PPD for InDesign 2021

[adding ppd to printers]

I have been trying unsuccessfully to get the PPD to work with InDesign 2021. Not sure what I'm doing wrong or if it's not supported at all. My IT guy suggest I reach out to the community to see if anyone has any answers. I am running Mac OS 10.15.7 (Catalina). Thank you in advance!

[rob day]

For what printer? Is the printer a Postscript printer? 

[adding ppd to printers]

I am trying to make a color separated file. I don't know the technological terms, but in InDesign I go to file > print > and the printer dialog box I choose printer > Postscript file and then the pull down for the PPD which was ADPDF9.PPD. I have the PPD installed in Library > Printers > PPDs folder.

Thank you!

[rob day · Accepted solution]

You’ll need to install it in the InDesign application folder. Quit ID and in the Presets folder make a folder named PPDs (name is case sensitive). Move the ADPDF9.PPD folder inside of the PPDs folder:

[adding ppd to printers]

That worked perfectly!! Thank you so very much for your time! 😉

[Dov Isaacs]

Please be aware that “color separated” PDF files are not supported by direct PDF export simply because that type of workflow is really a deprecated workflow practice from the late 1990s. No modern RIP/DFE and/or PDF workflow requires such pre-separation these days and in fact such PostScript=>PDF workflows often degrade output quality.

[adding ppd to printers]

Thank you Dov. Unfortunately our equipment is that old and we still use that color separated process for our films.

[Scott.Olling]

YOU GO! well done!

[mirandac1991]

@adding ppd to printers where did you get the PPD file? I don't seem to have one installed and can't find one anywhere! Same process as yours

[rob day]

There‘s a download link here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/add-acrobat-ppd.html

[Scott.Olling]

just put this in our groupchat - THANKS

[adding ppd to printers]

So awesome....thank you for this!

[Linnea5C2A]

The link to download the PPD file no longer works. Where else can I find it?

[rob day]

Hi @Linnea5C2A , Yes looks like the link is broken, here‘s a copy:

https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/d677f9aa-cad0-4376-6e3c-daf72f9fe201

[Scott.Olling]

I have come back to this type of answer to this question every few months now because I keep losing my PPD folder with the InDesign updates. I guess I have to mention this over in ADD THIS FEATURE ADOBE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S PAGEWORTHY to get it fixed.

[rob day]

There’s zero chance that the Adobe PDF 9 PPD is going to be included in an upgrade install. Also, there could be any number of third party plugins, fonts, scripts, PPDs, swatches, that would be lost on an upgrade when you choose to remove the older version. I always archive the current application folder before upgrading, so I have a backup of the files I’ve added.

[Sajad22510625mcre]

It's 2024 and we still need to copy the ADPDF9.PPD to InDesign to export PostScript file.

[Willi Adelberger]

What is the purpose to print a postscript file? PDFs are created directly via export. Is you need a postscript file for whatever it might be, create it out of Acrobat Pro. 

[deenas69190555]

Hi Wiili, Distiller cleans up miscellanious crap that causes all kinds of problems quickly and easily. I have had and still do have exported PDF files that fail at our RIP. When output as a postscript then distilled the errors disappear, like magic. It is an indispensible tool for those of us who work on the front lines. I just used it today, 5-1-24.

[rob day]

It's 2024 and we still need to copy the ADPDF9.PPD to InDesign to export PostScript file.

There is no longer support for distilled .ps workflows—Distiller hasn’t been updated since 2015. The Adobe PDF 9.0 PPD still works for creating customized .ps files, but don’t expect it to ever be updated or automatically installed.

[Des1gnpassi0n]

I dropped a link to the PPD below that should work

[Des1gnpassi0n]

All previous links to the PPD appear to be broken so I found a copy and made it available here for download: https://app.box.com/s/eimxp5jm09mbmo1lu4nckh731j5zh2ed

[Kylee_Countryman]

BLESS YOU for uploading this. I have this EXACT problem in illustrator, and finding that the official links are broken is beyond frustrating! 

[artsymarcyb]

You have no idea how much you helped me, thank you! I couldn't find this file anywhere!

[SL Media]

Another note to say that I'm having similar issues & it was solved by PPD / Distiller June 13, 2025.

Thank you for providing a link since adobe removed the others.

I'm immediately backing up a second copy of this and sticking it on a thumbdrive in the back of my desk for when the PPD folder is inevitable removed in a forced update.