In a previous post, I described how to convert a color PDF to grayscale in Acrobat 8 Professional. The method I described in converts RGB and CMYK objects properly. But objects made up of 0% C, 0% M, 0% Y and 100% K convert to a value less than 100% black, depending on your color settings.
The good news is, this appears to be fixed in Acrobat 9 Pro. Here's how to convert a color PDF file to grayscale in Acrobat 9 Pro.
1. Open a color PDF file in Acrobat 9 Pro. The file may contain a mix of CMYK, RGB or spot color objects.
2. Choose Advanced > Print Production > Preflight.
3. Select the Convert to Grayscale PDF Fixup, and then click the Analyze and Fix button.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have been trying for days to figure out how to keep my blacks at 100% when converting to black and white, instead of changing to 91%.
This worked like a charm. You are a lifesaver!
This still isn't working for me. Now, instead of a 91% black, I get a 94% black.
ReplyDeleteJust can't win, I guess.
What I had to do in Acrobat 9:
ReplyDeleteGo into Advanced/Print Production/Convert Colors
Then Choose "Any CMYK" under matching Criteria & "Dot Gain 20%" under Conversion profile.
This kept my text at 100%, but for some reason it didn't catch the registration marks they were in CMYK. Selecting "Any color space" under "Color Type" did not work, it had to be "Any CMYK".
Excellent! So glad to have found this—thank you!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!!! Thank you so much! This worked like a charm and sorted me out a critical time! I owe you one.
ReplyDeleteIm wondering about the Dot Gain 15% or 20% etc... What does this do really? And also in the older post there were some people saying that the method made the images to a lower quality, like compressing them harder - is this fixed now in this one?
ReplyDeleteThank you. This was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteA fast way to convert and this only applies to text, such as blue hyperlinks, is to select print choose PDF, lower left side of print dialog box select print to black. This is a windows feature, it will change the text to 100% black instead of 84% grayscale. Do not do this with anything other than text.
ReplyDeletedid it reduce the file size?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
ReplyDeleteawesome! thanks so much, just what i needed
ReplyDeleteThe screen shot shows a list of options. When I click on "show all" I have no options to choose from to do a color conversion. Where can I load these from?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: Make sure the drop-down list in the upper left says "Show all". If not, change it and the options should appear. Or, if that isn't the problem, try clicking on the Options button in the upper right, and chose "Import Preflight Profile" and try to locate the preflight profiles on your hard drive. All the profiles displayed in the screen shot are included in Acrobat, and should be installed.
ReplyDeleteconversion was easy. in printing from Acrobat select "Print color as black" & for my Epson Stylus Photo R300 i had to use the following print settings (otherwise i just got a blank page)
ReplyDeletetext & (advanced) gray scale
Very helpful, thank you!
ReplyDeleteWorked! Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI could not get this to work but I did a print to PDF and chose grayscale there. Seems silly but it worked!!
ReplyDeletePerfect answer to a simple question, thanks, Edmond
ReplyDeletethanks!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this very useful post. Couldn't find anything about converting to greyscale anywhere in Adobe Help!
ReplyDeleteGreat, thank you... This is really really great. Easy and quickly.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! I've been having to deal with packaging and sending InDesign files for even the simplest one-color jobs (and then crossing my fingers).
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks!!! Very Helpful, I owe you one as well!
ReplyDeleteI do not have a Convert Device Gray option in the Advanced Print Production /Convert window. Presently getting a built black for all Device Gray within documents. Looking to convert Device Gray to grayscale. Can anyone help?
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI could totally kiss you right now. This tutorial saved me from going crazy!
ReplyDeleteI think you're my new BFF. Thank you - saved me a lot of time having to covert the artwork to B/W and resave as a PDF.
ReplyDeleteI need to be able to convert some pages to greyscale but leave others in color. When I try the method described, the boxes to select pages are greyed out. (Acrobat 9)
ReplyDelete@ws: Sorry, I don't know of any way to do this.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, worked for me! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSo simple - thank you
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! This simple change made a BIG difference.
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing!! Worked like a charm.
ReplyDeletecheers!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how to do this in Acrobat X?
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance
To do this in Acrobat X, click on the Tools sidebar, choose the Print Production category, and then Preflight.
ReplyDeleteHi, wondering if someone can help me. I have a PDF with tables with alternating shaded rows, RGB 250,255,235 and RGB 238,255,189, light green. They are contrasty when printed in colour but in B&W almost white. Using the convert colour to greyscale fixup is far too light and no contrast. Using the Convert to spot colour fixup I can convert both of them one after the other, but I can't put two spot colour fixups in the same preflight profile, so have to run two separate profiles.
ReplyDeleteIs there a more efficient way for me to convert these two RGB colours using another type of fixup, or another too;l? Thankyou, and sincere thanks for the original tip, which got me started on solving this problem.
Thanks. I just used it to convert a CMYK pdf into grayscale to insert into an Indesign document. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Just what I needed to reduce a form with blue pen accidentally scanned in color to greyscale.
ReplyDeleteI did all the steps in Pro X, but somehow 1) it doesn't convert my PDF in greyscale, and 2) Acrobat freezes and bugs afterwards. I don't get what's going on, I've been searching for one week almost 2 work days non stop :(
ReplyDeletethanks! Appreciate it!
ReplyDeletesmall fixes sometimes can be a bit difficult to figure out. this was straightforward! cheers!
So helpful! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank You!!! Useful !!
ReplyDeleteReceived a request to reduce the file size of a high-res color PDF, and from google search to file save was 30 seconds. Thanks for the precise instructions!!!
ReplyDeleteA time-saver, life-saver, sanity-saver!!!!!! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice - saved a lot of time. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It worked like a charm!
ReplyDeleteThis works well, but the default dot gain setting of 15% (according to Steve Werner at http://indesignsecrets.com/finding-export-pdf-to-grayscale-in-indesign-cs6.php) is too dark for my photos. Any way to edit profile to 30% in the Preflight settings? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIs there a way that I can convert the text only.
ReplyDeleteI have a PDF file where some of the text is cmyk and the rest is black, and I want to convert all the text to black only.
Hi, I upgraded to Adobe Pro DC and tried using this method, but it doesn't work if there are gradients. All other pictures converted to gray except for the background which has a radial gradient effect.
ReplyDelete