It can be difficult to trace the source of a printing problem. The suggestions below represent the most common solutions. The solutions are grouped into three categories:
| Reader 10.1.2 | If you recently updated to Reader 10.1.2, first see Printing questions | Acrobat, Reader 10.1.2. |
| Acrobat 9.4.2 | If you are using Acrobat 9.4.2, see Printing problems | Acrobat 9.4.2 update. |
Try printing this troubleshooting page. If you can't, follow these steps to check your connection to the printer:
It is important to update to the latest printer driver. Printer manufactures release updated drivers to improve compatibility with newer software, such as newer versions of Reader and Acrobat.
If you have a different printer connected to your computer, try printing the file to the other printer. Sometimes a different printer can successfully print a PDF that doesn't print on another printer.
Often printing problems stem from issues with the PDF file. Even if a PDF looks fine on screen, it can contain incomplete or corrupt data.
If you’re in a hurry and want to print a simple document (such as a letter or form), use the "Print as image" option. Click the Advanced button in the Print dialog box to find this option. For more information, see PDF printing quick fix: Print as image | Acrobat, Reader (cpsid_87345).
Sometimes a PDF file becomes damaged or contains corrupt data. If you downloaded the PDF from the Web or received it in an email, download the PDF again or ask the sender to resend it. Copy the file directly to your hard drive, rather than a thumb (portable) or network drive.
Open the new copy on your hard drive and print again.
In Reader or Acrobat, choose File > Save As and give the PDF file a new name. Include only letters and numbers in the filename. Do not include symbols such as %, $, or []. Try printing the new copy of the PDF.
Restart you computer, then open the file again. It is surprising how often simply restarting your computer solves a problem. Restarting a computer clears its memory and memory cache.
It is important to update your version of Reader or Acrobat. Adobe releases free security updates quarterly. The updates often include improvements to common problems. Download the latest free update:
- Open Reader or Acrobat.
- Choose Help > Check For Updates. If a new update is available, it installs automatically.
- Once installed, restart you computer.
- Try to print the PDF again.
If you've followed these suggestions and still cannot print, search for your issue in one of the Adobe user-to-user forums. Other users could have run into similar problems.
Two other documents provide troubleshooting suggestions: Printer setup problems or Printing complex PDFs | Acrobat. For tips on using the Print dialog box (such as printing back-to-back, resizing pages to fit the paper, or printing comments), see Printing Tips.
Keywords:
pdf printing problems, can't print PDF files, adobe reader the document could not be printed; cpsid_87346
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