pdfpix

Preflight a PDF for print

or drop one here

Print settings

Start with the workflow closest to the job. The report records every value.

300 DPI · 3 mm bleed · managed color
Choose a PDF first.

Run a local print preflight before the PDF reaches production. Name the job as commercial, digital or large-format print, then adjust minimum image resolution, bleed and color policy. Every page is opened through pdf.js and every PDF object walked through pdf-lib. The report separates failures, warnings, passes and checks that need a native press-proof renderer, with evidence for each finding.

How to preflight a PDF for print

  1. Choose a PDF

    Press Choose a PDF, or drop one on the page. The file stays in this browser tab.

  2. Name the print job

    Choose commercial, digital or large-format print, then adjust the minimum image resolution, bleed and color policy if needed.

  3. Inspect both views

    The tool opens every page through pdf.js and walks its PDF objects through pdf-lib. Each result keeps the page or object evidence that produced it.

  4. Simulate the press output

    Run the optional local color-channel pass for separation plates, total ink coverage and overprint differences. On small devices it uses smaller tiles and lower proof resolution.

  5. Download the evidence

    Review failed, warning, passed and not-checked results separately, then save the human report or versioned JSON evidence.

Where static preflight stops

The browser can inspect the PDF structure, content operators and resource graph without changing the file. That is enough to find missing bleed, low-resolution placements, unmanaged color, missing fonts, transparency declarations and risky document actions.

The optional Poppler WebAssembly pass renders process and named spot channels in bounded tiles. It measures total area coverage and compares overprint preview off and on without uploading the PDF. It is a simulation at the selected proof resolution, not a certified PDF/X validation. ICC soft proof remains not checked.

File size and page limits

Static checks accept PDFs up to 100 MB. On a computer, the press simulation accepts up to 100 MB and 1,000 pages and renders at 150 DPI. On a phone, a tablet or a window 700 pixels wide or narrower, it accepts up to 40 MB and 250 pages and renders at 120 DPI. A simulation that runs past 12 minutes stops.

Questions

Does this change my PDF?
No. Print preflight reads the source and produces a report. It does not write a new PDF.
What does the tool check?
It checks page boxes and bleed, page sizes, used fonts, placed-image resolution, color spaces, spot colors, output intents, PDF/X claims, transparency, overprint declarations, annotations, forms, attachments and risky actions.
Does it check total ink coverage?
Yes, in the optional press simulation. The local Poppler runtime renders CMYK and named spot channels, measures process ink coverage, and compares overprint preview off and on. ICC soft proof remains not checked. Used as a bleed and dpi checker, it reports the effective dpi of every placed image against the size the page draws it at.
Is this a certified PDF/X validation?
No. The tool inspects PDF/X claims and supporting structure, but it does not claim ISO conformance certification. Use an accredited validator for that decision.
Does preflight upload my PDF?
No. The PDF, its object data and its report stay in this browser tab unless you download the report yourself.
Which profile should I choose?
Choose commercial print for an offset or press job, digital print for a short-run press or office device, and large format for banners and posters. The profile sets the starting minimum image resolution, bleed and color policy, and every one of those values can be changed before the run.
What are the default settings for each profile?
Commercial print asks for 300 DPI images and 3 mm bleed, and expects an output intent. Digital print asks for 200 DPI and no bleed. Large format asks for 150 DPI and 3 mm bleed. Digital and large format recommend an output intent without requiring it. You can set the minimum resolution from 36 to 2,400 DPI and the bleed from 0 to 50 mm.
Which findings make a PDF fail preflight?
A missing or unreadable MediaBox, page boxes that conflict, a font that is not embedded, and active content such as JavaScript or a launch action. A PDF/X claim also fails when the file has no output intent, or when a PDF/X-1 file uses RGB color or live transparency. One failure sets the verdict to Not ready for print. Warnings alone give Needs review.

Related tools

Each runs in a browser tab like this one, reads its own output back before the download, and needs no account. The footer links every tool.

Where to go next