Saving Illustrator 2024 File with Hidden Layers as a PDF

[kcrossley]

I have an Illustrator 2024 file that contains 16 individual builder floorplans, each on its own layer. In the past, I've been able to hide ALL of the layers I didn't need so I could save a single floorplan as a PDF that my client and their customers can print. 

Now, when I do that, the opened PDF looks fine, but when my client prints it out, all of the hidden layers print, which ends up being a mishmash of floorplans. I'm assuming that they're using a Windows PC. I don't have this problem, but I'm on a Mac.  I'm attaching a scan of the printed PDF, minus my client's info, for privacy purposes.

The other weird thing is, as a test, I physically deleted all of the unneeded layers and then saved the PDF again. When I did, the PDF file size was significantly smaller, which seems to indicate that the hidden layers are somehow making their way to the final PDF even though they're hidden. 

Why is this happening? Is there something new in Illustrator 2024 that I'm unaware of? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Monika Gause]

Do your customers need the invisible layers? If not, do not include them.

Did you disable "Make Acrobat layers from main layers"?

Are they main layers or are they sublayers?

[kcrossley]

Do your customers need the invisible layers? If not, do not include them.

No my client does not need the invisible layers, but I like to have them in the master file so I can keep all of the plans together. My client only gets a printable PDF, never the AI file. 

Did you disable "Make Acrobat layers from main layers"?

I'm not sure I selected "Make Acrobat layers from main layers." What is that supposed to do?

Are they main layers or are they sublayers?

 Main layers.

[Monika Gause]

If the layers are hidden and you do not make Acrobat layers from them, then this should not happen.

[kcrossley]

I'll try turning off "Make Acrobat layers from main layers" and see what happens. It's odd that this problem ONLY occurs on PCs.