Print-ready PDF files.

Two files, not one

Export a separate PDF for the cover and a separate PDF for the interior pages. Combining them into one file is one of the most common causes of a delayed order.

Export settings

• Color mode: CMYK, not RGB.
• Resolution: 300 dpi minimum at final size for any image the reader will look at closely.
• Fonts: embed and outline every font before export.
• Bleed: include the 0.125" bleed in the exported PDF, not just the working file.

Font licensing

Some font licenses block embedding, which silently substitutes a different font on export. Open your exported PDF and check text rendering before uploading — a substitution is much cheaper to catch here than after a plate is made.

Adobe InDesign export

File > Export > Adobe PDF (Print). Under the Output tab, set Color Conversion to "Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers)" with U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 as the destination profile, and check "Include Destination Profile."