Fix PDF Printing Incorrectly from Acrobat on Mac
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where PDFs display perfectly on-screen but print with graphical errors, specifically with elements like drop shadows and drawings.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Mac
- Scenario
- Printing a PDF document containing graphical elements originally created in Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF displays correctly on the screen, but graphical elements print incorrectly across multiple printers and operating systems.
Ensure your Mac is connected to the printer and that it is fully powered on before modifying advanced Adobe Acrobat print settings.
Enable 'Print as Image' in Acrobat Print Settings
This forces the printer to process the entire PDF page as a single image, which bypasses rendering issues with specific graphical elements or drop shadows.
By default, Adobe Acrobat sends text and graphic data separately to the printer. If the PDF generated by Word contains complex elements, the print spooler might fail to render them. Printing as an image resolves this by rasterizing the document before sending it to the printer.
Launch Adobe Acrobat, open your problematic PDF file, and go to File > Print.
Click on the 'Advanced' button located near the top of the Print dialog box.
In the Advanced Print Setup window, check the box labeled 'Print As Image' and click OK.
Click 'Print' in the main dialog to print the document. The graphical elements should now print exactly as they appear on your screen.
Update Adobe Acrobat and Printer Drivers
Outdated software or printer drivers often cause conflicts between screen rendering and print rendering.
Print Your PDFs Accurately with WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat struggles to render and print the graphical elements in your PDFs correctly, you can bypass the issue completely by using WPS Office's robust built-in PDF tool. WPS Office accurately renders complex graphics, ensuring that your printed physical copy perfectly matches the digital display.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free version of WPS Office on your Mac.
- 2. Open the PDF File: Launch WPS Office, navigate to the 'PDF' tab, and open the document you wish to print.
- 3. Print the Document: Click the 'Print' icon in the top toolbar or press Cmd + P, select your printer, and print without worrying about missing graphical elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF look fine on-screen but print with missing graphics?
Screen rendering and print rendering rely on different processes. Complex graphics, transparencies, or drop shadows generated by Microsoft Word can occasionally result in a PDF structure that confuses Acrobat's print engine, leading to rendering failures on paper even when the screen display is perfect.
Does 'Print as Image' reduce the quality of my printed PDF?
Printing as an image rasterizes the document before sending it to the printer. While this guarantees all graphical elements print exactly as they appear on screen, it can slightly reduce the crispness of fine vector text or lines and typically increases the processing time required for the printer.
Can formatting in Microsoft Word cause PDF printing issues in Acrobat?
Yes. Certain graphical elements created natively in Microsoft Word for Mac, such as customized drop shadows or layered drawings, can translate into a flawed PDF structure upon export. While Acrobat's display engine can often correct or ignore these flaws on screen, the print renderer may fail to process them.
