Fix Cannot Print PDFs from Acrobat on macOS Big Sur
Question details
The user is unable to print multi-page PDF files using Adobe Acrobat after upgrading to macOS Big Sur.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS Big Sur
- Scenario
- Attempting to print PDF files via Adobe Acrobat on a Mac recently updated to Big Sur.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat displays an error stating that no pages were selected and fails to print the document, even when trying to print a multi-page PDF.
Ensure your printer is properly connected to your Mac and turned on. Check your printer manufacturer's website beforehand to see if they have released macOS Big Sur specific drivers.
Update the Printer Driver for macOS Big Sur
Installing the latest drivers from your printer manufacturer resolves compatibility issues introduced by the macOS Big Sur update.
The macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 update made some older printer drivers incompatible. This communication failure between Acrobat and the outdated driver causes the 'no pages selected' error. Updating to a Big Sur-compatible driver directly from the printer manufacturer will restore normal printing functionality.
Check the physical printer or go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners to find the exact brand and model of your printer.
Visit the official support website of your printer manufacturer (such as HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother). Search for your printer model and download the latest printer driver specified for macOS Big Sur (macOS 11).
Double-click the downloaded installation file and follow the on-screen prompts to install the updated driver on your Mac.
Restart your Mac and turn your printer off and back on. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat and attempt to print again.
Print the PDF as an Image
If updating drivers doesn't work immediately, printing the PDF as an image bypasses certain processing errors in Acrobat.
Print PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office on Mac
Avoid Adobe Acrobat compatibility issues on macOS Big Sur by using WPS Office. Its built-in PDF reader offers a seamless, fast, and free way to open, edit, and print your PDF documents without encountering the 'no pages selected' error.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for Mac.
- 2. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and drag your PDF document into the workspace, or use File > Open to select it.
- 3. Access the Print menu: Click on the 'Menu' button and select 'Print', or simply press Cmd+P on your keyboard.
- 4. Print seamlessly: Choose your printer, configure your desired page range and layout settings, and click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat say 'no pages selected' when printing?
This is typically caused by outdated printer drivers that are incompatible with macOS Big Sur. The incompatibility prevents Acrobat from properly communicating the page data to the macOS print spooler.
Will reinstalling Adobe Acrobat fix the macOS Big Sur printing issue?
Reinstalling Acrobat usually does not resolve this specific issue, as the root cause lies in the printer driver's compatibility with macOS Big Sur, not the Acrobat application itself. Updating your printer driver is the recommended fix.
Can I use Apple Preview to print my PDFs as a workaround?
Yes. As a temporary workaround, you can right-click the PDF file, select 'Open With', and choose 'Preview'. Since Preview is a native Apple application, it may successfully bypass the specific driver communication error affecting Adobe Acrobat.
