Manage PDF presets

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to create, edit, and load Adobe PDF presets for consistent PDF output in Adobe InDesign.

A PDF preset is a collection of settings that control how a PDF file is created. These settings help balance file size and output quality based on the intended use. Presets can be customized to meet specific workflow or production requirements and are saved as .joboptions files.

Customize Adobe PDF presets

Select File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define.

Do one of the following actions:

Select New to create a new preset. To base the preset on an existing one, select the preset first. Set the PDF options and confirm.
Select the preset and use Edit to modify an existing custom preset. Default presets cannot be modified. Update the PDF options and confirm.
Select the preset and use Delete to remove a preset.
Select the preset and use Save As to save it in a different location. Specify a location and confirm.

Note

You can create a custom preset when you save a PDF file by selecting the Save Preset option in the Export Adobe PDF dialog box.

Load Adobe PDF presets

Platform	Default location
Windows	Users[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe PDF
macOS	User/[username]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe PDF

Additional presets may be available in the Adobe PDF\Extras folder or from external sources, such as print service providers. To use these presets, they must be added to the Settings folder.

Load PDF presets using the Load command

Select File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define.

Select Load and locate the .joboptions file.

Import the file into the Settings folder.

Convert PDF presets from earlier versions

Older versions of InDesign use .pdfs files for PDF presets. These files can be converted for use in newer versions.

Select File > Adobe PDF Presets > Define.

Select Load.

Select the .pdfs file and import it.

Adobe PDF preset options

A PDF preset is a predefined group of settings that controls how a PDF file is generated. These settings determine image resolution, color handling, compression, and font embedding, helping balance file size and output quality based on the intended use.

Review PDF settings regularly. Applications and utilities that create PDFs use the most recently defined or selected settings and don't revert to default values automatically.

Print and production presets

Preset	Purpose	Key settings	Compatibility
High Quality Print	Desktop printing and proofing	Uses PDF 1.4 Downsamples to 300 ppi (color/grayscale) and 1200 ppi (monochrome) Embeds font subsets Leaves color unchanged Preserves transparency Creates tagged PDFs in InDesign	Acrobat 5.0 and later
Press Quality (modified)	High-end print production	Uses PDF 1.4 Converts to CMYK Downsamples to 300 ppi (color/grayscale), 1200 ppi (monochrome) embeds font subsets preserves transparency	Acrobat 5.0 and later
PDF/X-1a (2001, 2003)	Reliable print workflows	Uses PDF 1.3 CMYK/spot colors only Embeds fonts Requires marks and bleeds Downsamples color to 300/1200 ppi Flattens transparency Creates untagged PDFs	Acrobat 4.0 and later
PDF/X-3	Color-managed print workflows	Based on ISO PDF/X-3:2002 Supports color-managed workflows	Acrobat 4.0 and later

Note

The PDF/X-1a:2003 and PDF/X-3 (2003) presets are installed but must be moved from the Extras folder to the Settings folder before use.

Archival and standards-based presets

Preset	Purpose	Key settings	Compatibility
PDF/A-1b: 2005 (CMYK and RGB) (Acrobat only)	Long-term document archiving	Uses PDF 1.4 Converts colors to CMYK or RGB Ensures consistent reproduction	Acrobat 5.0 and later

General and distribution presets

Preset	Purpose	Key settings	Compatibility
Standard (Acrobat only)	General use, proofing, and sharing	Uses compression and downsampling Embeds font subsets Converts to sRGB Prints to a medium resolution Windows font subsets are not embedded by default	Acrobat 6.0 and later
Smallest File Size	Web, email, and intranet distribution	Uses high compression, downsampling, and low resolution Converts to sRGB Embeds fonts Adapted for fast viewing	Acrobat 5.0 and later

Specialized presets

Preset	Purpose	Key settings	Compatibility
Illustrator Default (Illustrator only)	Preserve Illustrator editing data	Retains full Illustrator data for editing without loss	Illustrator workflows
Oversized Pages (Acrobat only)	Large-format documents	Supports page sizes larger than 200 × 200 inches	Acrobat and Reader 7.0 and later
Magazine Ads 2006 (Japan)	Magazine advertisement workflows	Based on the Digital Data Delivery Committee rules	Industry-specific

Additional considerations

Confirm output requirements with the print service provider before generating print-ready PDFs.
Custom settings may be required for specific workflows, often provided as a .joboptions file.
Windows font subsets are not embedded by default in the Standard preset.

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