PNG appears different in Indesign compared to Illustrator

[Mammashalis]

Im currently creating a design and have found that a transparent background png that Im using appears very differently in Indesign compared to Illustrator.. 

I started creating in Illustrator, but then decided to start from scratch in Indesign...
However the image once placed, in Indesign appears to have shadows, where as when placed in Illustrator, there are no shadows. 

There are no fx selected - im using the same file in both programs but the difference is very noticable.. 
Can anyone assist in fixing this or explaining why the same file appears so differently in the 2 programs, pretty please??

[Willi Adelberger]

You created the file in Illustrator? Why do you use PNG at all? 

PNG has no colormanagement and only alpha transparency. If you want to go to print, avoid PNG.

[Mammashalis]

I didn't create the png itself - it was a stock image I purchased and placed it on my background. If I knew how to create that image, I would do so, but that's beyond me.

If it were available in another transparent format, I'd use that.. but there's no other format available.

[rob day]

Hi @Mammashalis , does it happen if you turn on InDesign’s Overprint Preview? Can you share the PNG? You should be able to attach it to a reply.

[Mammashalis]

I haven’t tried overprint view… I’m just finishing up at work and when I get home I’ll try that..
and I’ll also attach the png to reply from my Mac then…

I did save the file and a pdf print to see if it would still be there as a final file and it was… not sure if that helps at all?

[rob day]

I’m guessing the issue is with how the image transparency is interacting with the InDesign page and/or any objects behind and the preview setting—this would happen with any format containing transparency. Here the white glow is a transparent gradient (not flattened white pixels), and you can see the appearance changes depending on whether the empty page, or a white filled object is behind:

If I turn on Overprint Preview the RGB image previews as it will appear when the page is flattened and converted to CMYK (e,g, an Export to the PDF/X1-a preset). On the conversion to CMYK the transition to black depends on the document’s CMYK profile assignment:

[rob day]

PNG has no colormanagement and only alpha transparency

Hi @Willi Adelberger , That used to be the case, but starting with CC2015 InDesign will use a PNG’s embedded profile:

[Willi Adelberger]

But the problem with limitted transparency support, compared to AI/PDF is still a fact.

[rob day]

@Mammashalis’s  file is an image, and 24-bit PNGs have full transparency support. Saving a 24-bit transparent PNG as a PSD produces the same result: