Preview overprint in Acrobat Pro

Last updated on Jun 7, 2026

Learn how to preview how overlapping colors and links appear in the final printed output.

The overprint preview helps you compare how artwork appears on screen with how it will print, so you can check color-separated documents before final output.

Enable overprint preview

Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro.

Select All tools > Use print production.

In the left pane, select Output preview.

In the Output Preview dialog box, select the Simulate Overprinting checkbox.

Choose a simulation profile from the Simulation Profile dropdown menu to match your intended output device.

Close the Output Preview dialog box when you finish reviewing the document.

Overprint preview simulates print output on screen. Results can vary depending on the printer, RIP, and output settings used for final production.