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Does anyone know of how you would export an interactive PDF as CMYK? Using Indesign 2022. It always wants to change the colour profile to RGB when I export?
Hi ccarey1,
you can create what you want, but it requires some extra steps.
[1] Export to PDF Interactive ( where of course all colors are converted to RGB )
[2] Export another PDF to Print where all colors stay intact or are converted to CMYK.
[3] Open the PDF from [1] in Acrobat Pro.
[4] Go to category Organize Pages
[5] Use the button command Replace to replace all pages from that PDF with the ones from [2].
The interactive elements will be maintained.
Save the result PDF to a new name.
...
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Sadly, the iPDF outport does not have an option to set colour profiles, it wil be (s)RGB always...
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An interactive PDF is intended for use on screens, not for printing (other than printing to a desktop laser printer for personal use, not commercial printing). The "Interactive" part means the user must be able to click or do something with the PDF file, like fill in a form, access it for accessibility purposes, make comments, or sign a document.
Digital screens are only RGB. CMYK is for printing devices, especially commercial printing presses.
As @Frans v.d. Geest said, you'll never find CMYK or other color profiles in interactive PDF.
If you need CMYK color, then use Export / PDF (Print) instead, but the PDF will not have any interactive features.
Designers who create layouts that are destined for both printing and online / screen viewing make 2 separate PDFs from their INDD layout: one for print, and a second for interactive. The print version will most likely have the CMYK color space and be sent to a print shop, while the interactive version will use RGB and be posted on a website or distributed electronically such as via email.
Although both PDFs will look identical, each is custom-made for its specific purpose, print or digital (and never both).
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Hi ccarey1,
you can create what you want, but it requires some extra steps.
[1] Export to PDF Interactive ( where of course all colors are converted to RGB )
[2] Export another PDF to Print where all colors stay intact or are converted to CMYK.
[3] Open the PDF from [1] in Acrobat Pro.
[4] Go to category Organize Pages
[5] Use the button command Replace to replace all pages from that PDF with the ones from [2].
The interactive elements will be maintained.
Save the result PDF to a new name.
Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( ACP )
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Thanks! That worked 👏
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Still... why should you want a CMYK colour space for an iPDF that is viewed in screens???
It will mean colour rendering problems...
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I didn't my client did, despite my explanation. I am well aware that digital applications use RGB, and print uses CMYK. Don't worry.
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But the fields, when filled, will still be RGB. There is no way to make them CMYK.
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Ah yes, clients... sigh. 😉
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Thanks, Uwe Laubender!