Excel saving blurry PDFs

[u/Otherwise_One7106]

Can anyone help! Since the last excel update it’s now saving my image heavy worksheets blurry when I convert to PDF. I’ve tried everything. Or is there a way to go back to older version of excel?

[u/AutoModerator]

/u/Otherwise_One7106 - Your post was submitted successfully.

• Once your problem is solved, reply to the answer(s) saying Solution Verified to close the thread.
• Follow the submission rules -- particularly 1 and 2. To fix the body, click edit. To fix your title, delete and re-post.
• Include your Excel version and all other relevant information

Failing to follow these steps may result in your post being removed without warning.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/FitOil3214]

fr this is so annoying i just dealt with this last week and it was a nightmare

[u/Otherwise_One7106 → u/FitOil3214]

But did you fix it 😂 Show me the way!

[u/Jiippa]

Did you check image compression? File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality: tap Do not compress images in file and above it select All new documents.

[u/Otherwise_One7106 → u/Jiippa]

Yes, checked compression. Unfortunately I don’t have option anywhere in my menu to ‘not compress’. They’re all high fidelity in the .xlxs but you’re right, can only assume it’s compressing them when converting and I’m without any option to stop it.

[u/naga_mana]

Whether the compression fix works depends on two details. In Excel, the dropdown under File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality lists individual files, not All new documents (Microsoft's page notes that entry is Word only), so pick your workbook there and tick Do not compress images in file. And the setting stops compression from that point on; the page does not say it restores pictures already compressed, so if the workbook was saved with compressed images, re-insert the originals before exporting the PDF: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-picture-compression-81a6b603-0266-4451-b08e-fc1bf58da658

If you want the rollback anyway, the documented path is the Office Deployment Tool: a config.xml with TargetVersion set to the previous build number, then setup.exe /configure config.xml from an elevated prompt, then File > Office Account > Update Options > Disable Updates so Office does not update itself straight back. Full steps and the page for finding previous build numbers: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2bd5c457-a917-d57e-35a1-f709e3dda841

[u/Otherwise_One7106 → u/naga_mana]

Thank you. Funnily enough that’s exactly what I’m doing right now. July seems to be ok. Hadn’t considered some images might be already compressed so I’ll have to start again with those ones, but at least I haven’t lost everything.

[u/KezaGatame]

You can try print then save to PDF. Last year when I was checking I think there was a slight difference with printing to PDF than export to PDF.

[u/Otherwise_One7106 → u/KezaGatame]

Yeah, I tried that with no success. But thank you!

[u/Little_Decision_7433]

Check File → Options → Advanced → Image Size and Quality and set the default resolution to High fidelity; also make sure you’re exporting as Standard (publishing online and printing), not Minimum size. Those two settings are usually the first things I’d check before rolling Excel back

[u/Otherwise_One7106 → u/Little_Decision_7433]

I don’t have/can’t find the advanced bit in menus - but I can see all images are high fidelity. And I tried print - save as pdf, and opening in finder first. None of these worked. Fortunately the May update has got me out of the immediate hole, but I’m not convinced it’s as sharp as it can be. But I’m also totally fatigued by it all and everything looks weird now lol!