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jordenh51239811
Participant
February 7, 2023
Question

Black is faded when linking graphic to a PDF

  • February 7, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 492 views

I really need some help ASAP. I need to know why color is being faded when I link a PDF to a graphic in indesign. Don't tell me it's because it's a PDF becaause I've been linking PDF's fine for the last 2 years. I recently started a new indesign project and I thought everything was good until I noticed the PDFS weren't the correct color in indesign. 

 

Please help me, you'll literally be saving my life.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 7, 2023

Your document’s saved Color Management Profiles and Policies might affect the appearance of placed color. Also if there are color objects in the PDF with no profile assignments, the InDesign document’s profile assignments would be used, which could alter the color appearance.

 

Can you share the PDF?

jordenh51239811
Participant
February 7, 2023

I'll see if I can get permission but currently I am unable to do sensetive data in the pdf I'm working in.

 

But the problem is, when I save it as a PNG and upload it all looks fine. It's only bad when it's a PDF that I'm linking too. Wouldn't color profiles effect all graphics the same?

Robert at ID-Tasker
Legend
February 7, 2023

If for the last two years everything been OK - then somehow your new project is different - or your new PDFs. 

 

What if you place new PDF into old project - and old PDF into new project?

 

jordenh51239811
Participant
February 7, 2023

I just figured out why I didn't notice till now. It seems to really only be noticable when I use black colors on the PDF. Up till now I haven't used many.

rob day
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 7, 2023

I only understood half of these words. Isn't there just a checkbox I can uncheck somewhere to get indesign to use the format of the source link? How do I stop indesign from forcing it's own settings on something.


Isn't there just a checkbox I can uncheck somewhere to get indesign to use the format of the source link?

 

No.

 

Without seeing the PDF it sounds like it includes out-of-gamut RGB colors, and your page has transparency with the Transparency Blend Space set to CMYK. Try setting your Edit>Transparency Blend Space to RGB.