Frequently asked questions

Last updated on

Adobe no longer makes updates to the Adobe LeanPrint product. For more details, see the Support Options page for discontinued products.

Getting started

On which OS and applications is Adobe LeanPrint supported?

The system requirements for running Adobe LeanPrint and supported applications are as follows:

Supported platforms (32 and 64-bit versions)
- Microsoft Windows 8 and 8.1
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows Vista
- Microsoft Windows XP with SP3
- 'My Savings' requires the current version of Adobe® Flash Player for Internet Explorer. Please download the latest from http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer
Supported applications
- Microsoft Office 2013 (32-bit and 64-Bit) - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Microsoft Office 2010 (32-bit and 64-Bit) - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Microsoft Office 2007 with SP2 - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader 9, 10, and 11
- Firefox (4.x - 24.x)
- Internet Explorer (8.x, 9.x, 10.x, and 11.x)
- Google Chrome
1024x768 and higher screen resolutions are supported

Can I use Adobe LeanPrint on Mac OS?

LeanPrint is currently available only on Microsoft Windows.

Does Adobe LeanPrint work on computers running 64-bit operating systems?

Yes, LeanPrint is also available for Windows 64-bit. 64-bit Office applications and Internet Explorer are also supported.

Does Adobe LeanPrint work with Word/Excel/PowerPoint 2010?

Yes, LeanPrint works with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2013, 2010, and 2007.

Which Microsoft Office products does Adobe LeanPrint support?

LeanPrint works with Microsoft Word 2013, Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel 2013, Microsoft Excel 2010, and Microsoft Excel 2007.

Why do I not get the preview option for Microsoft PowerPoint?

LeanPrint does not support the preview for PowerPoint.

Can I use Adobe LeanPrint from Notepad?

No, a LeanPrint plugin for Notepad is not available at this point.

Does Adobe LeanPrint work on mobile devices?

LeanPrint is currently not supported on mobile devices.

What are the differences between Super Saver and Toner Saver?

Super Saver and Toner Saver are two options with which you can run LeanPrint. Super Saver aims at saving both paper and toner by printing in an optimized layout. Select this option for maximum savings. Toner Saver aims at saving only toner and prints in the original document layout. Select this option when original layout is important.

By default, LeanPrint prints in the Toner Saver mode. However, if the contents or layout of the document are such that page saving is not possible or can cause poor readability, it reverts to toner saving for certain pages or for the entire document.

Regardless of whether you select Super Saver or Toner Saver, LeanPrint does not alter the original document.

Why is the multicolumn layout available in Super Saver and not in Toner Saver?

If you select Toner Saver, LeanPrint does only toner saving. It doesn't try to save pages and therefore prints in the original layout. With Super Saver, LeanPrint tries to optimize the layout so that you get maximum savings. In some cases, a multicolumn layout helps save pages.

Why does Adobe LeanPrint sometimes ask me to save the document before printing?

There may be some situations where LeanPrint needs to save the document. However, LeanPrint does not modify the original document. It makes a temporary copy on the disk to understand the internal structure of the document, so that it can apply a suitable optimization technique.

Why are headers, footers, watermarks, backgrounds, and references removed?

When you print with Super Saver, LeanPrint aims at minimizing paper and toner consumption by culling out the relevant content from a document. Elements such as the header, footer, watermark, background, and references are not an integral part of the content. So removing these elements helps you save both space and toner without losing any meaningful content. LeanPrint indicates the end of each page in the original document at the appropriate place in the new layout.

Why are outputs different for different documents?

Real documents can be quite complex and may contain several types of information. In addition to text, they may contain, tables, images, charts, shapes, diagrams, and so on. The overall complexity of the document determines what the output will look like.

fa_complexity — Complexity determines the output

Lower complexity means higher savings. If the document is overly complex, LeanPrint might even give up trying to save paper and will only concentrate on saving toner. In your day-to-day use, you will see some variation in the outputs that you get. While typical documents will easily transform into ideal LeanPrint outputs, some will resemble the original document; others will fall somewhere in between.

Can I retain the original font of my document?

If you print with Toner Saver, your printout will have the same font as the original document. With Super Saver, LeanPrint does not use the same font because Super Saver tries to save pages and therefore chooses appropriate fonts.

Note:

All optimization is reflected in the output. LeanPrint does not modify your original document.

How do I retain the original colors?

Smart color optimization is one of the techniques that LeanPrint uses to save toner. In the Grayscale mode, both Super Saver and Toner Saver do not aim at retaining the original colors in the output. Instead, by applying techniques such as removing backgrounds and fills, reducing toner intensity, and replacing color fills with patterns.

However, if you want, you may print in color mode instead of gray mode. In that case, the output document will have color optimizations to save toner but will still be in color. Adjust color intensity to High for the highest-quality color printing. If you set color intensity to Light or Medium, the printed colors will be true to the original colors in the document, but lighter. See Adjust the preview for more information about adjusting color intensity.

Why can’t I sometimes change page orientation?

LeanPrint lets you change page orientation (portrait/landscape) if the entire document can be reflowed. If only part of the document can be reflowed, LeanPrint does not let you switch page orientation between portrait and landscape.

Why is Word output different from PDF output?

Yes, the Word output and PDF output of the same document are sometimes different. In the case of Word, LeanPrint can usually deliver better results because, unlike a PDF, a Word document is in source format. The extent of differences between the Word output and the PDF output depends on a variety of elements in the content, such as the size and number of images or tables, and the presence of artifacts (objects for which the reading order is not known). In the case of text-based documents, the key differences between Word and PDF output are in line spacing and paragraph spacing.

Some of the key differences in documents that include tables, charts, or comments are the following:

Tables in Word output are never placed in a multicolumn layout. On the other hand, tables in PDFs may be placed in a multicolumn layout.
With Toner Saver and Gray options, LeanPrint removes fills and applies a tint to the charts in Word documents. In the case of charts in PDFs, only a tint is applied.
Comments in Word documents are printed in their original location. Comments in PDFs are printed at the end of the document with comment numbers added in the original locations.

Even if I use Super Saver, Adobe LeanPrint doesn't always optimize the layout of all pages. What could be the reason?

Yes, if altering the layout of a page in the file you're printing can lead to a loss of readability, LeanPrint applies only toner saving on the page. Typically, pages with several big images, tables, shapes, and drawings are not optimized by modifying the layout.

Why does Adobe LeanPrint remove fills while printing?

When color intensity is set to light, LeanPrint removes fills, causing considerable toner saving. While removing fills, LeanPrint ensures that there is no loss of information. For example, it removes different shades of fills from charts but replaces them with different types of patterns and updates the legends.

For more information about adjusting color intensity, see Adjust the preview.

Why does the number of pages saved for the same document vary across printers?

Properties such as minimum margins are different for different printers. As a result, the space available for printing and the number of pages saved vary across printers.

Quick tips

How do I print without choosing between Toner Saver and Super Saver modes?

When you use LeanPrint from Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoin, or Microsoft Excel, you can use the Quick Print option to print a file without generating a preview. Quick Print prints with Toner Saver.

Installation

Can I install Adobe LeanPrint on multiple user machines at the same time?

Yes, you can install LeanPrint on multiple user machines at the same time.

Can I do a silent installation or uninstallation of Adobe LeanPrint?

Yes, you can do a silent installation or uninstallation of LeanPrint. The command for silent installation is the following:setup.exe /s /v /qn. The command for silent uninstallation is the following:setup.exe /s /x /v /qn.

See the Adobe LeanPrint Deployment Guide for more information.

Can I install Adobe LeanPrint on Microsoft Office 2007 SP1?

LeanPrint is not supported on Office 2007 SP1.

Can I disable the Adobe LeanPrint plugins?

Yes, you can disable the LeanPrint plugins (except for the PDF plugin) after installation. The plugins are not removed from your computer, so you can enable them anytime.

Why do I see a baloon saying “Update is ready to install” in my Windows system tray?

LeanPrint provides its users with regular updates to the software. If your system administrator has enabled your installation to get updates for the software, you will see this balloon pop up in your Windows system tray from time to time.

I have brought a license key for Adobe Lean Print but the program is now telling me that my offline grace period has ended. I cannot find any menu that will allow me to re-license the product with my valid key.

Reason: The activation of license has not been completed.

Solution: Use LeanPrint at least once after the serial number has been entered.

Steps:

Launch any of the supported applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint) when machine is online.
Trigger Adobe LeanPrint. If not activated, Adobe LeanPrint will be automatically activated. This is a one-time activity.

Note: Due to protected mode restrictions, license activation will not work when above steps are executed from Adobe Reader.

If LeanPrint does not work using the above steps, make sure that your firewall feature/setting is not blocking the program.

Browsers

With which browsers can I use Adobe LeanPrint?

You can use LeanPrint with the following browsers:

Firefox (4.x - 24.x)
Internet Explorer (8.x, 9.x, 10.x, and 11.x)
Google Chrome

How do I make the Adobe LeanPrint plugin visible after a browser update?

If the LeanPrint plugin is not visible after a browser update, the plugin might have got disabled. See the following FAQs to find how to enable the plugin:

The Adobe LeanPrint options are not visible in my browser. What could be the problem?

Chrome shows an extension disabled dialog for Adobe LeanPrint plugin. How can I enable it?

If you see the Extension Disabled dialog in Chrome, update to the latest Adobe LeanPrint build.

Open My Savings and choose Check for Updates.

If a web page has multiple articles, can I print only the ones I need?

Yes, you can exclude the articles you don't need and then click the Print button. To exclude an article, move the mouse over the article. A highlight appears over that article, click Exclude.

us_browserExclude — Hover and click Exclude

The web page I am trying to print is not blank. Why is Adobe LeanPrint not printing the page?

LeanPrint detects whether your web page contains typical readable content, such as articles. If the web page contains only images, videos, or animation, LeanPrint notifies that the page doesn't have printable content.

Why are Show/Hide buttons disabled on some pages?

If the page you're printing does not have any images, LeanPrint disables the Show/Hide buttons.

Savings

How are savings calculated?

LeanPrint tries to model the savings using the costs of paper and toner or toner that are provided during the install. In some deployments you maybe able to specify these in preferences.

Can I preserve information about my savings during uninstall?

When you uninstall LeanPrint, the information about your savings remains on your machine. LeanPrint does not delete the information.

Can I check all user savings from my account?

At this point, individual users can check only their own savings. However, Adobe is running a pilot program for enterprises that you can join if you want Adobe to collect the savings data and provide reports at regular intervals.

Does Adobe LeanPrint help me save more compared to the draft mode?

Yes, LeanPrint helps you save more than the draft mode. In the draft mode provided with printer drivers, the output is lightened globally. In gray mode, besides applying a lighter tint, LeanPrint uses several techniques to save toner. For example, it removes different shades of fills from charts and replaces them with different types of patterns.

Can I use duplex along with Adobe LeanPrint for more savings?

Yes, you can use LeanPrint and the duplex printer feature to get more savings.

How do I stop sharing data about my printing behavior?

For Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or the browser, deselect the Send anonymous usage data to Adobe to help improve the product option in the preferences dialog box. In Acrobat or Adobe Reader, choose Help > Improvement program Options and deselect Yes, I would like to help make Reader even better.

Troubleshooting

My Outlook plug-in is not working as expected. What could be the reason?

If your computer does not have MS Word, LeanPrint plug-in for Outlook won’t work on your computer. The plug-in uses MS Word to optimize a document. Therefore, MS Word is required for the plug-in to work correctly on a computer. You can still use the Conventional Print command (Ctrl + Alt + U or File > Print) to print your Outlook emails.

LeanPrint takes long time to switch between printers on the Print dialog box, and the dialog seems freezed for sometime.

This issue occurs when the printer driver is corrupt. Re-install the printer driver to resolve this issue.

The Adobe LeanPrint options are not visible in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. What could be the problem?

Follow these steps to enable the LeanPrint plugin in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel:

Choose File > Options (for 2010 and 2013), or click the Office Button (for 2007).
Do the following:
- In Word, click Word Options.
- In Excel, click Excel Options.
- In PowerPoint, click PowerPoint Options.
Click Add-Ins. From the Manage drop-down list, select Disabled Items and then click Go.
Select LeanPrint and click Enable.

However, Adobe LeanPrint is supported for Microsoft Office 2007 service pack 2 and above. To check the service pack in your installation of Office:

Click the Office Button.
For the Office aplications, do the following:
- In Word, click Word Options.
- In Excel, click Excel Options.
- In PowerPoint, click PowerPoint Options.
Click Resources. In the About section, verify the service pack on your Office installation.

The Adobe LeanPrint options are not visible in my browser. What could be the problem?

Follow these steps to enable the LeanPrint plugin in:

Click Tools.
Depending on the browser you are using, do the following:
- In Internet Explorer, select Tools > Manage Add-ons.
- In Firefox, select Tools > Add-ons > Extensions.
- In Chrome, select Wrench menu > Tools > Extensions.
  
  If Adobe LeanPrint is already installed and then you upgraded your Chrome browser, Chrome shows a one-time prompt to allow the re-enabling of extensions such as Adobe LeanPrint.
- Click Extension Settings.
Click Adobe LeanPrint in the list of add-ons.
If the current status of the plugin is Disabled, click or select Enable.
Reopen the browser.

If the plugin is still not enabled, follow these steps:

In Internet Explorer, do the following:
- Select View > Toolbars.
- If Adobe LeanPrint is not selected, click Adobe LeanPrint to select it.
- Click Enable in the Enable Add-on dialog box. A new toolbar with the icon LeanPrint is displayed.
In Firefox, do the following:
- Select View > Toolbars > Customize.
- Select the Adobe LeanPrint icon and then drag and drop it to your desired location on the Toolbar.

I can't find Adobe LeanPrint in the View > Toolbars list or the Add-ons list available from the Tools menu. How do I enable the Adobe LeanPrint plugin?

Your installation of LeanPrint is likely to be incomplete or damaged if the LeanPrint option is not available in the toolbars that your browser lists (for example, from View > Toolbars or Tools > Manage - Add-ons in Internet Explorer and Tools > Add-ons in Firefox).In such cases, Adobe recommends re-installing the LeanPrint plugin.

Sometimes LeanPrint is not installed on Chrome. What should I do so that Adobe LeanPrint works with my Chrome browser?

If you already have Chrome browser and then you installed Adobe LeanPrint, you see New extension added (Adobe LeanPrint) option on clicking the Wrench icon.
Click the green icon in front of the option. You see the following prompt:

Sometimes LeanPrint is not installed on Firefox. What should I do so that Adobe LeanPrint works with my Firefox browser?

When you start Firefox after installing Adobe LeanPrint, Firefox finds that another program has installed an ad-on. You see the following prompt:
Select the Allow this installation checkbox and then click Continue.

Why do color options (grayscale/color) appear disabled in the preview window?

If the selected printer does not support color printing, color options (grayscale/color) appear disabled in the preview window.

Select a printer that supports color printing.

Why can I not see the Adobe LeanPrint print options in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader?

A possible reason is that Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader was installed after LeanPrint.

To fix this issue:

From the Windows Start menu, go to Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, go to Add or Remove Programs.
In the Currently Installed Programs list, select LeanPrint and click Change/Remove.
Click Next in the InstallShield wizard.
On the Program Maintenance page, choose Repair and click Next.
To re-install LeanPrint, click Install.

Why do I get the ‘Oops...!!! Flash player is missing ...’ message on the ‘My Savings’ window?

The reason for this message is that either Adobe Flash player is not installed on your computer or the security level on Internet Explorer is set to High.