Fix HP DesignJet Printing Only 36 Inches Wide in Acrobat
Question details
The user is unable to print 42-inch wide documents on an HP DesignJet printer using Adobe Acrobat, as the output is unexpectedly limited to 36 inches.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat, HP DesignJet Z5600ps
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing large-format PDF documents on a 42-inch roll.
- Observed behavior
- The print output is restricted to 36 inches wide despite the printer properties recognizing the 42-inch roll, particularly when using the PS3 driver.
Ensure that your HP DesignJet printer has the 42-inch roll properly loaded and correctly recognized by the printer's hardware control panel before adjusting software settings.
Create and Select a Custom Paper Size
Manually defining a custom paper size can override default driver limitations that restrict the print width to 36 inches.
In many cases, the default document sizes provided by the print driver max out at 36 inches. Creating a custom paper profile forces the driver to recognize and utilize the full 42-inch width of the installed roll.
Open your PDF document in Acrobat and navigate to File > Print.
Select your HP DesignJet printer from the dropdown menu and click on the 'Properties' or 'Page Setup' button.
Navigate to the Paper/Quality tab, locate the 'Custom Paper Size' option, and create a new profile with the width explicitly set to 42 inches.
Save the new custom size, ensure it is selected for your current print job, and click 'Print'.
Switch from PS3 to PCL3GUI Driver
If the PostScript (PS3) driver has a bug limiting the width, switching to the PCL3GUI driver can allow full 42-inch printing.
Print Large Format PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
If you are experiencing driver conflicts or print size limitations in your current PDF reader, try using WPS Office. It offers flexible custom page sizing, robust print spooling, and excellent compatibility for large-format documents.
- 1. Open the PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your large-format PDF document.
- 2. Access the Print Menu: Click on the 'Menu' icon in the top left corner and select 'Print', or simply press Ctrl+P.
- 3. Set Custom Properties: Choose your HP DesignJet printer from the list, click 'Properties' to verify your 42-inch custom paper size, and click 'Print' to bypass standard reader limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my HP DesignJet cut off prints at 36 inches?
This is often caused by the printer driver's default maximum width setting or a known limitation in the PostScript (PS3) driver for specific models. Defining a custom paper size or updating the driver usually resolves the issue.
Does flattening a PDF help with layer printing issues on PCL3GUI drivers?
Yes. If you switch to the PCL3GUI driver and notice missing layers or graphics in your printout, flattening the PDF or selecting 'Print as Image' in your advanced print settings merges all layers into a single graphic, ensuring all visual elements print correctly.
How do I add a custom paper size for my HP DesignJet?
You can add a custom paper size by opening the printer properties from your print dialog window, navigating to the Paper/Quality or Page Setup tab, and selecting the 'Custom' button to input your exact dimensions (such as 42 inches wide by your desired length).
