PDFs and JPGs not saving correctly

Question

Level 1

4 points

PDFs and JPGs not saving correctly

When I save PDFs or JPGs (Safari browser), they save to my computer in some weird format. It shows up as '.pdf' or '.jpg' but now one else can even open the files. What I've been having do now is:

Save the file from Safari
Open the file
Export the file as a jpg/pdf and resave it
Delete the original download so they don't get confused when I'm doing attachments.

I send out a lot of PDF communications, JPGs for advertising, etc. So it has become a huge time suck and inconvenience. PLEASE tell me there is a setting I can change that will make this stop.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.0

Posted on Dec 16, 2021 12:36 PM

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Answer 1

MrHoffman

Level 10

148,393 points

Dec 19, 2021 4:39 PM in response to Marge88

Please download and run EtreCheck, and share the report to the clipboard. Then open a new reply here, and press the button that looks like a printed page to get a text input box (text attachment) big enough to paste the hardware and software configuration report here. And paste the report here.

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Answer 2

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Dec 17, 2021 12:34 PM in response to Marge88

Greetings Marge88,

We understand that when saving a PDF or JPG file via Safari, they are saving as a PDF or JPG, but cannot be opened.

Let’s isolate the situation some more. Can you tell us what error you’re seeing when attempting to open the files? How are you sending these files? If you send them via a different method does that change the behavior? For example, if you’re sending them in the Mail app through iCloud, can you try a different email account? If you’re sending them via a different mail client can you try the Mail app?

Thanks.

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Answer 3

Marge88 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 18, 2021 7:09 AM in response to AnnieL2

Hi!

There is no error on my end. The files open fine on my laptop. They come up as .Pdf or .jpg. but other people open them and they are blank or just don't open. Most of the time I'm just sending them as attachments in Gmail. Or I upload them into the communications apps for my job (slack and Trello). I also am unable to upload them to places. For example, if I'm using a jpeg to make a graphic in canva, it doesn't even register as something that's the correct format.

If it's any additional help, when it saves to my computer, it doesn't seem like a regular pdf, where there's a preview in the graphic. It saves as just a blank white piece of paper icon.

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Answer 4

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Dec 19, 2021 4:25 PM in response to Marge88

Marge88,

OK, this is all good information. We’re going to ask a few more questions.

When the PDF files open on your end, do they open in Safari or in the Preview app? Can you walk us through how you’re saving them? For example, are they PDFs that you click on a download button from the PDF or are you saving them through the print option as described here Print or create a PDF of a webpage in Safari on Mac?

If you have another browser installed on your Mac, are you able to test saving the PDF and/or JPG from there and seeing if the behavior is similar?

Thank you.

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PDFs and JPGs not saving correctly

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