[EN] PDF/X-Standard & Version

What is PDF/X?

On the DUON portal, only files that comply with the ISO 32000 standard (valid PDF files) and one of the five permitted standards from the ISO 15930 series (PDF/X) are allowed. PDF/X is an ISO standard (ISO 15930) for the graphic exchange of PDF files, ensuring that files are print-ready and contain all necessary printing information. At the same time, the standard only permits features that are relevant for print production.

Publishers that receive ads via the DUON portal have committed to working in accordance with the PDF/X standards.

PDF/X encompasses several standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization, which define the characteristics of print templates in PDF format. Their goal is to enable accurate and consistent data transfer from prepress to the actual print process.

PDF/X standardizes a subset of the Portable Document Format (PDF) that meets the technical requirements of print production. It prohibits PDF elements that may compromise the predictability of the print result or are not printable, such as video or audio.

In addition, it requires precise specifications that are necessary for printing, such as bleed settings, color definitions, and embedded fonts. The aim of these standards is to avoid—or at least minimize—common issues when exchanging files from DTP (Desktop Publishing) or graphic design software with printers.

All parties involved benefit from smoother workflows, better predictability, and higher quality through fewer complaints.

Working with PDF/X is now very straightforward. Modern DTP software includes built-in tools and functions that automatically ensure standards-compliant PDF files are created. All you need to do is apply the appropriate job options.

Choosing the Right PDF/X Standard

The choice of standard depends on your production workflow, technical requirements, and level of experience. In general, you can use any of the standards listed in the table below:

Standard	PDF Version	Acrobat Version	Features	Recommendation
PDF/X-1a:2001	PDF 1.3	Acrobat 4	Only device colors (CMYK and spot colors) allowed. A valid PDF/X-1a:2001 is also valid as PDF/X-1a:2003.	Recommended with reservations. Very strict standard—only allows color-managed data, making it a clear and controlled choice.
PDF/X-3:2002	PDF 1.3	Acrobat 4	Allows additional color spaces like Lab and RGB. A valid PDF/X-3:2002 is also valid as PDF/X-3:2003.	Recommended with reservations. Not suitable for true media-neutral exchange. Offers no real advantage over PDF/X-1a:2001.
PDF/X-1a:2003	PDF 1.4	Acrobat 5	Allows extended CMYK and spot colors, e.g., ICC-based.	Recommended. A solid choice for traditional CMYK-based print production.
PDF/X-3:2003	PDF 1.4	Acrobat 5	Allows extended color models (CMYK, RGB), including ICC-based.	Recommended with reservations. Limited suitability for true media-neutral exchange and lacks advantages over PDF/X-1a:2003—especially if transparencies are not used.
PDF/X-4	PDF 1.6	Acrobat 7	Supports native transparencies, JPEG2000, 16-bit image data, and OpenType fonts.	Recommended. Ideal for modern workflows and true media-neutral exchange. Supports advanced features but requires careful handling of metadata and syntax.

 

If you're unsure which standard to use, check the Technical Requirements provided by the publisher to see which format they prefer for the specific medium. However, you are not obligated to follow their preference—you are free to choose any of the permitted PDF/X standards.

Our software recommendation

Basically: You can work with any software you want. As long as the resulting files comply with ISO standards and have all the necessary features you need, there's nothing wrong with using your software.

When asked what we recommend:

1. Adobe InDesign

2. PDF export via Adobe Library

3. MacOS

Adobe InDesign offers one of the best PDF libraries on the market. The developer has by far the most experience, and the interface has been thoroughly tested due to its widespread market penetration. Output via PostScript and conversion via Adobe Distiller is a (still viable) solution for programs that don't have a direct interface. After nearly 1.5 million tested displays and 15 years of experience, we clearly recommend MacOS. Even though the obvious differences between the programs on MacOS and Windows are small, the programs generally have fewer errors in this environment.

The PDF/X-1a:2003 and PDF/X-3 (2003) presets are saved to your computer during installation. However, they are only available after you move these folders from the "Extras" folder to the "Settings" folder.

How do I create a PDF/X file?

Go to File > Adobe PDF Presets > and select one of the settings in square brackets, such as [PDF/X-1a:2001], [PDF/X-3:2002], or [PDF/X-4:2008]. These presets are default settings that are usually included and installed with the respective installation and have been tested by Adobe for compatibility.

Note: The PDF/X-1a:2003 and PDF/X-3:2003 presets are saved to your computer during installation. However, they will only be available after you move these folders from the "Extras" folder to the "Settings" folder.

You can learn more about this in this article:

You can also select the settings directly in the Export Adobe PDF dialog. Note that the values ​​under Standard and Compatibility are related to each other.

Use the "Standard" setting to select the PDF/X standard. Use the "Compatibility" setting to select the PDF version. Changing the values ​​can be confusing, as, for example, changing the compatibility setting resets the "Standard" value. Please also refer to the table of standards for more information.

Troubleshooting

PDF/X-4 places much higher requirements on the quality of files than PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3. This applies particularly to checks for document properties, syntax, and metadata.

Nobody is stopping you from simply choosing a standard with different/less stringent requirements instead of complex troubleshooting. This is often an elegant approach, especially if you don't rely on features like native transparencies, 16-bit images, OpenType, etc.