Issue Exporting to PDF with Gradients

[Addison5C10]

I have a booklet I am planning on getting printed. I have some gradient strokes for some of the text and when I export to pdf it is showing up really weird when I send over email, open via micrsoft edge, or try to add it to a website. I attached a couple images for reference. 

[Addison5C10]

I should have added - I am exporting from Indesign. 

[Peter Spier · Accepted solution]

Does it appear correctly in Acrobat? Other readers, such as Microsoft Edge, may not be able to properly interpret the more complex parts of the PDF. This is not a shortcoming or InDesign or the PDF, but of the reader.

[BobLevine]

Peter's answer is correct. but if you used spot colors, replace them with process colors. For screen use, stick to RGB.

[Addison5C10]

Thanks for the reply! The main use is for print but it makes it a challenge to email it to someone and typically the pdf version would be posted on a website. So I'm just wondering if there's some way around this for when I email it or post it online. 

[BobLevine]

You didn't asnwer the question. Did you use spot colors? I can't imagine something like this being printed that way.

[Addison5C10]

Hi Bob,

Sorry Didn't mean to skip your question. I guess I'm pretty new to this so I'm not sure how to check if I used spot colors but as far as I know I used CMYK colors. Does that help?

[BobLevine]

Looks like Rob Day found the problem.

[Laubender]

Hi Addison,

could you share the PDF for testing purposes?

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Laubender]

"So I'm just wondering if there's some way around this for when I email it or post it online. "

Export two versions of the document.

One for print with e.g. a PDF/X-4 preset where images are not downsampled and color is not converted.

Another one for web and mail purposes with e.g. a custom preset like this one:

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Addison5C10]

Thank you!

[rob day]

Also, the color you are using is outside of the printable gamut. Turn on Overprint Preview to see the expected change when the cover is printed with CMYK inks:

[BobLevine]

Well done, sir!