Images not showing up in Preview when exporting PDFs from InDesigns.

[LakeLara]

I cannot figure out why when exporting PDFs in InDesign SOME (not all) of the images on the docuent do not show up when previewing the file in any program.... The image is there when the file is openend in acrobat... most of the time, occasionaly it will not show up OR print  for a client I have sent to but is just fine on my end.... I have searched settings and posts and have found nothing helpful at all. See the screen shot sample below of the same file open in acrobat that is NOT showing the image when previewing the image in its folder... this happens on other devices not just my desktop computer... Please help... this is SOOOOO frustrating.

[Eugene Tyson]

Preview on the Mac is a terrible PDF viewer.

When you make a PDF from InDesign it's designed to be opened in Acrobat. Any other 3rd party PDF reader is a crapshoot.

The PDF reader is open software license, that is anybody can create a PDF viewer, but most do not adhere to all the modules available, trying to make a lighter/compact version.

The only way it's gonna probably work is if your PDF setting is PDFX1a - which is not great if you're going to print with this. 

If it's not going to print and just to be shared online - then it will probably be ok.

[LakeLara]

Ok so what has happened in the past year to make this an issue, as I have been using these same programs for 20 years and they have always been perfectly fine? The pdfs are for print, and it is not all images all the time, just random ones sometimes... not every file and every image? All the advice I can find is the same .... Previewer is garbage.... use Acrobat... which is what I am using.. full versions of these programs, WHAT my issue is ... is sending pdf files to clients to print.... and them not being able to see or print the images...

[Eugene Tyson]

As @Diane Burns says - we can't really know what the issue is here without seeing it.

I can only guess what is going wrong and what is happening. But won't be able to give an educated guess until seeing the document.

[Diane Burns]

Can you post a sample page of the .indd file as well as the PDF your client's having trouble with?

[Laubender]

Hi LakeLara,

when in Acrobat Pro or Adobe Reader make sure that the following options are set:

Preferences > Page Display >

Page Content and Information

[ x ] Show large images

Use Overprint Preview:

[Always]

Also make sure that this is turned off:

Preferences > Accessibility >

Document Colors Options

[   ] Replace Document Colors

Best make a sample PDF file available where you see the issue.

Put it on Dropbox and share the link.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[maxwithdax]

When you have objects with custom blend modes and other effects XObjects, it is likely that the previewer is not able to render the complex properties. Run this test. Create a flat JPG of that same missing content and then generate your PDF. Would bet you can see them in the preview again. XObjects are a special breed. As others have suggested, it is hit or miss on what gets rendered when you have transparencies and custom blend modes and effects.

[Jensofunky · Accepted solution]

I found this post when I was having the same issue. Turns out there was an overlay effect on the elements that weren't showing up. I changed it to "normal" and all is well. Preview actually helped me discover the issue was on my end - we use Adobe Workfront for proofing and elements were missing from the proof.

[ellis_3003]

SAME. Acrobat showed my images perfectly, but Workfront would show them as blank. Overlay was the culprit. Thanks!

[ellis_3003]

I'm going to add some keywords here to aid in the search for the next person that posts a fine-looking PDF to Workfront and it comes out blank: Workfront blank PDF overlay style proof blank proof Workfront bug graphics not proofing graphics blank in Workfront PDF proof

[chrisg11235813]

When saving your PDF choose an older version of Acrobat Compatibility option.

Preview is probably not using the latest Acrobat PDF standards.

Maybe try to simplify your document.

Make sure you simplify (as much as possible) all of your links (flaten/rasterize effects/etc.).

Make sure all of you links are using the same colour space (the same as your output intent)

Do as few effects/blending within inDesign as possible.