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danielz60740200
Participating Frequently
August 7, 2019
Answered

Text and images are missing on PDF exported from InDesign

  • August 7, 2019
  • 7 replies
  • 29404 views

I have a 24 page doc consisting of basic text and images. Everything looks fine and there are no preflight errors. When I export to PDF the majority of the document is fine and then sporadically from pages 6-11 some text and photos go missing. I  have cleared all preferences, I tried turning texted into outlines, I tried deleting images and exported to see if i could find a bad file. I've got nothing. Ideas?

When I view the exported PDF I get "An error exists on this page. Acrobat may not display the page correctly. Please contact the person who created the PDF document to correct the problem."  I created the PDF and there were no errors.

What it should be:

What is exported:

(Renamed by MOD)

    Correct answer renaemp

    Try saving the file as an idml. Sometimes that can flush out the bad juju.

    7 replies

    _scott__
    _scott__
    Legend
    November 1, 2025

    Really old thread, I'm aware.

     

    I hit this today for the first time with InDesign CS6 (v8)... 4 page doc set up as 2 non-facing spreads [4-1], [2-3], export to PDF as pages using "Smallest FIle Size" Modified.. to use Actobat 5 PDF 1.4 and CMYK Web Coated v2 (SWOP)....

     

    There's a cover page, then the other 3 pages have a common masthead of 3 placed .ai files and a few graphic elements (rules). Basically | • • • | with a rule below it.

     

    Page 3 of the PDF is missing a its' mastehead without any rhyme or reason. 

     

    Opening PDF in Acrobat shows no page 3 masthead. Opening in Apple's Preveiw shows no page 3 masthead. It's not a display issue. Opening Page 3 of the PDF in Illustrator shows the mastehead elements simply are not there. 

     

    - Exporting ONLY page 3 with the same PDF job options.. the masthead is fine.

    - Exporting as PDFx-1a spreads.. the masthead is fine.

     

    It's only when all 4 pages are exported using the settings descibed above that the page 3 masthead disappears.

     

    Anyway.. I know its older software.. but I felt like digging.....

     

    - I tried saving as idml, no change.

    - Checked color profiles/overprints.. no change.

    - Deleted other art on page 3, no change.

    - Deleted everything but the masthead on page 3, no change

    - Deleted all other (non-brand related, so logos) art in the file, no change

    - Created a new page 2-3 spread with *only* the parent/master page contents... no change.

    - Deleted the fist page of the document [4]... masthead shows up. So more testing, undo so page [4] is back, delete second document page [1].. mastehead shows up.. delete first spread entirely leaving [2-3] spread.. masthead is fine.

     

    So for some reason, the first 2 pages in the InDesign file are causing this. If both pages in spread [4-1] are present, then page [3] loses its masthead (page [2] is fine in all instances)... again, no apparent rhyme or reason for it.

     

    Ultimately, I exported all 4 pages (as PDF pages - no spreads), then exported page 3 by itself (which exports fine by itself). And then swapped page 3 in the primary 4pg PDF using Acrobat.

     

    What a bugger.

    leo.r
    Community Expert
    leo.rCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 2, 2025
    quote

    I hit this today for the first time with InDesign CS6 (v8)


    By @_scott__

     

    And does this happen with the current InDesign versions (2025/2026) as opposed to the one that's 13 years old?

    M
    Marc Andrews
    Participant
    December 10, 2023

    I just ran into this issue, I created an asset that has the Google and Apple app store logos. When I output the the pdf's, I got the error everyone is familiar with, everything else was fine but the app store logos were missing. After trouble shooting for two days and reading, I had a thought. The app store logo's were vector artwork that I brought in from Illustrator, what if I brought the images in as pixel artwork. I saved them as a .png, brough them into my InDesign file and saved out the PDF with no issues.

    BobLevine
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 10, 2023

    And I'll bet the text was white in Illustrator and set to overprint.

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 30, 2023

    @jaloha22 said:
    "I had this problem today and tried the idml solution above with no success.

    … As soon as the image was not 100% opacity the error occured and would not show up after export. Ex. Changing an image to 85% opacity = not visible on exported pdf (PDFx-). …"

     

    Hi @jaloha22 ,

    what's your exact version of InDesign?

    If InDesign 2023 version 18.4.0 it could be a bug that sneaked in.

    You could either go back to 18.3.0 or forward to 18.5.0.

    What's your operating system version?

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

    jaloha22
    jaloha22
    Participating Frequently
    August 30, 2023

    InDesign version 18.5

    Mac OS Ventura 13.5.1 

    Running on 5K 27 2019 iMac

    3 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i5

    Graphics Radeon Pro 570X 4 GB

    Memory 96 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

     

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 31, 2023

    Hi @jaloha22 

    Thank you very much for the details!

    Could be a new bug with InDesign 18.5.0. To proof that we need a small sample from a document where this happens. Please share an InDesign document and attach it to a reply here. Also your PDF Export preset file, the *.joboptions file.

     

    Or run File > Package , zip the result folder, put it on Dropbox or a similar service and share the download link. Either in the forum or in private. Click my name to send me a private message. But do not forget the *.joboptions file.

     

    File > Package

    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to/save-share-projects.html

     

    PDF Print Export Presets

    File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define

    Save the one that you are using to disk.

    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/exporting-publishing-pdf.html#customize_adobe_pdf_presets

     

    Thanks,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

     

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 5, 2021

    Hi FamaBr,

    could you make the PDF available so that we can inspect the PDF itself?

    Best put in on Dropbox or a similar service and share the download link.

     

    Thanks,

    Uwe Laubender

    ( ACP )

    Peter Villevoye
    Community Expert
    Peter VillevoyeCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 7, 2019

    There might be a file corruption in one of the images.

    Judging loosely by the elements being correctly displayed and the probable order of the bottom-to-top construction of the page's content, I suggest removing the logo(s) for the sake of testing and then see what happens. Can you export the PDF without the logo(s) ?

    If this turns out to make the change, then copy this exact image frame to an empty new document and see if it yields the same problem. If it does, then there's absolutely something wrong with the image itself. If it exports with no problems, then there's a conflicting element in the rest of your original page, making the problem a bit harder to deduce.

    Srishti Bali
    Community Manager
    Srishti BaliCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    August 7, 2019

    Hi Daniel,

    Sorry to hear about this error. That's definitely not a typical experience with InDesign/ Acrobat. Let us make this right for you. I would need a few more details like:

    • OS and version of InDesign/Acrobat
    • Is it happening with this particular file? Is yes, could you please share the file with us.

    In addition to the suggestion shared by Renae, I would request if you can try the steps shared here: Troubleshoot damaged InDesign documents and then export the PDF again.

    Regards,

    Srishti

    F
    FamaBr
    Participant
    July 5, 2021

    Hi there,

    I have a similar problem. The PDF from InDesign displayed correctly in AA Reader but not in DC.

     

    My colleague who uses PDF Architect can view the PDF with no problem.

    Is it my display or something else?

    Many thanks for your help. Much appreciate it.

    jaloha22
    jaloha22
    Participating Frequently
    August 30, 2023

    I had this problem today and tried the idml solution above with no success. I did eventually solve the problem by eliminating a fade overlay I had on top of the image in question. Instead of trying to use the fade gradient effect in ID I took the image into PS and saved a copy with the fade applied then replaced the image and exported. Worked. I noticed the same error happened if I changed the opacity of an image on a slide. As soon as the image was not 100% opacity the error occured and would not show up after export. Ex. Changing an image to 85% opacity = not visible on exported pdf (PDFx-). Sometimes ID feels possessed.

      R
      renaempCorrect answer
      Inspiring
      August 7, 2019

      Try saving the file as an idml. Sometimes that can flush out the bad juju.

        D
        danielz60740200Author
        Participating Frequently
        August 7, 2019

        Renaemp, that did the trick. Thank you!

          Peter Villevoye
          Community Expert
          Peter VillevoyeCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          August 7, 2019

          Ah, okay. So it just needed to do a digital burp... ;-)

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