[EN] Transparency used (blend mode not “Normal” nor “Compatible”) [PDF/X-1a; PDF/X-3]

Description

A blend mode other than “Normal“ or “Compatible” makes the respective objects appear transparent. Beginning with PDF 1.4 (Acrobat 5) transparency is supported. Some PDF-based ISO standards prohibit the use of transparency.

The message “Transparency used (blend mode not ‘Normal’ or ‘Compatible’)” indicates that an object in the PDF file uses a special blend mode that is not allowed by most PDF/X standards.

PDF/X-compliant files may, in many cases, only use the blend modes “Normal” or “Compatible” to ensure predictable printing results.

Common Causes

• Effects such as Multiply, Soft Light, Color Burn, Hue, etc., were applied in the design software.

• Transparency styles from Adobe applications, such as Overlay, Color Dodge, or Luminosity, were used.

• The export was performed with a PDF standard (e.g., PDF/X-3, PDF/X-1a) that only allows limited blend modes.

• A blend mode other than “Normal” was accidentally applied to the object during design.

Suggested Solutions

Check and Change Blend Mode

Open the affected object in your layout software (e.g., InDesign, Illustrator). Make sure the blend mode is set to “Normal.” Remove experimental or complex transparency effects unless they are absolutely necessary.

Use a Compatible PDF Standard

If exporting to PDF/X-4, many blend modes are allowed. PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3 do not allow complex blend modes—these must be reduced to “Normal” or “Compatible.”

Enable Transparency Flattening

When exporting to PDF, use the “Flatten Transparency” option to convert incompatible blend modes into rasterized graphics without transparency.
Select a high resolution and appropriate flattener presets for print purposes.