Fix Garbled PDF Text When Printing with Acrobat Pro X on Mac
Question details
The user needs to fix corrupted text that appears on printed PDF documents when using an older version of Adobe Acrobat on Mac.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro X
- Device & OS
- macOS 10.14.6
- Scenario
- Printing a PDF document to a Canon MF 634Cdw printer.
- Observed behavior
- The printed text appears garbled and corrupted, even though the exact same file prints correctly when using Apple Preview.
Verify that your macOS printer drivers are up to date and check if the PDF document contains any proprietary or missing fonts.
Upgrade Your PDF Application
Upgrading to a supported PDF reader is the most reliable way to fix rendering bugs caused by macOS compatibility issues.
Acrobat Pro X was officially supported only through macOS 10.6. Using it on macOS 10.14 (Mojave) leads to severe architectural mismatches, which often manifest as garbled text during the printing spooling process.
Furthermore, Acrobat XI and earlier versions have reached the end of their security support lifecycle.
Navigate to the Applications folder on your Mac and run the Acrobat Uninstaller to remove Acrobat Pro X cleanly.
Download a currently supported application, such as an Adobe Acrobat DC subscription or a free alternative like WPS Office.
Open your PDF in the new application, press Command + P, select your Canon printer, and click Print.
Use Apple Preview as a Workaround
Since the document already prints correctly in Apple Preview, you can temporarily use it to bypass the Acrobat compatibility issue.
Print as Image in Acrobat Pro X
Forcing the PDF software to print the document as an image prevents it from trying to process incompatible fonts.
Use WPS Office to View and Print PDFs on Mac
Avoid macOS compatibility issues and garbled text errors by switching to WPS Office. Its built-in, lightweight PDF tool accurately renders fonts and graphics, ensuring your documents look exactly the same on paper as they do on screen.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Download and install the WPS Office suite for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select the PDF document you want to print.
- 3. Access Print Options: Click the 'Print' icon on the top toolbar or press the Command + P shortcut.
- 4. Print Successfully: Choose your printer from the list and click 'Print' to output clear, readable text without any corruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF text look like gibberish only when printing?
This typically occurs due to missing embedded fonts, corrupt printer drivers, or an incompatibility between the PDF software's rendering engine and the operating system's print spooler.
Is Adobe Acrobat Pro X still supported on newer Macs?
No. Acrobat Pro X was officially supported only up to macOS 10.6. Using it on modern macOS versions can result in unexpected crashes, rendering bugs, and security vulnerabilities.
What does the 'Print as Image' option do in a PDF reader?
The 'Print as Image' option rasterizes the entire document, converting all text and vector graphics into a single flat picture before sending it to the printer. This bypasses text rendering and font corruption issues.
Can I fix PDF font issues without buying a new Adobe subscription?
Yes. You can use the built-in Apple Preview application on your Mac, or download free, highly compatible third-party suites like WPS Office to view and print your PDFs without garbled text.
