Option
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn about the export settings and options available when creating interactive PDFs from Adobe InDesign.
Use these settings to configure interactive PDF exports, including view behavior and security options. Access them by selecting File > Export and then Adobe PDF (Interactive).
General tab options
The General tab controls page selection, layout, and interactive features included in the exported PDF.
Pages and layout
|
|
Function |
|
Pages |
Export all pages or specify a Range (e.g., 1-7, 9 to export pages 1 through 7 and 9). |
|
Export As |
Select Pages to export individual pages, or Spreads to export facing pages together. |
|
Create Separate PDF Files |
Generate individual PDF files for each page or spread rather than a single document. |
|
Suffix |
Add an identifier to multiple exported files: Incremental Numbers, Page Number, Page Size, or a custom name. |
Note
Avoid illegal or reserved characters in filenames for cross-platform compatibility (< > : " / \ | ? *). InDesign automatically skips these characters during export.
View settings
|
Option |
Function |
|
View |
Set the initial view when the PDF opens. |
|
Layout |
Control how pages display initially. |
|
Open In Full Screen Mode |
Display the PDF without menus or panels visible in Adobe Acrobat. |
|
Flip Pages |
Automatically advance pages at specified intervals (enter seconds between page turns). |
|
View After Exporting |
Open the newly created PDF in your default PDF viewer immediately after export. |
Page Transitions
|
Option |
Function |
|
From Document |
Apply page transitions defined in the Pages panel (select Window > Interactive > Page Transitions to configure). |
|
Transition options |
Select a single transition effect to apply uniformly to all pages, overriding individual page settings. |
Forms and Media
|
Option |
Function |
|
Include All |
Export movies, sounds, and buttons as fully interactive elements that function in the PDF. |
|
Appearance Only |
Include the normal state of buttons and video posters as static graphics without interactivity. |
Additional options
|
Option |
Function |
|
Embed Page Thumbnails |
Generate preview thumbnails for each page. |
|
Create Acrobat Layers |
Preserve InDesign layers as navigable Acrobat layers in the PDF. |
|
Include Hidden Spreads |
Export spreads hidden in the Pages panel, along with visible spreads. |
|
Create Tagged PDF |
Automatically tag document elements (paragraphs, text formatting, lists, tables) based on Acrobat tags for accessibility. |
|
Use Structure for Tab Order |
Apply the tab order specified via Object > Interactive > Set Tab Order (available only for tagged PDFs). |
|
Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities |
Allow the exported PDF to be reopened in InDesign, where elements may remain editable. |
Compression tab options
The Compression tab manages image quality and file size in the exported PDF.
Compression
|
Option |
Function |
|
JPEG (Lossy) |
Remove image data to reduce file size with minimal visible quality loss. |
|
JPEG 2000 (Lossless) |
Export without compression, preserving full image quality at larger file sizes. |
|
Automatic |
Allow InDesign to determine optimal quality for color and grayscale images. |
JPEG Quality
|
Option |
Description |
|
Maximum |
Highest detail and largest file size. |
|
High |
Balanced quality and file size for most projects. |
|
Medium |
Moderate compression suitable for web viewing. |
|
Low |
Maximum compression with visible quality reduction. |
|
Minimum |
Smallest file size with significant quality loss. |
Tip
JPEG Quality is unavailable when JPEG 2000 (Lossless) is selected for Compression.
Resolution
|
Option |
Use for |
|
72 ppi |
Screen-only viewing, email distribution. |
|
96 ppi |
Standard digital displays. |
|
144 ppi |
Balanced quality for most interactive PDFs. |
|
300 ppi |
High-quality viewing with zoom capability (significantly larger file sizes). |
Advanced tab options
The Advanced tab controls document metadata and language settings.
|
Option |
Function |
|
Display Title |
Select whether the PDF title bar shows the Document Title (from File > File Info) or the File Name. |
|
Language |
Specify the document language for the PDF to determine the default language for accessibility features and screen readers (type standard ISO language codes if your language isn't listed). |
Security tab options
The Security tab adds password protection and permission controls to the exported PDF.
Password protection
|
Option |
Description |
|
Require a password to open the document |
Select to require a Document Open Password for viewing the PDF. |
|
Document Open Password |
Specify the password users must enter to open the file. |
|
Use a password to restrict printing, editing, and other tasks |
Select to require a Permissions Password for changing security settings. |
|
Permissions Password |
Specify the password required to modify security and permissions settings |
Caution
Use different passwords for Document Open Password and Permissions Password to maintain distinct access levels.
Printing permissions
|
Allowed level |
Function |
|
None |
Prevent all printing. |
|
Low Resolution (150 dpi) |
Permit printing at a maximum resolution of 150 dpi, where each page prints as a bitmap (may be slower). |
|
High Resolution |
Allows printing at any resolution with full vector output to PostScript and high-quality printers |
Editing permissions
|
Allowed changes |
Function |
|
None |
Prevent all modifications listed in the Changes Allowed menu (filling forms, adding comments, etc.). |
|
Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages |
Permit page manipulation and creating bookmarks and thumbnails. |
|
Filling in form fields and signing |
Allow form completion and digital signatures without permitting comments or form field creation. |
|
Commenting, filling in form fields, and signing |
Allow adding comments, completing forms, and digital signatures without allowing object moves or form field creation. |
|
Any except extracting pages |
Permit full editing, form creation and completion, and adding comments and digital signatures. |
Content access permissions
|
Option |
Function |
|
Enable copying of text, images, and other content |
Allow users to select and copy PDF contents. |
|
Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired |
Permit screen readers to access document content without allowing content copying or extraction. |
|
Enable plaintext metadata |
Allow storage/search systems and search engines to access document metadata, required for document indexing and search functionality. |
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