background color not showing up in PDF

[annab96467542]

I have several pages in my INDD document with a solid fill color. After I export the file to PDF, I can see the background color in the preview screen but when I open the PDF, none of the pages with the background fill show it. Please help.

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post if it helps you get responses.

<moved from using the community>

[John Mensinger]

How did you apply the background color? Is it on a layer that is set to non-printing?

After I export the file to PDF, I can see the background color in the preview screen

Which "preview screen" is that, and what application are you using to open and view the PDF?

[Luke Jennings3]

Are you viewing the pdf in Acrobat or Reader? You may be creating a layered pdf and your pdf viewer does not respect layers. It might also be an overprint issue or the background layer is set to not print (or export). Is the background color a spot color? Can you attach a sample page with the missing background?

[annab96467542]

I'm viewing in Acrobat. I've never had this issue in the past so when I opened up the file and there was nothing there, I was surprised. I've attached one page from my document with the resulting PDF. All colors are CMYK. Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

[SJRiegel]

If by Solid Fill Color, you mean a spot Pantone, then the fault may be in the Acrbat view settings. 

In the Page Display settings, for Use Overprint Preview: Always

[rob day]

but when I open the PDF, none of the pages with the background fill show it.

Hi @annab96467542 , That could happen if you created the background color by editing the default [Paper] swatch. [Paper] represents the color of the paper with no ink printed. AcrobatPro has the equivalent in its Output Preview panel, Set Page Background Color, which is unchecked by default:

[annab96467542]

To create the background I drew a box with a solid fill (with bleeds). This has only started happening since the latest update to the software – I don't know if it's Acrobat or INDD that's causing this. I'm attaching one page from my INDD file and the resulting PDF. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. I've never had this problem in the past. If I open up the page in Photoshop, the background color is there. When I browse my desktop to open the file, it shows in the preview display.

[BobLevine]

No problem here. The purple color background is there in InDesign and the exported PDF.

[annab96467542]

So why can't I see it on my screen?

[rob day]

Can you show a capture from AcrobatPro with the Print Production> Output Preview open?

[Luke Jennings3]

Your pdf looks fine here too, in Acrobat & Reader. There is some black type behind the background, send the background to the bottom to reveal it. Check for Acrobat updates and try re-starting your Mac, if you are still having issues, you may need to re-install Acrobat.

[annab96467542 · Accepted solution]

Thanks to everyone who tried to help me problem solve. I updated my system, reinstalled Acrobat but it was still happening. Then I noticed a similar issue posted from someone else a few months ago and tried the suggestion posted. It worked! It was my accessibility settings that were messing everything up and when I think back to when it first started happening, I realize it was after I made a PDF file accessible. So all good now, thanks again.

[kglad]

@annab96467542   

thanks for the update.

[ionaw91064378]

what was the fix? i'm having the same issue..... i don't know what to change in "accessibility settings" to make the background show up!?! 

[Laura35507807ew2n · Accepted solution]

I stumbled across this discussion when I was having the same issue (background colors not displaying after converting to PDF) and after reading about accessibility (see post above) I went to Adobe Acrobat > Edit > Preferences > Accessibility > and uncheck Replace Document Colors. That seemed to work for me.

[Danielle37907446oxiy]

Hi all, I am having these same problems, however, I do not have the accessibilty box checked and yet the filled rectangle color is not showing up. Does anyone have any other ideas as to why this might be happening?

[rob day]

Hi @Danielle37907446oxiy , Can you share the ID file, you can attach it to a reply

[Danielle37907446oxiy]

Here is a portion of the full document, but the same problem applies to each. Thank you for your help!

[Danielle37907446oxiy]

My solution at the moment is to create an image that is just the solid color and upload that to the master pages which works for the pdf download, however that is a very roundabout way to achieve this end goal haha

[jmlevy]

It is because you used the “paper” color: paper color is not intented to print but to simulate the paper color. In your case, you must use the existing C0M7Y14K0 color to fill the background rectangles.

[Danielle37907446oxiy]

Oh my goodness thank you! I knew the page color wouldn't print, but didn't realize that would apply when adding that color to the rectangle. It is working properly now!