How to Create Color Separations in Adobe Acrobat XI Pro for Mac
Question details
The user wants to know how to create color separations and understand the separation workflow in Adobe Acrobat XI Pro on a Mac.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat XI Pro
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Preparing a PDF document for professional prepress and print production requiring individual color plates.
- Observed behavior
- The user needs the correct workflow to generate individual PostScript pages or in-RIP separations for each printing plate, rather than relying on outdated pre-separated PDF methods.
Ensure your document uses proper CMYK or spot colors for professional printing, and verify that the target printer in your network supports PostScript.
Configure Separations in Advanced Print Setup
This is the standard, built-in method to handle color separations in Acrobat by sending the correct PostScript data directly to your printer or RIP.
Modern prepress workflows strongly discourage the use of pre-separated PDFs. Instead, Acrobat XI Pro is designed to output separation data at the print stage.
Open your document in Adobe Acrobat XI Pro for Mac. Go to 'File' and select 'Print'. In the Print dialog box, click the 'Advanced' button.
In the Advanced Print Setup window, click on the 'Output' option located in the left-hand panel.
Look for the 'Color' dropdown menu. Here, you can choose 'Composite', 'Composite Gray', 'Separations', or 'In-RIP Separations'.
Click 'OK' to save the settings and proceed to print the document to your selected PostScript printer.
Create a Separated PostScript File with Distiller
If you need to verify or store separations digitally, you can create a separated PostScript file using Acrobat Actions and then distill it.
Use a Prepress Plugin Workaround
For users who must retain the separation output within a PDF file natively, third-party plugins like Enfocus PitStop Pro provide a functional workaround.
Manage and Print PDFs Easily with WPS Office
While highly specialized prepress tasks like generating PostScript color separations often require dedicated tools like Adobe Acrobat, WPS Office provides a robust, lightweight, and free alternative for standard PDF editing, converting, and document printing. It offers full compatibility with Microsoft Office formats and an intuitive, tabbed interface.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free version for your Mac or Windows computer.
- 2. Open Your PDF Document: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select your PDF file to view it in the dedicated PDF editor.
- 3. Print Your PDF: Go to the 'Menu' and select 'Print' to access standard printing options, layout controls, and page management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I save color separations directly as a new PDF file in Acrobat XI Pro?
Acrobat does not natively support saving color separations directly to a new PDF file. Pre-separated PDF workflows are considered outdated. By default, Acrobat is designed to output separation data directly to a PostScript printer or save it as a PostScript (.ps) file.
What is the difference between Separations and In-RIP Separations?
Selecting 'Separations' forces your Mac to process the document and send individual PostScript pages for each color plate to the printer. 'In-RIP Separations' sends the entire composite file to the printer's Raster Image Processor (RIP), allowing the printer to handle the color separation process internally.
Why is the 'Separations' option grayed out in Acrobat's Advanced Print Setup?
The 'Separations' option only becomes available if you have selected a true PostScript printer or an Adobe PDF PostScript printer driver in your Print dialog. If your selected printer does not support PostScript, the option remains disabled.
Is it better to use third-party plugins for PDF separations?
If you strictly need to create a separated PDF file where each plate is a separate page remapped to black, third-party prepress plugins (like Enfocus PitStop Pro) are highly recommended. They provide reliable workarounds that avoid complex PostScript-to-Distiller workflows.
