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S
SRosner
Participant
November 17, 2016
Answered

Illustrator PDF not exporting with transparent backgrounds.

  • November 17, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 25476 views

Hello!

I currently use Illustrator CC2015.5. I may be crazy, but it seems like the latest round of updates are causing PDFs saved from Illustrator to be flattened. When I import the graphics into Indesign as objects, they have white backgrounds instead of transparent ones. I have been using Illustrator for many years, and I used to be able to "save as PDF" then bring those images into Indesign with transparent backgrounds. Very frustrated, as I can't figure out what's going on!

Before you tell me to save graphics as EPS, I have some vendors that require high resolution PDFs when delivering images. The PDFs do retain their transparency when brought into Photoshop.  I am saving the PDFs at the 1.5 and higher settings in PDF preferences. We often drop PDFs into documents to keep the file sizes manageable.

Also having transparency issues when saving EPS files. Effects are not retaining their transparency when imported into Indesign. Tried all of the recommendations in this forum so far. I did not start having these problems until the more recent updates. What's going on!?!

Thanks,

Susan

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Ton Frederiks

    Did you check the Transparent Background option in InDesign's import options?

    3 replies

    C
    CMcDowall
    Inspiring
    June 8, 2018

    Thanks Susan and all. I too was perplexed by an apparent change of behavior for placing native Illustrator files in InD. This was a major selling point of Illustrator 9 and the original InD 1.5 (If I am not mistaken).  What Adobe could add in InD is a right click (control click) option which would change the placed graphic to a transparent background. As it is now, you have to re-import the graphic - no big thing, but it would be nice.

    Easy to miss the import option, but it is correct answer.

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 17, 2016

    Did you check the Transparent Background option in InDesign's import options?

    S
    SRosnerAuthor
    Participant
    November 17, 2016

    D'oh! That fixed it. (*hangs head in shame*) Thanks, Ton!

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 17, 2016

    Good to hear that.

    Once the option is unchecked it becomes the default until checked.

    But I would not know how to get the transparency back once it's placed in InDesign (except placing it again with a different option).

    Curious to see if someone knows how to do that.

      Mike_Gondek10189183
      Community Expert
      Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
      Community Expert
      November 17, 2016

      What pdf setting did you use?

      Did you preview your document in Illustrator with Shift Command D to confirm your transparency exists?

      S
      SRosnerAuthor
      Participant
      November 17, 2016

      Hi Mike,

      I usually use the "Illustrator Default" setting with capabilities checked. In my efforts to find a solution, I have tried all of the settings in many configurations, but still getting a white background when I import onto an Indesign page.

      Yes, transparency appears to exist when previewing in Illustrator.

      Thanks,

      Susan

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