Before handing an InDesign book to a printer or editor, run Preflight on every chapter, fix or document the flagged issues, then package the linked assets and fonts only where their licenses allow. Send the final print PDF separately when requested.
What InDesign Preflight checks
Live Preflight can flag missing fonts, modified links, overset text, low-resolution images, and other conditions defined by its profile. It reports possible production problems; a green status does not prove that every page is editorially correct or that the PDF matches a printer’s specifications.
1. Save a handoff copy
Save a versioned copy of the InDesign file or book folder before fixing errors. Keep the editable source separate from the final PDF. Ask the recipient which InDesign version, PDF preset, page size, bleed, and color requirements apply. Use their written specifications when setting up the checks.
2. Run Preflight for a single document
- Open the document and choose Window > Output > Preflight.
- Turn on live Preflight using the panel’s status control if it is off.
- Choose the supplied preflight profile if the printer or editor gave you one.
- Open each issue category and use the reported page or object to find the problem.
For a reusable profile, use the panel menu and choose Define Profiles. Match settings to the receiving workflow; don’t invent resolution, color, or bleed thresholds. Save a profile backup or export it as an IDPP file if another person needs the same checks.
3. Fix common errors carefully
- Missing or modified links: relink to the correct image, then confirm its crop and scale in the layout.
- Overset text: open the affected story and find the hidden text; don’t shrink type just to clear the warning without reviewing the design.
- Missing fonts: activate or replace the font, then inspect line breaks and pagination because text metrics may change.
- Low effective resolution: check the image at its placed size; don’t enlarge a small image blindly.
- Color/profile warning: follow the printer’s required output conditions rather than converting by guesswork.
4. Check a multi-chapter InDesign Book
If chapters are separate INDD files in an InDesign Book, run the book-level preflight across the documents using a consistent profile. Review the status icon for every chapter, then open each flagged file and inspect its Preflight panel. A clean chapter does not clear errors in a different chapter.
5. Package the editable project
- Choose File > Package and review the preflight summary.
- Resolve important errors before continuing.
- Choose a clearly named handoff folder.
- Include linked graphics and update links in the package when appropriate.
- Include fonts only when the font license permits sharing them.
- Include a print PDF only if requested, using the recipient’s specifications.
Font permissions vary. Adobe Fonts files, for example, cannot simply be copied to someone else; the recipient may need their own licensed access. When font sharing is not permitted, ask whether an approved print PDF is sufficient or what licensed workflow the recipient accepts.
6. Reopen and audit the package
Open the packaged copy from its new folder, not the original project location. Confirm links resolve and pages still look right. If another person must edit the file, verify they can access the required fonts and profile. Keep a short handoff note listing the InDesign version, profile used, unresolved non-blocking warnings, and the name/date of the final exported PDF.
7. Inspect the final PDF separately
Export the PDF using current printer instructions, then open that exact export in a PDF reader. Check page order, fonts, images, page size, bleed where required, and the first and last pages. The editable package and print PDF are different deliverables; packaging does not replace a final PDF proof.
Handoff checklist
- Every chapter was checked with the agreed profile.
- Missing links, fonts, overset text, and relevant resolution/color warnings were reviewed.
- The package opens from its new folder.
- Font files are shared only when permitted by their licenses.
- The separately exported print PDF was reopened and checked.
- Any remaining warnings are recorded for the recipient.
Get a free file check
If you are preparing a print PDF, submit your book files for a free file check. Include the book size and the printer’s PDF instructions so the review can follow the correct output requirements.