Fix Number Sign Appearing When Printing PDF in Acrobat XI
Question details
The user is experiencing a formatting glitch where a number sign (#) is unexpectedly added to the footers of the second page and onwards when converting a document to PDF via the Adobe Acrobat XI printer.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat XI Pro / Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Printing a text document to PDF format using the Adobe Acrobat PDF virtual printer.
- Observed behavior
- A number sign (#) appears in the footer of page two and subsequent pages in the resulting PDF, despite being entirely absent from the print preview and the original source document.
Before proceeding, save a backup copy of your original document and verify if your Windows 10 OS has any pending printer driver updates.
Test with an Alternative Physical or Virtual Printer
Isolate the issue to determine if the problem lies with the Adobe PDF printer driver or the source document's field codes.
By routing the print job through a different printer, you can determine if the glitch is a universal rendering issue within your word processor or a specific defect with Acrobat XI's virtual printer driver.
Open your original document. Go to File > Print, select your standard physical printer from the drop-down menu, and print a test copy of the first few pages.
If a physical printer is unavailable, select 'Microsoft Print to PDF' from your printer list and execute the print command to generate an alternative PDF.
Review the physical pages or the new PDF file. If the number sign (#) does not appear in the footer, the issue is exclusively linked to the Acrobat XI PDF printer configuration.
Check Document Conversion Settings in Acrobat
Review the Adobe PDF printer properties to ensure custom headers or footers aren't being automatically injected during conversion.
Export Documents to PDF Flawlessly with WPS Office
Bypass virtual printer errors and formatting glitches like unexpected number signs by using WPS Office's built-in PDF export tool. It reliably converts documents exactly as they appear in the preview.
- 1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open your original text document (.docx or .doc).
- 2. Select Export to PDF: Navigate to the 'Menu' tab in the upper-left corner and click on 'Export to PDF'.
- 3. Configure export settings: Choose your preferred export range and ensure 'Common PDF' is selected, which accurately maps your headers and footers.
- 4. Save the PDF: Click the 'Export to PDF' button to save the file locally. The final PDF will perfectly mirror your original document without any random symbols.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a number sign (#) appear in my PDF when it is not in my Word document?
This glitch often occurs when dynamic page numbering fields fail to render properly during the virtual printing process, or due to specific conversion conflicts in older software like Acrobat XI.
Does reinstalling Adobe Acrobat XI fix PDF printer glitches?
It can help if the PDF printer driver has become corrupted. You can easily attempt a fix by opening Acrobat XI, going to the Help menu, and selecting 'Repair Acrobat Installation'.
Can I use 'Save As PDF' in Word instead of printing to Adobe PDF?
Yes. Using the native 'Save As' > 'PDF' or 'Export' function in your word processor bypasses the Adobe PDF virtual printer entirely, which usually prevents these unexpected rendering errors.
Is Adobe Acrobat XI fully compatible with Windows 10?
Adobe Acrobat XI is an older, end-of-life version of the software. Because it is no longer supported, occasional compatibility issues, such as virtual printing glitches, may occur on modern operating systems like Windows 10.
