Category
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn more about configuring Adobe PDF export settings and understanding their impact on output in Adobe InDesign.
Adobe PDF export options are organized into categories that control how documents are processed during export. These categories define file standards, compatibility, compression, and more.
Adobe PDF option categories
|
|
Description |
|
Standard |
Specifies a PDF/X format for the file. |
|
Compatibility |
Defines the PDF version used for the file. |
|
General |
Sets basic file options such as page range and viewing preferences. |
|
Compression |
Controls image compression and downsampling to balance quality and file size. |
|
Marks and Bleeds |
Defines printer’s marks and bleed or slug areas. |
|
Output |
Manages color conversion and PDF/X output intent profiles. |
|
Advanced |
Controls font embedding, transparency flattening, OPI, and JDF settings. |
|
Security |
Applies password protection and access restrictions. Not available in presets. |
|
Summary |
Displays a summary of selected settings and highlights conflicts. |
PDF compatibility levels
|
Compatibility |
Key features |
|
Acrobat 3.0 (PDF 1.3) |
No support for live transparency or layers. Requires flattening. Supports 40-bit RC4 security. |
|
Acrobat 5.0 (PDF 1.4) |
Supports live transparency. No layer support. Supports 128-bit RC4 security. |
|
Acrobat 6.0 (PDF 1.5) |
Supports transparency and layers. Supports advanced color spaces and compression. |
|
Acrobat 7.0 (PDF 1.6) and Acrobat X (PDF 1.7) |
Supports layers, transparency, advanced color handling, and AES encryption. |
General options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Description |
Displays or edits the preset description. |
|
Pages |
Exports all pages or a specified range using hyphens and commas. |
|
Export As |
Defines export as pages or spreads. Spreads are not recommended for print workflows. |
|
Create Separate PDF Files |
Generates individual PDFs for each page or spread. |
|
Suffix |
Adds identifiers such as page number or custom text to file names. |
|
View |
Defines initial view settings when the PDF opens. |
|
Layout |
Sets initial page layout in the viewer. |
|
Open in Full Screen Mode |
Displays the PDF without interface elements. |
|
View PDF after Exporting |
Opens the file after export. |
|
Embed Page Thumbnails |
Adds page previews, increasing file size. |
|
Optimize for Fast Web View |
Refines file structure for faster web page load times. |
|
Create Tagged PDF |
Adds structural tags for accessibility. |
|
Create Acrobat Layers |
Preserves layers for viewing and editing in Acrobat. |
|
Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities |
Retains editing data for reopening in InDesign. |
|
Export Layers |
Defines which layers are included in the PDF. |
|
Include Hidden Spreads |
Includes hidden spreads in export. |
|
Bookmarks |
Creates bookmarks based on document structure. |
|
Hyperlinks |
Preserves hyperlinks and cross-references. |
|
Non-Printing Objects |
Exports objects marked as nonprinting. |
|
Visible Guides and Baseline Grids |
Includes visible guides and grids. |
|
Interactive Elements |
Includes elements such as buttons and media. |
Compression and downsampling
Downsampling options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Average Downsampling to |
Averages pixel areas for smoother results. |
|
Subsampling to |
Uses a single pixel sample for faster processing. |
|
Bicubic Downsampling to |
Produces smoother gradients with higher precision. |
Compression options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Automatic (JPEG) |
Automatically selects optimal quality for color and grayscale images. |
|
JPEG |
Lossy compression for color and grayscale images. Produces smaller file sizes than ZIP. |
|
ZIP |
Lossless or lossy compression. Best for images with flat colors or repeating patterns. |
|
JPEG 2000 |
Advanced compression for color and grayscale images with progressive display. Available with Acrobat 6 (PDF 1.5) or later. |
|
Automatic (JPEG 2000) |
Automatically selects optimal quality using JPEG 2000. Available with Acrobat 6 (PDF 1.5) or later. |
|
CCITT |
For monochrome images. Includes Group 3 for fax-style compression and Group 4 for general use. |
|
Run Length |
For monochrome images with large solid areas of black or white. |
|
Image Quality |
Controls compression level for JPEG. ZIP uses lossless compression, so quality is unaffected. |
|
Tile Size |
Sets tile size for progressive display. Available only with JPEG 2000 and Acrobat 6 (PDF 1.5) or later. |
|
Compress Text and Line Art |
Applies lossless compression to vector content. |
|
Crop Image Data to Frames |
Exports only visible portions of images. |
Marks and bleeds
|
Option |
Description |
|
Bleed |
Defines extra area beyond trim for printing accuracy. |
|
Marks |
Adds marks such as crop and registration marks. |
Output options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Color Conversion |
Specifies how color is handled in the PDF. Spot colors are preserved, while process colors convert to the chosen space.
|
|
Destination |
Defines the output device color space used for conversion. |
|
Profile Inclusion Policy |
Determines whether color profiles are included in the PDF. Options depend on Color Conversion settings, PDF/X standards, and color management.
|
|
Simulate Overprint |
Maintains overprint appearance by converting spot colors to process equivalents for accurate display and output. |
|
Ink Manager |
Controls spot color conversion and ink settings. Changes apply to the document and export but are not saved in presets. |
PDF/X output
|
Option |
Description |
|
Output Intent Profile Name |
Specifies the printing condition for the document. Required for PDF/X compliance and available only when a PDF/X standard is selected. Options depend on color management settings. |
|
Output Condition Name |
Describes the print environment. |
|
Output Condition Identifier |
Indicates a reference to the intended printing condition. It is automatically filled for conditions listed in the ICC registry. |
|
Registry Name |
Provides reference to ICC registry information. |
Advanced options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Subset fonts when the percent of characters used is less than |
Sets when fonts are fully embedded based on usage. If the threshold is exceeded, the entire font is embedded. Otherwise, it's subsetted. Enter 0 to embed all fonts, though this increases file size. |
|
OPI |
Lets you selectively omit different imported graphics types when sending image data to a printer or file, leaving only the OPI links (comments) for later handling by an OPI server. |
|
Preset |
If Compatibility (in the General area of the dialog box) is set to Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3), you can specify a preset (or set of options) for flattening transparency. These options are only used when exporting spreads with artwork transparency. |
|
Ignore Spread Overrides |
Applies the flattener settings to all spreads in a document or book, overriding the flattener preset for each spread. |
Security options
|
Option |
Description |
|
Compatibility |
Sets encryption type. Acrobat 4 uses 40-bit RC4, while later versions use 128-bit RC4 or AES. |
|
Require a password to open the document |
Requires users to enter a password to open the PDF. |
|
Document Open Password |
Specifies the password needed to open the file. |
|
Use a password to restrict printing, editing and other tasks |
Requires a permissions password to change security settings. In some apps, the file cannot be opened without it. |
|
Permissions Password |
Specifies the password required to change permissions. |
|
Printing Allowed |
Controls printing: None, Low Resolution (150 dpi), or High Resolution. |
|
Changes Allowed |
Defines permitted edits, from none to various levels such as page changes, form filling, commenting, or full editing. |
|
Enable copying of text, images and other content |
Allows users to select and copy content. |
|
Enable copying of content and access for the visually impaired |
Allows screen readers to read and copy content. Available for low (40‑bit RC4) encryption. |
|
Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired |
Allows screen readers to read content without copying. |
|
Enable plaintext metadata |
Allows metadata access for search systems. Available with Acrobat 6 (PDF 1.5) or later. |
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