Large file size when exporting as a PDF - InDesign 2026

[Linda274776202tig]

InDesign 2026, exporting to a small PDF file doesn't work!!!! The PDF is way too large.

[jamesb25822464]

Yep, it cuts down the file size, but it still doesn’t bring it back to the previous version’s size. The only workaround I’ve found is unembedding the images. I’ll be sticking with the 2025 version for the time being.

[leo.r]

The only workaround I’ve found is unembedding the images.

By @jamesb25822464

Do you have any particular reasons to embed images in InDesign documents? It's generally not advised anyway for various reasons.

(Which still doesn't mean that InDesign 2026 should produce bigger PDFs from the same InDesign files even if you uncheck the new editing capabilities option, so it remanis a valid concern).

[balpaugh32458]

I create newsletters for a local car club and on October 31st, i exported it to a Adobe PDF (Interactive) file and the result was a 1.5 MB file. today, I attempted the same export but the output is now 131.9 MB and the only change i noticed was Indesign was updated to 2026 version. 

The newsletter is 7 pages, but it doesn't matter if i attempt to export all 7 or just 1, the output is always 131.9 MB. If I select  to create seperate PDF files, each of the files is about 200KB (which is probably normal) but i need them as a single file in order to upload them to the website. 

How can i get this resolved?

TIA

[Willi Adelberger]

PDF Export has not changed. Either you have different settings or different content. 

[balpaugh32458]

I restored Indesign 2025 and the Export function works as normal and creates a 1.5MB file rather than the 301MB file as Indesign 2026 does. Unless the upgrade changes a default setting that would cause this, there is something in the 2026 update.

[nicholasm11093500]

Ditto -= Draft2 in 2025 indd file 97MB exported as smallest file size -  PDF was 500KB, same file in 2026 exported a 37MB PDF! 

I would say ENTIRELY possible that the concerns regarding PDF sizes produced from InDesign 2026 are valid!

[jimstudio]

I am having the same problem: an ID file that resulted in a 12 meg  PDF 2 days ago is now 84 megs. And even IF I wanted a Smallest File Size, that doesn't work, nor does "Compress." My ID files are consistently resulting in 70 - 85 meg PDFs. Help!

[nicholasm11093500]

Yep no compressing that behemoth either... I've reverted to 2025. So that is an hour or so of lost earnings. Wonder how much money Adobe has cost people collectively by not doing some very basic stress-testing before releasing it.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Yes it has changed, there is now the option 'Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities'!

[leo.r]

Several other users reported the same issue on the forum recently.

I've just run a brief test exporting a small text-only document to PDF from both InDesign 2025 and 2026 using the same settings ([Press Quality] as is), macOS 13.7.

The results:

PDF from InDesign 2025: 14 KB

PDF from InDesign 2026: 192 KB

Additional tests are still required to reach any definite conclusions, but it's quite possible that the concerns regarding PDF sizes produced from InDesign 2026 are valid.

[leo.r]

I have now exported a heavier multi-page file with multiple hi-res links. The PDF file size from InDesign 2026 remains consistently higher than from 2025 (although not as much as in the previous test):

PDF from InDesign 2025: 6.8 MB

PDF from InDesign 2026: 8.7 MB

[leo.r]

...however, my tests with three other documents resulted in exactly the same PDF sizes from both InDesign 2025 and 2026.

Thus, it appears that InDesign 2026 can produce larger PDFs from some documents, but I don't see any consistency at this point.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Did you try UNchecking 'Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities'?

[BobLevine]

Having that on by default was not a wise choice, IMO.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

No, most users will not see that option as something to uncheck it seems... me included;-)

[BobLevine]

Me, too. 

[nicholasm11093500]

Thanks for discovering this Frans, So uncheck that and PDFs are normal size?

Yes certainly a bad decision on Adobe's part

[leo.r]

I didn't notice that new option either. That's the case where a big blue dot, a blue banner, or some other visible indicator that would bring attention to this new option would be truly helpful, for a change.

[smelly_person]

This worked for me. Thank you.

[Anubhav M · Accepted solution]

Hello everyone,

Please try the suggestions shared by our experts:

• Uncheck the option “Preserve InDesign editing capabilities.”
• Avoid embedding any images in your InDesign document.

Let us know if this resolves the issue.

Anubhav

[nicholasm11093500]

Any idea if you can turn this off as a default so you don't have to remember every time? I don't want to have to save a whole load of new presets. This will surely be what the majority of people exporting will want at least most of the time? When sharing files with colleagues, they need to a manageable size

[BobLevine]

That's what PDF presets are for.

[nicholasm11093500]

So Adobe have the presets - Press Quality, Smallest filesize etc... and then I have to add a load of  separate custom presets because I've switched off a new feature which no one wants and results in bloated PDFs?

[bronte222]

Thanks, Anubhav. That suggestion worked, and now my PDF is a smaller size. 

A couple of questions:

- If I have high-resolution photos in the InDesign document, will unchecking "preserve InDesign editing capabilities" change the resolution of the PDF or any other features?

- Why did Adobe add this checked item as a default in the settings? It wasn't there before and I've never had an issue saving optimized PDFs from InDesign. It's why I prefer it to Illustrator for print projects with photos.

[Carefree_Glimpse6749]

Hello everyone,

I believe the problem is the last page of the PDF. If you edit the PDF and delete the last page, the file size will be greatly reduced.

I have an InDesign file with several images. The last artboard is identical to the first (design, text, etc.) and the size difference between them is enormous.