The problem
I am preparing a PDF for print and some images appear much darker compared to how I see them on the monitor. I'm not sure if the problem depends on the file or the color conversion
Cause and analysis
The images appear darker in the PDF because Illustrator is not applying an explicit color profile conversion during export
The default profile used by Illustrator to convert RGB→CMYK could be a generic profile not optimized for the final printing process, causing a perceptual shift
Solution proposed by GPX
A possible cause is that Illustrator is converting RGB images to a generic CMYK space without rendering intent calibrated to preserve visual perception (e.g., 'saturation' rendering intent instead of 'perceptual')
Limitations of this analysis
This analysis is generated with the support of Artificial Intelligence: always verify its correctness and applicability before using it. The reliability level of this analysis is 'Medium', not the highest possible.