Printing Problems

Fix Microsoft Print to PDF Incorrect Page Size and Distorted Images

Adam Davis Oct 1, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user needs to maintain custom book page sizes and prevent image distortion when exporting a document to PDF.

How to Fix Microsoft Print to PDF Creating Incorrect Page Sizes and Distorted Images

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting a document with custom dimensions to a PDF format for publishing or printing.
Observed behavior: Using the Microsoft Print to PDF feature forces the document into a standard A4 size and distorts images, even after reinstalling the printer and drivers.

Before you start

Ensure that your original document layout is completely finalized and check that no hidden section breaks are overriding your custom page size settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Word's Save As PDF Feature Instead of Printing

Using the built-in 'Save As' PDF converter bypasses the virtual printer driver and preserves custom page sizes much more reliably.

The Microsoft Print to PDF driver can be unpredictable with custom dimensions, often defaulting back to standard sizes like A4 or Letter. The native Save command utilizes Office's internal conversion code, which handles custom layouts and image scaling correctly.

Open the Save As dialog

Open the affected document in Microsoft Word. Press the 'F12' key on your keyboard, or navigate to 'File' > 'Save As'.

Select the PDF format

Choose your desired save location on your computer. In the 'Save as type' drop-down menu, select 'PDF (*.pdf)'.

Save the document

Click the 'Save' button. Open the resulting PDF to verify that the custom page size and image aspect ratios have been maintained.

Use Word's Save As PDF Feature Instead of Printing

Solution 2

Disable Print Scaling

Ensure that Word's print settings are not forcing your custom-sized document to fit onto a standard A4 sheet during the export process.

Solution 3

Recreate the Document to Clear Corrupted Formatting

If the page size refuses to stick, the document's final paragraph mark (which stores section formatting) might be corrupted and needs to be left behind.

Export Custom PDFs Flawlessly

Use WPS Writer to Export Custom-Sized PDFs with No Distortion

Avoid virtual printer bugs entirely by using WPS Office. Its native PDF export engine perfectly maintains custom page sizes, preserves image quality, and handles complex book layouts seamlessly.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office, then launch the WPS Writer application.
2. Open your document: Open your custom-sized .docx file. You can verify the page size via 'Page Layout' > 'Size' > 'More Paper Sizes'.
3. Access the PDF exporter: Go to the 'Menu' button at the top left corner and select 'Export to PDF' from the drop-down list.
4. Configure export settings: In the export dialog box, ensure your image quality and page range settings are exactly as you need them.
5. Generate the PDF: Click the 'Export to PDF' button to generate a flawless document matching your exact custom dimensions without relying on a virtual printer.

Native, built-in PDF converter that accurately maintains custom page dimensions.Perfectly preserves high-resolution images without unwanted distortion.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats and document layouts.Lightweight, fast, and completely free to use.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Microsoft Print to PDF change my custom page size to A4?

Microsoft Print to PDF is a virtual printer driver that often defaults to standard paper sizes like A4 or Letter. When a non-standard custom size is sent to it, it may attempt to force the layout into its default physical paper dimensions if standard scaling options are active.

Will third-party PDF printers fix the page size distortion in Word?

Yes, alternative PDF printer drivers, such as Adobe PDF or Foxit PDF, generally handle custom paper sizes better than the default Microsoft Print to PDF driver. However, using the native 'Save As PDF' feature is usually the fastest, most reliable fix without installing new software.

How do I find the final paragraph mark in my Word document?

Navigate to the 'Home' tab and click the '¶' (Show/Hide) icon in the Paragraph group. Scroll to the very end of your document. The last '¶' symbol you see holds document-level formatting.

Can image distortion in a PDF be caused by print scaling?

Yes. If a document is artificially scaled to fit a different page size (for example, stretching or squeezing a custom book size to fit onto A4 paper), the aspect ratio of the page changes slightly, which distorts the images inside.

Document & File Issues