Fix Acrobat DC Taking Too Long to Create PDFs from Office Apps
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where creating PDFs from various applications using Adobe Acrobat DC is exceptionally slow.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating or exporting PDF documents from Microsoft Word, Excel, Illustrator, InDesign, and other applications.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF creation process in Acrobat DC takes several minutes to complete, whereas previous versions like Acrobat X finished the same task in seconds.
Verify whether you are using the 'Print to PDF' method or the native 'Export/Save As PDF' feature, as the printing method routes data through a slower spooler system.
Use Built-in Native PDF Export
Switching from 'Print to PDF' to the application's native PDF export feature significantly speeds up the process and improves document quality.
Printing to PDF using the Adobe PDF printer driver is generally discouraged because it translates the document into PostScript before converting it to PDF. This two-step process is slower and can result in lower-quality text and images.
Using the application's built-in PDF export workflow interacts directly with the document's code, generating the PDF much faster.
Launch the original file in its native application, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, InDesign, or Illustrator.
Click on 'File' in the top menu bar, then select 'Export' or 'Save As' depending on the application interface.
Choose 'Adobe PDF' or simply 'PDF' from the file format dropdown menu, adjust your saving parameters, and click 'Save' or 'Export'.
Update Acrobat DC and Printer Drivers
Keeping Adobe Acrobat DC and your system's printer drivers up to date ensures maximum compatibility and performance.
Convert Office Documents to PDF Instantly with WPS Office
Bypass slow external PDF printers entirely. WPS Office features a lightning-fast, built-in PDF converter that seamlessly turns Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files into high-quality PDFs in just seconds.
- 1. Open your file in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document you want to convert.
- 2. Access the Export tool: Click on the 'Tools' tab in the top navigation ribbon.
- 3. Export to PDF: Select 'Export to PDF', configure your desired page range and output settings, then click 'Export' to generate your file instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'Print to PDF' slower than 'Export to PDF'?
Printing to PDF forces the application to send document data through the operating system's print spooler. The data is translated into PostScript language and then distilled into a PDF by Acrobat. Exporting natively bypasses this spooling process, translating the code directly into PDF format much faster.
Does file size and complexity affect PDF creation speed in Acrobat DC?
Yes. Documents containing high-resolution uncompressed images, complex vector graphics with many anchor points, or a large number of embedded fonts will take significantly longer to process and convert to PDF.
How do I fix the Adobe PDF printer if it gets completely stuck during conversion?
If the conversion freezes entirely, you can try restarting the Print Spooler service in Windows Services. Alternatively, go to 'Printers & Scanners', remove the Adobe PDF printer, and run the 'Repair Installation' option from within the Acrobat Help menu to reinstall it.
Can I batch convert Office files to PDF to save time?
Yes. Instead of manually opening and saving each file, you can use Acrobat's Action Wizard or the batch processing features in software like WPS Office to queue up multiple documents and convert them to PDF in one automated run.
