Things move around and multiply effect doesn't work in Publish Online and when uploaded to Express

[NicoleSmith]

I am trying to take a newsletter I made in Indesign and create a digital version  so that remote employees can read it too, but I'm kind of at my wit's end here.

I have tried Publish Online and I have tried uploading my final file (in PDF form) to Adobe Express, both of which are rife with errors.

Images with transparent backgrounds are showing up with white backgrounds and some things are moved around. In one instance a single image of a book almost looks like someone cut a chunk off with an xacto and set it down not quite in the right place (example images attached.)

I am using a Mac, OS 14.1, Indesign version 19.2 if that matters to anyone.

[leo.r]

I am using a Mac, OS 14.1, Indesign version 19.2 if that matters to anyone.

By @NicoleSmith

I'd first recommend first to update to the latest versions - especially macOS 14.4 as InDesign had all kind of issues on Sonoma up until 14.3. Although I don't know it makes any difference for the issues you describe.

[Scott Falkner]

I would not use transparency effects for any document that was not meant for print. You don’t know how the PDF will be viewed and not all viewers are consistent with opacity modes.

[NicoleSmith]

Thanks for your reply, as I said, this is a print document, I just need a version for remote employees. Still doesn't explain why things are moving around and getting "collaged" though.

[Eugene Tyson]

Flatten your PDF so there's no transparency.

[NicoleSmith]

There's no way to flatten a PDF before using "Publish Online" and I didn't have any luck flattening the PDF before uploading to Adobe Express, but perhaps you know of a better way to flatten? I followed the instructions here but the results did not change https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/how-to-flatten-a-pdf.html

[rob day]

Hi @NicoleSmith , Eugene was referring to transparency flattening, not layer flattening. Blending modes are not supported by all PDF readers, so for screen destinations setting Compatibility to Acrobat 4 flattens transparency effects and removes the blending modes—this flattens transparency and converts all color to sRGB: