How to Disable Two-Sided Printing in Acrobat Reader
Question details
The user needs to disable two-sided (duplex) printing in Acrobat Reader but the option is missing or not directly accessible in the print dialog.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to print a PDF document on a single side of the paper rather than double-sided.
- Observed behavior
- The 'Print on Both Sides' option is missing from the Acrobat Reader print dialog because Acrobat relies on the printer driver's capabilities, or duplex is enabled by default by the system.
Ensure your printer is properly connected to your computer and you have installed the correct, up-to-date printer driver supplied by the manufacturer.
Change Preferences in Printer Properties
Access your printer's specific driver settings directly from within the Acrobat print dialog to turn off duplex printing.
Adobe Acrobat Reader queries your operating system to determine if your printer supports duplex printing. If the direct toggle is missing from the main dialog, you can force it off by adjusting the printer driver parameters directly.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Reader, open your PDF document, and click on 'File' > 'Print', or press Ctrl+P (Windows) / Cmd+P (Mac).
Near the top of the Print dialog box, select your target printer from the drop-down menu, then click the 'Properties' or 'Printer Properties' button.
In the properties window, navigate to the 'Layout', 'Finishing', or 'Features' tab (this varies by printer brand). Locate the 'Two-sided printing', 'Duplex', or 'Print on both sides' setting and change it to 'Off' or 'None'.
Click 'OK' to save the printer properties, then click 'Print' in the main Acrobat dialog to print your document single-sided.
Change the OS Default Printer Settings
If two-sided printing is forced on every document, modify the default printing preferences in your computer's system settings.
Print PDFs Effortlessly with WPS Office
Struggling with missing print options in Acrobat? WPS PDF offers a clean, intuitive print dialog where managing single-sided and two-sided printing is straightforward. Enjoy a lightweight and highly compatible PDF reading and editing experience.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document you want to print.
- 2. Access the Print Menu: Click on the 'Menu' at the top left, then select 'Print', or simply press Ctrl+P.
- 3. Configure Print Settings: In the print dialog, locate the 'Print on both sides' checkbox and leave it unchecked for single-sided printing.
- 4. Start Printing: Click the 'Print' button to output your document immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Print on Both Sides' option missing in Acrobat?
Acrobat queries your printer driver for its capabilities. If your printer driver does not advertise duplex support to the operating system, or if a generic driver is installed, Acrobat hides the two-sided printing option.
How do I turn off double-sided printing on a Mac?
In the Mac print dialog, click 'Show Details' to expand the settings. Choose 'Layout' from the dropdown menu, find the 'Two-Sided' option, and set it to 'Off'.
Can I permanently make single-sided printing the default?
Yes. To set it permanently, you must modify your printer's default settings in your computer's OS settings (under 'Printers & scanners' > 'Printing preferences'), rather than just changing it within the Acrobat print dialog.
