry for the delayed response.

Following are some of the known possible causes due to which such issues can occur:

1. Corrupt or Malformed PDF Structure

• The PDF file may have incorrect object references or missing elements, causing Acrobat to fail when rendering the page.

2. Issues with Embedded Fonts or Images

• Improperly embedded fonts or corrupt images in the PDF can trigger this error.
• This can occur when a PDF is created from third-party tools that don’t fully comply with the PDF specification.

3. Flattening or Transparency Issues

• Some PDFs contain complex transparency layers, especially those created from graphic design software (e.g., Illustrator, InDesign).
• Acrobat may struggle to display or process these elements correctly.

4. Generated from Non-Adobe PDF Creators

• Some third-party applications generate PDFs that do not follow Adobe’s PDF standards, leading to compatibility issues.

5. Corrupted Annotations or Forms

• If the PDF contains interactive elements (like forms, annotations, or digital signatures) that are not properly structured, Acrobat may fail to interpret them correctly.

Following are a few suggestions:

1. Run Acrobat’s “Preflight” Tool (For Advanced Users)

• Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Go to Tools > Print Production > Preflight.
• Run “Analyze and Fix” to detect and repair structural issues.

2. Use “Save As” to Optimize the PDF

• Open the PDF in Acrobat.
• Click File > Save As.
• Choose “Reduce File Size” or “Optimize PDF”.
• Ensure the “Discard Bookmarks” under "Discard Objects" and Clean up > “Discard Invalid Links” options are selected.
• Save the optimized file.

3. Check Fonts & Images (For Creators of the PDF)

If you are the creator of the PDF:

• Ensure all fonts are properly embedded before exporting.
• Use Adobe tools (InDesign, Illustrator, etc.) to export PDFs using high compatibility settings.
• Flatten transparency layers before saving.

~Tariq