Fix Missing Acrobat PDF Printer Driver for InDesign Booklets on Mac
Question details
The user needs to create booklet spreads in InDesign on macOS but cannot find the Adobe PDF virtual printer driver that is normally available on Windows.
- Product
- Adobe InDesign and Acrobat DC
- Device & OS
- macOS and Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to create and export imposed booklet spreads to a PDF file directly from Adobe InDesign.
- Observed behavior
- The Adobe PDF PostScript virtual printer driver is completely missing on macOS, preventing the direct 'Print to PDF' workflow for InDesign booklets, while functioning normally on Windows.
Confirm whether you are sending your file to a professional print provider or printing it yourself, as commercial printers generally prefer single-page PDFs rather than pre-imposed booklet spreads.
Export as a Standard PDF and Handle Imposition Externally
Instead of using a virtual printer, export your InDesign document as standard single pages and let the physical printer or professional print provider handle the booklet imposition.
Since macOS security architecture prevents the installation of standard PostScript virtual printers, Adobe does not provide the Adobe PDF printer on Mac. Professional printers prefer standard pages anyway, as their RIP software handles booklet creation better.
Open your completed InDesign document and navigate to File > Export from the top menu bar.
Select 'Adobe PDF (Print)' as your output format, choose a location, and click Save.
In the Export Adobe PDF dialog box, locate the 'Pages' section and ensure that 'Pages' is selected rather than 'Spreads'.
Click 'Export' to generate the file. You can now send this file to your print provider or use your desktop printer's built-in booklet handling feature.
Use macOS Native Save as PDF
Utilize the built-in macOS PDF generator through the InDesign Print Booklet dialog.
Use Acrobat Plug-ins for Booklet Making
If you absolutely must generate a pre-imposed PDF booklet yourself on a Mac, use a third-party imposition plugin for Adobe Acrobat.
Easily Print PDF Booklets with WPS Office
If you are struggling with macOS virtual printer limitations, WPS Office provides a powerful built-in PDF reader and editor that includes native booklet printing capabilities. Simply export your design as a standard PDF and let WPS Office handle the booklet layout directly to your physical printer.
- 1. Export from InDesign: Export your InDesign document as a standard single-page Adobe PDF.
- 2. Open with WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your exported PDF file.
- 3. Open Print Menu: Click on 'Menu' and select 'Print', or use the keyboard shortcut Cmd+P (Mac) / Ctrl+P (Windows).
- 4. Select Booklet Mode: Under the Page Handling section in the print dialog, select the 'Booklet' option.
- 5. Print Document: Configure your binding direction (Left/Right) and click 'Print' to send the correctly imposed booklet to your printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Adobe remove the PDF printer driver from macOS?
Adobe removed the Adobe PDF printer driver from macOS because Apple changed the security architecture of the operating system, which no longer supports traditional third-party PostScript virtual printer drivers.
Do I need to send booklet spreads to a commercial printing company?
No. In fact, most commercial print providers prefer that you send them standard single-page PDFs. They use specialized RIP (Raster Image Processor) software to impose the pages into booklets according to their specific binding and paper requirements.
Can I use Windows to create the InDesign booklet PDF?
Yes. The Adobe PDF PostScript virtual printer driver is still fully supported and installed alongside Acrobat DC on Windows. If you have access to a Windows PC, you can use File > Print Booklet and select the 'Adobe PDF' printer to generate your file.
