How to Add A0, A1, and A2 Page Sizes in Adobe Acrobat Standard
Question details
The user needs to create large-format paper sizes, such as A0, A1, and A2, for PDF printing because they are not available by default in Adobe Acrobat Standard.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Standard
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Architects or professionals attempting to print or export large-format documents (like AutoCAD drawings) to PDF.
- Observed behavior
- Large-format page sizes like A0, A1, and A2 are missing from the Adobe PDF Page Size drop-down menu in Acrobat Standard.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on your Windows computer, as you will need to modify system-level printer properties to permanently save custom paper sizes.
Add Custom Paper Sizes via Windows Devices and Printers
Manually define missing large-format paper sizes directly in the Adobe PDF printer preferences so they become available across all applications.
While large-format sizes are natively included in Acrobat Professional, Acrobat Standard users can bypass this limitation by manually creating custom paper sizes. This workaround permanently adds the sizes to your system.
From the Windows Start menu, search for and open the 'Devices and Printers' control panel.
Locate the 'Adobe PDF' printer in your devices list, right-click it, and select 'Printing Preferences'.
In the Adobe PDF Printing Preferences dialog, click the 'Add' button located next to the Adobe PDF Page Size drop-down menu.
In the Add Custom Paper Size dialog, enter a meaningful name (such as 'A1'). Select the correct unit of measurement (millimeters or inches), and enter the corresponding width and height. Click 'Add/Modify'.
The new size is now available in the Adobe PDF Page Size drop-down. Select it and click 'OK'. To ensure it registers for all applications, reopen the Preferences, reselect the new size, and save again.
Handle Large-Format PDFs Easily with WPS Office
Skip the complex printer configurations. WPS Office provides a robust, built-in PDF editor that handles large document formats like A0, A1, and A2 natively, making it an ideal and affordable solution for viewing, editing, and printing complex professional plans.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your text document, spreadsheet, or existing PDF.
- 2. Access Print Settings: Navigate to 'Menu' and click 'Print', or simply press Ctrl+P.
- 3. Select WPS PDF Printer: Choose 'WPS PDF' as your printer, then click on 'Properties' to easily adjust the page dimensions to your required large format.
- 4. Export or Print: Click 'Print' to generate a perfectly scaled, large-format PDF file without needing manual system configurations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the exact dimensions for A0, A1, and A2 paper sizes?
For accurate custom paper configuration: A0 is 841 x 1189 mm (33.1 x 46.8 inches); A1 is 594 x 841 mm (23.4 x 33.1 inches); A2 is 420 x 594 mm (16.5 x 23.4 inches).
Why are these large-format sizes missing in Acrobat Standard?
Adobe generally targets architects and CAD professionals with their Professional version, restricting natively built-in large-format page sizes to Acrobat Pro. Standard users must add them manually.
Will my new custom paper size appear in AutoCAD?
Yes. Once you add and apply a custom paper size in the Adobe PDF printer preferences within Windows, it becomes available system-wide for any application that utilizes the Adobe PDF printer, including AutoCAD.
