Skip to main content
areng73020339
areng73020339
Participating Frequently
September 1, 2018
Question

When I save my RGB file in PDF it turns CMYK

  • September 1, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 4100 views

I have a design which consists in a DIN A1, very colorful poster. When I save it from Photoshop in PDF keeping all the layers, and then open the PDF, it keeps all its original colors, but it takes a looot to load, so I tried to merge all the layers in Photoshop and save it in PDF again. When I open that PDF file, it looks normal, with RGB colors, but when I zoom out it suddenly turns CMYK, and even if I zoom in again it stays CMYK. I have 3 more posters with the same dimensions and it happens to all of them. Why does it happen? How can I solve that?

    3 replies

    M
    Myra5FF0
    Participant
    March 9, 2022

    Is the anyone on the Adobe team that has a solve for this issue? 

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      March 9, 2022

      No, I wouldn't think so. The discussion was four years ago.

        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        September 2, 2018

        areng73020339  wrote

        but when I zoom out it suddenly turns CMYK, and even if I zoom in again it stays CMYK

        You'll have to explain this in a little more detail. A file doesn't "turn CMYK" by zooming, that's not possible. Exactly what is happening? Can you post screenshots? What makes you conclude it has been converted to CMYK?

        areng73020339
        areng73020339Author
        Participating Frequently
        September 2, 2018

        It literally does that, I mean, the document doesn't turn CMYK per se, it's like it changes its display colors when you open the PDF and zoom out, it isn't a problem with my computer because I've tried opening it in other computers and it does the same, even in the copy shop's computer.

        I know it's CMYK because when I was doing the design I was checking the CMYK colors constantly to know how it would look when I printed it. The thing is that I need it to look RGB on computer because the professor is going to look at the pdf files and I need him to see how it would look in RGB, which are its original colors.

        Look (you can see it better on the green bugs):

          gener7
          Community Expert
          gener7Community Expert
          Community Expert
          September 2, 2018

          I wonder if the Print Presets have anything to do with it. When you go to Save as... and choose Photoshop PDF, you are given a choice of Print Presets:

          Some will perform RGB to CMYK conversions, but if your printer does not mind RGB, try PDF/X-3 or X4

          Press Quality converts RGB to CMYK  PDF 1x/a does the same

          PDF/X-3:2002,  compatible with Acrobat 4 and that means that it flattens transparency, but it doesn't perform any color conversion.

          PDF/X-4:2008 is compatible with Acrobat 7 and above. No color conversion. RGB stays RGB, CMYK stays CMYK, spot stays spot and this supports live, unflattened transparency.

          I'm not a Press expert, I just recall this from an Adobe Acrobat course.

          areng73020339
          areng73020339Author
          Participating Frequently
          September 2, 2018

          Nothing, it keeps doing the same

          The thing is that it doesn't happen with smaller files, like DIN A4, it just happens with really large files

          Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
          Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices