Just had the same problem with text using a gradient. Our printer didn't realize the gradient text was missing after adjusting the pdf in Illustrator, so printed and mailed a DM with the text missing.

The work around is exporting as an .eps, as noted, but that's a waste of time. I can't believe Adobe won't address this issue or even comment here.

Wow! So glad I found this. I hope Adobe acknowledges and fixes this someday! Moving or adding a gradient stop to the 100% location seems to be the best fix if you have access to the InDesign file. (Mac Illustrator 26.2.1, InDesign 17.2.1)

Me and my colleagues experience this very frequently. Across mac and PC (CC 2022). Very Frustrating!

I have this exact same issue. Using CC2021 on Windows 10.

Have had this same problem too. The extra problem is we did not have access to the original InDesign file (was only supplied a PDF and we needed to add more bleed for a wrap-mounted project. If I was more adept in Enfocus PitStop it would have been simple).

The solution was to re-export the PDF to EPS from within Acrobat Pro:

> File
> Export To
> Encapsulated PostScript

Then, opening the EPS into Illustrator, the gradient was retained.

Trying to understand this further, I did do an experiment replicating Olivier’s comment (Olivier commented · September 9, 2019 10:36 PM) and found this to be true.

Another aspect I wanted to check was font usage. If the font embedded in the PDF is not a font one has installed or has access to, what happens? (I usually use Acrobat Pro’s > Print Production > Flattener Preview function by adding transparency objects to a PDF (if it doesn’t already have it) then clicking on the “Convert All Text to Outlines” box within this window).

After exporting the InDesign file to PDF, then deactivating the font, then exporting to EPS within Acrobat Pro, the text was outlined when opening in Illustrator (and the gradient was retained).

Hoping this might help.

Try export as Adobe PDF (Interactive)

We made some tests in my company and realized that when creating a gradient in Indesign, exporting a pdf and opening that pdf in Illustrator, the gradient will be missing if the stop of the second color (on the right hand side under the slider) is not at 100% for its position. The 1st color stop can be at any position (and the gradient will reopen fine) but as soon as the 2nd color is not at 100%, the gradient will be missing when opening the exported pdf in Illustrator (last Indesign, last Illustrator, macOS High Sierra).
What we are doing now, whenever the position of the 2nd stop is not at 100%, we add a 3rd stop of that very same color at 100%, seems a good fix for the moment (the gradient is the same and is there when opening the exported pdf in Illustrator)

Having this problem too but only noticed it 2 weeks ago

I have this problem too! Gradient made in InDesign looks great in PDF, but when I sent file to a signmaker and he opened it in Illustrator and gradient is gone... type is an un-filled outline. (see attached)

Glad to know I'm not the only one... No answer whatsoever from Adobe since May 2018...

we have this problem frequently, too.