Pdf IMAGE SIZE is too large when saved from Illustrator. NOT the file size.

[Guest]

My document size is correct. When opened in Illustrator, or saved to web, or exported to jpg it is correct size.

But when I saved to pdf, the image size is too large. e.g. a business card is about 25% larger than the normal 3.5x2 inches.

What could be the problem please?

[Monika Gause]

PLease be precise.

WHich size exactly is set up?

With which options do you export?

Which application do you use to check the PDF?

What is displayed in the title bar (where it shows the zoom level)?

[Guest]

This is the compression tab of the save dialog.

I open it in Acrobat Reader DC.

It shows 100%. Zoom level.

The size is 3.5" x 2"  with a bleed of .125

[Monika Gause]

Can you check in Acrobat which is the document size?

We're not talking about the display on the screen, right? Because you cannot rely on that at all. Sometimes screen resolution is taken into account and sometimes it's not. Only thing that matters is what gets printed (on a PostScript device) at 100% and what's listed in the document information.

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

In Acrobat, change the Preferences > Page Display to Custom Resolution 72 pixels/inch to match Illustrators display.

[Guest]

Thank you so much. It worked. I changed the Preferences > Page Display as you said. You are a life saver.

[Test Screen Name]

Worth bearing in mind tgat each app has its own idea of 100% scale. Even all Adobe apps may be different. So never expect size matching; when it happens it's a fluke.

[Ton Frederiks]

That is unfortunately true.

To match Illustrator 100% in Acrobat you need to set the prefs at 72 ppi as described above.

To set InDesign to 72 ppi see this script (and the script to reset it):

Michael Stanaland » How to change InDesign’s default screen resolution

[Guest]

The strange thing is, there was absolutely NO thread or question anywhere on internet regarding this. All questions are about the pdf file size. Maybe I find this new as I am new to design works but still in an age where you find almost everything on internet .... lol

Anyway good to know this additional thing too. I should check these kinds of differences first. Thanks a lot.

[Ton Frederiks]

There were many discussions in the past and you can find them with a forum search.

Many users find it confusing that 100% gives a different size in various apllications (and many expect that 100% on screen means that the objects displayed are the same size as in the real world).

[Test Screen Name]

I think most users just expect things to be different sizes at 100%, so no question and no answer needed. They zoom if needed.