Pdfs not showing correctly in Preview on Mac

Report · Nov 14, 2018

I have recently updated to MacOS 10.14.1 and the latest versions of creative suite App.

My pdfs created in Indesign used to show perfectly well in 'Preview' on MacOS. But since update, most of the images are completely missing on every file I have previously created.

Anyone have any ideas, etc?

Report · Nov 14, 2018

You should ask in the Apple forums, as Preview is an Apple application.

Report · Nov 14, 2018

Very true, I just thought I'd ask id ask my peers who may use this combination of software before having to trudge off to Apple

Thanks anyway

Report · Nov 14, 2018

Good luck with Apple! You'll need it

As you may know, Preview is not a good PDF viewer. It has gotten a little bit better over the years, but I still call it the "Killer of PDF files" (see here for a bit more information: Preview.app - Killer of PDF Files - KHKonsulting LLC ). In general, you should not use Preview to display PDF files - at least not if you care about how accurately your PDF files will be shown, and how the files potentially get destroyed by the viewing application. I advise my customers not to use Preview, and they inform their users and customers not to open PDF files in Preview. Download the free Adobe Reader and use that for all your PDF viewing (and printing) needs.

Without seeing your PDF files, it's impossible to say what is going on here. Chances are that you are using a feature in PDF that Apple has not or nor fully implemented in Preview.

Report · Nov 14, 2018

Thanks Karl, you basically confirmed everything I suspected. Oddly enough Im on the Apple forums now, and can't even get my question up. Unfortunately I have a client who worships everything Apple do and won't listen to reason that the Apple product can't do the job.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Why people can't use the specific product for the job I don't know. You wouldn't eat ice cream with chopsticks, why open a pdf in preview with its limited scope.

Ill go shout at my client a bit I think

Cheers

Report · Nov 14, 2018

I cannot count the number of apple devices I have. Right now, I am typing on a MacBook Pro, I have my iPhone in my pocket and my Apple watch on my wrist. My router is an Apple router, my server is a MacMini... You probably get the idea - I've been called a fanboy before . And still, I will _NOT_ use Preview for displaying PDF files. Even though Apple has a great track record with hardware, UI design and usability, they do not understand PDF.

Report · Nov 14, 2018

Adobe does not own PDF. They gave it away years ago and it is owned by an ISO. Adobe can’t help you (in this case your client) with other viewers or with PDFs made by non-Adobe products. Some are good; many are not.

I love all things Mac except PDFs in Preview!

Report · Dec 29, 2019

This answered my question about problems I was having with functionality in Preview (not all of my fillable areas in PDF were functioning in Preview), and why any time I'd open my PDFs in Preview my files were corrupted and I couldn't edit them anymore in Acrobat. Preview has been corrupting my PDF files! Thank you for saving me tons of time and frustration!

Report · May 27, 2024

I use PDFgear after endless small PDF problems with both Acrobat and Preview.

Report · Nov 06, 2024

This problem opening a pdf from Safari's Downloads list only started after deleting Acrobat which a government site forced me to install to file some forms. Acrobat made itself the default and having switched the default back to Preview all is fine except the shortcut to the Safari Downloads list.

Very unhappy that Acrobat had to seize control of my computer, actually rather getting fed up with Adobe in general having been a longtime user of Lightroom, Photoshop and Inllustrator. Ready to chuck them in for Capture One Pro's perpetual licence.