Indesign when exported to pdf it doesnt look the same...

[dlee37]

Hello this is my first time writing for help on this page.

I have been working on designing a script book, but when I export it to test print the pdf looks not as refine as it does in the indesign file.

For example this is a screenshot of the page in indesign. The red texture with the noise was created from glow in indesign.

However exporting it in different ways they all come out like this.

The detail of the noise texture disappears and it just comes out like a blurr.

Another example, the first image is the one shown in indesign and when its exported the details dies from what you can see on the second image.

I've been searching for answers to how to export it correctly but couldnt find anything that helped me out.

Is there a way for me to keep the details alive just like the way it looks like in indesign?

Does it have to do with the fact that the gradiant or the noise was created with the indesign tool?

[Derek Cross]

Which version of InDesign and OS?

How did you produce the PDF and which kind?

Which application did you view the PDF on?

[dlee37]

1. I used the most recent updated version for InDesign. Mac OS Mojave but I've been going back and forth to Windows 10

2. For the PDF I exported as Adobe PDF (print). The setting is what you can see from the image below.

3. I viewed on acrobat and also preview but they both look the same.

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

Try PDF/X-4.

Don't use Mac Preview to view a PDF.

[dlee37]

It was acrobat I was keep on viewing it with preview. On acrobat it looks all good again, thank you so much!

Would I have to print it directly from acrobat to keep the same quality?

[Siteroo_-_Handcrafted_Web]

Usually yes. I noticed a slight difference of margins between printing a PDF in Chrome's browser vs PDF in Adobe Reader...

[HarrietMatsaert]

Hi Derek

I just created a document in indesign. When i export it as a PDF it looks good to me but when I send it to my client and they open it as a PDF the text has been changed and cropped in places.  I'm attaching the PDF I exported from Indesign and the screenshot of how my client sees it (note cropped ! before challenge, and the capital Ns look thinner etc).  Is there anything I can do to avoid this happening. Thanks so much for your help.