Common PDF Issues That Can Ruin Your Print

It is common for PDF files to look great on screen, yet produce noticeably different results when printed. This can be frustrating, especially when the design appears simple and clean.

Here's the catch: A PDF can display correctly digitally, while still carrying hidden technical settings that affect how ink is laid down on paper.

One of the biggest factors is color profiles. Screens use RGB light to display color, while printers use CMYK for ink distribution. If one PDF is exported with an embedded RGB profile and another is properly converted to CMYK, they may look identical on your monitor, but print with different brightness, contrast, or color accuracy. Blues, reds, and skin tones in particular are STRONGLY affected.

Another common issue is transparency and flattening. Shadows, gradients, and layered objects often rely on transparency effects that can live on under the skin of your file. If a PDF is flattened incorrectly during export, those elements can shift slightly, create unexpected lines, or print with muddy color. These differences become jarringly obvious once ink hits paper.

Resolution and image compression also play a role. Two images can appear sharp at normal viewing size, yet one may be 72 DPI while the other is 300 DPI. On press, the lower-resolution image will look soft or pixelated, even though it looked fine in the PDF preview.

Black ink settings can also trip up printing. One file might use rich black, while another uses 100 percent black only. Both appear black on screen, but on paper one will look deeper and smoother, and the other may appear gray or uneven.

This is why printers care so much about how a PDF is built, not just how it looks. When files are prepared with the correct color mode, resolution, and export settings, the printed result matches expectations, and there are no surprises at pickup.

CHECK YOUR PROOFS CAREFULLY FOR ANY OF THESE COMMON PROBLEMS, OR ASK AN EXPERT TO EXAMINE THEM.

(Photoshop users, use this guide to adjust color spaces in Adobe. https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/desktop/adjust-color/color-profiles/change-color-profile-for-documents.html )