Adobe Illustrator 2025 images not exporting as PDF

[Rick22886273nv7v]

OK, so this is new. I have looked through many postings on this issue throughout the forum with no success of finding a resolution.

Using a MAC, I have an Illustrator file that has text and vector elements. Yes the layers are all set to print, tried multiple save variations, but it still has missing elements when saved out as a PDF or even exported to a PDF. Exporting to a jpeg all elements show up though.

Brief synopsis. This is a file i have used for 4-5 years, each quarter is gets info updated and resaved out. It has worked in previous years. Until now. Just out of curiosity i opened one of the previous years versions and the PDF is now also showing elements missing from it. Could this be an issue with the most recent upgrade of Illustrator? Or a new way we need to process out saving PDF's

The illustrator pdf file, a previous file and the jpeg are attached

[Rick22886273nv7v]

Just opened the previews to these files and it all shows on here, if you click and preview in the browser it shows, but if you actually download and open the files it does not

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Rick22886273nv7v,

Thanks for sharing the details. Would you mind also sharing the original AI file after uploading it to a file-sharing service like Google Drive or Dropbox and highlighting the elements that do not show up, so I can investigate this further?

Note: While sharing the file, kindly make the link public and enable the option to save a copy/download (if any).

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Rick22886273nv7v]

Here is the dropbox link https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/v6aczmlis33gzr1blm08g/AJC47xUkHzaA9t01Z-fJtsA?rlkey=pjyntvsgo9xc4x8ec...

The graphics that show up in the jpeg are what doesnt show in the PDF

[Bobby Henderson]

I downloaded a copy of the original Illustrator AI file and opened it without any problems. I saved a copy of the document in PDF format using the Illustrator Default PDF preset. The resulting PDF file looks like it doesn't have any issues. I did save the PDF using the latest Illustrator Beta release though.

Edit: the PDF I saved previews correctly in Adobe Acrobat. However, the shadow elements behind those page curl objects don't look right in the PDF preview here. Hmmm. Saving for Acrobat 8 compatibility vs version 7 doesn't appear to make a difference. The PDF preview in the web browser isn't respecting the multiply blending mode applied to the gradient mesh shadow objects under the page curl elements.

[Rick22886273nv7v]

Issue still unresolved

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Rick22886273nv7v,

I tried replicating this behavior on my end but could not. Could you share a small screen recording using the files you have shared using the Dropbox link earlier to highlight the exact graphics/parts of the work that are not correctly shown, so I can better assist you with this?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Rick22886273nv7v]

I can't do a screen recording, but i can say this. I sent to the file to another user on a PC, they oopen the PDF and it looked fine, so it seems to be an issue with my Acrobat not seeing it correctly when saving then opening, could it be a preferences or internal cache issue?

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Your files are all fine here. I'm using the current Acrobat 25.001.20458 (Mac). What's your system/versions?

That being said, the mesh shadow with the Multiply effect does NOT render in some browsers, e.g. Firefox doesn't process them for me here, which is typical of some third-party PDF viewers.

From a production standpoint, your PDFs are good, but if you want something that won't be problematic for the web and other low-quality PDF viewers, you might select a flattening export preset instead to flatten the meshes.

As for why your Acrobat isn't showing it correctly is weird. I don't know of any particular setting in Preferences that would interfere, so your install may be compromised somehow.

[Bobby Henderson]

That's the problem I'm seeing. The gradient mesh shadow object (with multiply blending mode) works properly when viewed in Acrobat. The object gets a white background when viewed in the Firefox browser's PDF viewer; the same goes for the PDF viewer in Google Chrome.

If the PDF is going to be printed it's likely it will print correctly through a printer that has an Adobe certified PDF print engine built into it or its RIP software. Not every printer or software RIP has that capability.

[l_3236]

I'm having related issues. Using a Mac as well and finding although I embedded my images, when I save the illustrator file as a pdf, the images will not display. The images only display correctly in illustrator. Have been doing this for multiple years just fine until now.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @l_3236,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Could you share more details, like the version of the OS/Illustrator installed, a link to a sample file after uploading it to a file-sharing service, and a small screen recording of the problem, so I can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anubhav

[l_3236]

I'm on adobe 29.6.1 on a mac

The images can be seen in illustrator but not in acrobat. As a control, I took a screenshot in tiff format and it displays correctly, but my tiff images won't. 

the pdf

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tkhlkcdq8p0r7s7a12u5a/for-adobe.pdf?rlkey=cn8avba96f4yidnyih13fkref&d...

an image

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tdljzohj330zwixrjsprd/CHEMI_07102025_140730_-Membrane-_ng.tif?rlkey=n...

[Anubhav M]

Hello @l_3236,

Thanks for confirming. I tried placing the TIFF file shared in a new AI document, saved it as a PDF and then checked the PDF file in Acrobat, but could not replicate the problem. Could you share a link to a sample file, screenshot of the export settings used, the exported PDF and a screenshot of how the PDF file renders in Acrobat (along with the version of Acrobat installed) after uploading them to a file-sharing service, so I can check this with the team?

Looking forward to your response.
Anubhav