InDesign zero inner bleed not possible

Question

I am new to making a InDesign document print ready (magazine) and I am facing a problem that I could not find the answer to from other threads.

What I have:

InDesign double page spread
Pictures spanning over facing pages
goal: export without inner bleed so that these pictures don't get "cut" in the middle

Problem: Export to single pages PDF with zero Inner Bleed obviously doesn't work as single pages have no inside, so I have the bleed all around.

Question: what is the solution for this? Is there a way for single page export without inner bleed or is it possible to send spread PDFs to printers?

Edit: ok there has been a misunderstanding by me about bleed that I realize now so my question is solved. Thanks for the answers!

I don’t see what bleed has to do with images getting cut down the middle. If the images span across facing pages and you want to export as single pages, the images will by necessity be cut down the middle – there is no imaginable way to avoid that. So what, then, is the actual problem? You have bleed on all sides; good. That’s what you want. Why would you want to remove it on the insides? — Janus Bahs Jacquet, Commented May 4, 2022 at 13:30

lmlmlm · Accepted Answer · 2022-05-04 10:01:09Z

5

Think about it this way:

You are new to InDesign and this is your first time sending to print.
The printer has been printing documents with and without bleed for years, before you had this dilemma. They have seen thousands of files with and without bleed. They know what to do and if something is wrong, they will tell you.

So:

This is a non-issue and you should not worry about it. If you have doubts, call the printer and ask them what kind of PDF they need.
Send to print single page with bleed on all sides, the way InDesign generates the file for you. They will know what they're looking at.

If you must, you can actually have an inner bleed value of 0, but in my experience that is not needed.

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answered May 4, 2022 at 6:34

lmlmlm

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2

+1 Agree with everything.. but... " if something is wrong, they will tell you." ermm.. no, they won't all do that. Good print providers will, but print "mills" (common online) will typically just run files through an automated system and spit out whatever is spit out.
– Scott
Commented May 4, 2022 at 7:55
Ok, I guess they will probably tell you.
– lmlmlm
Commented May 4, 2022 at 9:52
1

Thanks for the answers!
– Max Pe
Commented May 4, 2022 at 14:36
1

+1. It's a common thing to be confused about as a beginner if you are detail oriented. Only time when bleed on the inside actually becomes an issue if you are making a wire-o or spiral book. Then you'll often design in spreads, but actually the pages are cut out individually and needs bleed all the way around. That can be a pain.
– Wolff
Commented May 4, 2022 at 16:33

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