Why color changes after saving a document as pdf file in adobe illustrator?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hi There!
I wonder if anyone has this problem before? Here it is:
I use Adobe Illustrator 24.1.2 in a mac. I created a new document with CMYK mode and placed a pdf file. The image size is the same as the canvas size. Then I reduced the image size a bit and added a rectangle in same size as canvas. I putted it as background and filled in same green background color as the image. see screen print 1.
Screen 1
Then I saved it as pdf file and it poped up below screen print 2,3 as below.
I clicked ok and proceed. Then I opened it in Adobe Acrobat, and the background color around the edge (where I have used rectangle tool in the initial design) looks different comparing with the image green background! (I have used the same green color as color picker picks) See below screen print 4.
Why and how should I solve the problem? Thank you!
Jiashen H
Explore related tutorials & articles
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
So you linked the PDF in your AI file?
Did you pick up the color? Or did you know the values?
What exactly is in the PDF? Only vector content?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hi Monika,
Thank you! I did pick up the color by color picker and the pdf file is placed picture and a rectangle shape content. However I try to redo the whole process today again and this problem just disappeared! How strange. I still dont know why though. Thank you anyways.
Best regards
Jiashen H
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I suspect the placed PDF is RGB.
Open the PDF link in Acrobat and use the Output Preview tool (under Print Production) to determine if it is RGB and to find the tint value.
Under Show: select RGB, to show only the RGB colors.
Under Simulation Profile, select Adobe RGB to bring up the RGB color values, move the mouse over the tint.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hi Luke,
Thank you for your answer! The placed pdf is CMYK. However I try to redo the whole process today again and this problem just disappeared! How strange. I still dont know why though. Thank you anyways.
Best regards
Jiashen H
![](/skins/images/E3E4AFE003C95F0FF3D8EDFF67AF85D5/responsive_peak/images/icon_anonymous_message.png)
![](/skins/images/E3E4AFE003C95F0FF3D8EDFF67AF85D5/responsive_peak/images/icon_anonymous_message.png)