Help Needed: Image Quality Drops After PDF Conversion

Report · Aug 20, 2025

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working with Adobe software for a while and recently noticed an issue when converting documents to PDF. Whenever I convert a file containing images (whether from Word, InDesign, or another format), the image resolution drops noticeably. The images look crisp and clear in the original file, but once converted to PDF, they appear pixelated or blurry.

I’ve already tried adjusting different export and conversion settings, but the problem persists. Could I be missing a particular setting or step that ensures the images retain their original quality in the PDF?

I’ve attached a sample PDF for reference. Any tips or suggestions to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Report · Aug 20, 2025

Hi there,

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out. We are sorry for the trouble you are experiencing.

The issue you’re describing usually comes down to the way images are being compressed or downsampled during the PDF creation process. By default, many apps use settings that reduce image resolution to keep the PDF size smaller, which can cause images to look pixelated or blurry.

Here are a few things you can try:

1. Check export settings:

In Word: Go to File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality and uncheck “Do not compress images in file.”
In InDesign: Use File > Export > Adobe PDF (Print), and choose a preset like High Quality Print or Press Quality instead of Smallest File Size.

2. Adjust compression/downsampling

In the PDF export settings (from Word, InDesign, or Acrobat Distiller), look for the Compression section.
Set Do Not Downsample or increase the resolution (e.g., keep at least 300 ppi for print quality, 150 ppi for on-screen viewing).

3. Check Acrobat’s optimization settings

If you’re using Acrobat to create/optimize the PDF, go to File > Save As Other > Optimized PDF and make sure images aren’t being automatically downsampled.

If you’ve already tried most of these, it might help to share which application and export method you’re using most often (Word, InDesign, Acrobat, etc.). for more clarity and understanding. Also, a small video recording would be very helpful.

~Amal