# Exporting a PDF from Illustrator

Document setup, bleed, and Save As Adobe PDF with the right preset.

Printdash artwork guideline. Illustrated version: https://printdash.io/artwork-guidelines#export-illustrator

- Artboard at the exact Trim Size, **Bleed** set in Document Setup, colour mode **CMYK**.
- Images embedded (Links panel), fonts embedded by the export or text outlined on a copy.
- **File → Save As → Adobe PDF**, preset **[PDF/X-4:2008]**, Trim Marks on with an offset of at least your Bleed, **Use Document Bleed Settings**.

## Illustrator walkthrough

1. Check the document. **File → Document Setup**: the artboard should be the exact Trim Size, with **Bleed** set to this product's Bleed on all four sides. Then **File → Document Color Mode → CMYK Color**.
   ![Illustrator Document Setup dialog with bleed values](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/01-document-setup.png)
2. Embed your images. Open **Window → Links**, select every linked file and choose **Embed Image(s)** from the panel menu.
   ![Illustrator Links panel with Embed Image(s) highlighted](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/02-embed-images.png)
3. Outline the text on a copy of your file: **Select → All**, then **Type → Create Outlines**. Skip this if you are happy to rely on embedded fonts.
   ![Illustrator Type menu with Create Outlines highlighted](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/03-create-outlines.png)
4. Spot finish or Cut Line? Check the Spot Swatch names in **Window → Swatches** (type Spot Color, exact names) and confirm **Overprint Fill** or **Overprint Stroke** in **Window → Attributes**.
   ![Illustrator Swatch Options and Attributes panel showing overprint](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/04-swatches-overprint.png)
5. **File → Save As**, choose **Adobe PDF (pdf)** as the format and click Save.
   ![Illustrator Save As dialog with Adobe PDF selected](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/05-save-as.png)
6. In the Save Adobe PDF dialog choose the preset **[PDF/X-4:2008]**. Untick **Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities** to keep the file small.
   ![Save Adobe PDF dialog, General tab with PDF/X-4 preset](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/06-preset.png)
7. **Marks and Bleeds**: tick **Trim Marks** and set **Offset** to at least your Bleed amount. Tick **Use Document Bleed Settings**, or type the Bleed values.
   ![Save Adobe PDF dialog, Marks and Bleeds tab](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/07-marks-bleeds.png)
8. **Output**: Color Conversion **No Conversion** and Profile Inclusion Policy **Don't Include Profiles** are right for a CMYK document. Click **Save PDF**.
   ![Save Adobe PDF dialog, Output tab](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/08-output.png)
9. Open the PDF and check it: the page is Trim plus Bleed on every side, text stays crisp when zoomed, and in Acrobat Pro your Spot Swatches appear under **Output Preview → Separations**.
   ![Acrobat Output Preview listing the CMYK plates plus a spot swatch](https://printdash.io/guides/illustrator/09-check.png)