Illustrator 2020 not saving PDF compatible files even with "Create PDF compatible file" box checked!

[chuckp10919081]

Very frustrated with the new Illustrator. Not only is it having problems saving (unless I do a "Save As"), but I cannot create a PDF file from Illustrator, even with the "Create PDF compatible file" box checked before I save the AI document. What the heck is going on? A lot of lost time trying to figure this out and I'm getting very frustrated!

[paulm57846932]

This appears to have worked. Thank you. 

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Glad to hear it has been resolved! Feel free to reach out if you run into any other questions or issues in the future. Thanks!   

[naii.io]

I can confirm that this solution worked for me (with Illustrator 2020 - version 24.0.3).

[AshleyLynae]

Hi Rishabh,

I am having the same problem, and followed your solution until:

• Go back to library->open caches->rename  com.adobe.illustrator to com.adobe.illustrator.old

** there is no com.adobe.illustrator file in there

• Go back to library->open application support-> open adobe->rename the Illustrator  24 folder to Illustrator  24 folder.old  ** there is no Illustrator 24 folder in there

Could you please help?

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi Ashley,

Sorry to hear about the trouble. Could you please confirm the exact version of OS and Illustrator you have?

Regards

Rishabh

[AshleyLynae]

Mac High Sierra 10.13.6

Illustrator 24.0.1 (Nov 2019)

Thanks

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Thanks, Ashley for sharing the information. For macOS those folders should be at that location. Could you please refer to this help article here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/setting-preferences.html#setting_illustrator_preferences 

Let us know if this helps or if you need any further assistance.

[Penelope5EA7]

Hi Rishabh, 
I tried this but I still cannot export as a pdf file. Can you please assist?

[JoyShows1]

Having the same issue and saw on another thread that if you paste the artwork into a brand new document it seems to fix the problem. It worked for me.

[Sian2019]

Hello - I followed these steps and it fixed the problem for a week and suddenly now its doing the same thing? Trying to follow the steps again but it wont let me because files are already saved as 'old'. 

Can someone help? 

[Monika Gause]

Then trash the old "old" files and save new "old" files.

[Sian2019]

This isnt a sustainable way to continue converting illustrator files to pdfs - there must be a new issue or reason as to why this is happening because its never happened in years of using both programmes. 

Can anyone from Adobe advise on this?

[ashleyb52705655]

I found your solution back in November and it worked fine. Then about 2 weeks ago the issue with creating pdfs started again. I repeated these steps and found the .old files were still there with a new folder with the names in your instructions there. Then the issue happened again today. 

Is there a way to fix this problem so I don't have to repeat these steps all the time?

[MexiMumbles]

100% agree. I'm not willing to go through the hassle of resetting my preferences everytime this issue arises.

I just tried restarting AI, opened the same file and resaved it with the same settings, and it worked fine.

[estherc9456055]

Hi,

An error exists on new update 24.0 Illustrator 2020 saving as PDF.

When I save as PDF and I open it with Adobe Acrobat, it has no content, only paragraphs telling it's empty. I've tried to save it with default print presets, but it doesn't work. The file is not the problem, an older Illustrator version save it as PDF correctly. 

Am I doing something wrong??

Thanks!

{Renmaed By MOD}

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi Esther,

Sorry to hear about the trouble you are facing with Illustrator. Would you mind sharing some more information like:

1. The version of the Operating System.
2. Would you mind sharing the screenshot of the workflow that you are following?

All this information will help us understand the issue better and assist accordingly.

Looking forward to your response.

Regards

Rishabh

[estherc9456055]

Hi Rishabh,

I'm working with macOS Catalina version 10.15. I can see there is an update available.

I'm asking my support team to update it as soon as possible and I'll check if the problem keep going.

I'll keep you posted!

Thanks for your speed

[estherc9456055]

Hello again!

It works fine now. I've only updated my macOS version.

I'm using the same file and configuration to export. 

Sorry I can't provide any further help.

Thank you

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Glad to hear it has been resolved! Feel free to reach out if you run into any other questions or issues in the future. Thanks!

[chrisl41501719]

Same thing with some of my clients. Mine works fine but this seems to be a common issue fyi.

[Test Screen Name]

Please share a screen shot. “paragraphs telling it's empty” isn’t familiar at all. 

[Stephanie - SB Marketing]

Hello -

I am receiving the following error message when attempting to save a Press Quality PDF: 

"This is an Adobe® Illustrator® File that was

saved without PDF Content.

To Place or open this file in other

applications, it should be re-saved from

Adobe Illustrator with the "Create PDF

Compatible File" option turned on. This

option is in the Illustrator Native Format

Options dialog box, which appears when

saving an Adobe Illustrator le using the

Save As command."

I have tried the following troubleshooting without any success: 

• Resetting the preferences 
• Copying and saving the content to a new file 

[jane-e]

Do a File > Save As and choose Illustrator as the format. In the second screen, select PDF Compatible File. (I may have the exact words wrong.)

[Stephanie - SB Marketing]

Hi jane-e,

Thank you for responding! Unfortunately that did not work either. It was already a selected option. 

[Larry G. Schneider]

Check the first couple of submissions in the related box below your message. There are a couple of problems with old preference files.