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Dabatross
Dabatross
Known Participant
January 12, 2018
Answered

Colors changing on PDF export from indesign

  • January 12, 2018
  • 14 replies
  • 116059 views

I attached an image that shows how a teal color I'm using changes color when it's exported in Indesign. The image on the left is what ithe arrows are supposed to look like in Indesign and the one on the right is what happens to the teal arrows when its in PDF form. Any idea on why the color is getting desaturated on export to PDF?

Correct answer tylerabaya

Sorry to revive an old thread. But I just had this problem and figured it out for my situation. If you have the problem again, make sure you the PDF you're opening it with is through Adobe Acrobat and not the built in Windows 10 default program. It looks like that program completely changes the hues in PDF's.

When I opened in Acrobat all the colours for me were correct. I didn't need to re-save or change anything in my document settings or export settings. It was just the poor codec or something that Windows 10 uses.

14 replies

johnr48685593
johnr48685593
Participating Frequently
May 24, 2022

Hi! Yes. I'm super new to InDesign (but familiar with Photoshop so it wasn't a huge leap), so I don't know the ins and outs of everything I need to check. But, going through these forums I've tried both of the "Transparency Blend Space" options, changed the color settings to "North America General Purpose 2", tried the various "Color Conversion" options when exporting, as well as each of the "Adobe PDF Preset" and "Profile Inclusion Policy" options. I've tried deleting the color profile in Bridge. 

 

I think those are all of the things I've tried. I did also try to just export it as a PDF and then open it in Photoshop and manipulate the colors but that isn't going to work. I have a lot of PDFs I need to create for work, and this color issue is bumming me out. I'd love any suggestions you have! 

 

It looks great in InDesign but as soon as it exports the colors are dull. 

 

Thanks so much!


Same issue here in 2022. I've tried all the above with no avail. Sometimes I just reset the computer over and over, and eventaully Indesign exports with the correct colors... that's the only solution that's worked for me. It's as if indesign as a random color generator upon export.

    C
    Cortney5C41
    Participant
    November 24, 2021

    CMYK.. 

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    November 24, 2021

    Adobe staff MUST have an Adobe badge before posting in the forums !!

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    November 24, 2021

    Do NOT post personal details. 

    Do NOT invite private conversations.

    This is an entirely inappropriate thing for a public forum.

    Discussions take place here, in public, to benefit future people with the same problem. I've asked the moderators to delete your email from the post, for your protection.

    C
    Cortney5C41
    Participant
    November 24, 2021

    Hi! Yes. I'm super new to InDesign (but familiar with Photoshop so it wasn't a huge leap), so I don't know the ins and outs of everything I need to check. But, going through these forums I've tried both of the "Transparency Blend Space" options, changed the color settings to "North America General Purpose 2", tried the various "Color Conversion" options when exporting, as well as each of the "Adobe PDF Preset" and "Profile Inclusion Policy" options. I've tried deleting the color profile in Bridge. 

     

    I think those are all of the things I've tried. I did also try to just export it as a PDF and then open it in Photoshop and manipulate the colors but that isn't going to work. I have a lot of PDFs I need to create for work, and this color issue is bumming me out. I'd love any suggestions you have! 

     

    It looks great in InDesign but as soon as it exports the colors are dull. 

     

    Thanks so much!

    C
    Cortney5C41
    Participant
    November 24, 2021

    It's 2021 and I'm having this same problem. I'm so stumped!! I've tried all the suggestions I'm seeing in forums and on YouTube and I'm getting nowhere. My PDF is super dull whenever I export from InDesign. Any help? 😞 😞 😞 

      mariap62012983
      mariap62012983
      Participant
      November 3, 2021

      That happened to me in only 2 of my images from the entire InDesign document when exporting PDF Interactive or Print: the colours will show a teal colour, not green/red/yellow for example. My solution was to export my vector file to an .svg file in illustrator (still small size in MB) and the colour was exporting accordingly.

      S
      Selina Kucks
      Participant
      October 13, 2020

      Hi Everyone!

      I have some major issues I have trying to sort out and so far with no luck at all.  I am trying to export a file from InDesign to PDF and the colours are absolutely different.  I have tried - No Colour Conversion; replace and saved all transparencies; reinstalled PDF program, change the colours to hopefully receive the right output, but still no luck.  I am working in InDesign CS5 and this is the first time in years I have problems.  I have done hundreds of products with this program and inserted artworks in the same manner.  I am so stuck for ideas.  Please take a look at the colours.

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 13, 2020

      The colors you are using are outside of the CMYK color gamut, so if the cover is going to printed using CMYK process inks, Acrobat is showing you how the RGB colors will convert to CMYK when the cover is printed.

        tylerabaya
        tylerabayaCorrect answer
        Participant
        September 24, 2018

        Sorry to revive an old thread. But I just had this problem and figured it out for my situation. If you have the problem again, make sure you the PDF you're opening it with is through Adobe Acrobat and not the built in Windows 10 default program. It looks like that program completely changes the hues in PDF's.

        When I opened in Acrobat all the colours for me were correct. I didn't need to re-save or change anything in my document settings or export settings. It was just the poor codec or something that Windows 10 uses.

          rob day
          Community Expert
          rob dayCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          September 24, 2018

          That's right, many PDF viewers and browsers are not fully color managed and the color profiles and Output Intents often get ignored.

          Dabatross
          DabatrossAuthor
          Known Participant
          January 13, 2018

          Turned off those options in adobe reader, tested it in both reader and acrobat again, both of them have the same issue with the color of teal

          rob day
          Community Expert
          rob dayCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 13, 2018

          Try exporting with the default PDF/X-4 preset.

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