How to Fix Acrobat Custom Printer Sizes Disabled (Run as Administrator)
Question details
The user is unable to create custom paper sizes when printing from Adobe Acrobat Reader DC because the printer properties dialog does not open with administrator privileges.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to print a PDF using a custom paper size that needs to be defined within the printer properties dialog.
- Observed behavior
- The option to add or create custom paper sizes is grayed out or entirely disabled within the Acrobat print properties dialog.
Ensure you are logged into Windows with an administrator account, as modifying system-wide printer properties and adding custom paper forms requires elevated permissions.
Create Custom Paper Size through Windows Printer Settings
Bypass Acrobat's permission limitations by adding the custom paper size directly in Windows Settings using an administrator account.
Since Adobe Acrobat Reader DC often cannot reliably elevate the printer-properties dialog to administrator level from within the application, the most effective workaround is to configure your custom printing preferences directly at the operating system level.
Click the Windows Start menu and navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices (or Devices) > Printers & scanners.
Select your target printer from the list and click on 'Printing preferences' or 'Printer properties'.
Navigate to the Paper/Quality or Page Setup tab (depending on your printer model), locate the Custom Paper Size option, define your specific dimensions, and save the new profile.
Restart Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, open your PDF document, press Ctrl+P to open the Print dialog, and select your newly created custom paper size from the Page Setup dropdown menu.
Seamlessly Print Custom PDF Sizes with WPS Office
If you frequently encounter permission issues and restricted print dialogs with Adobe Acrobat, try WPS Office. Its built-in PDF reader and editor make setting up custom print sizes highly intuitive while bypassing complex privilege barriers.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the built-in PDF viewer.
- 2. Access the Print Dialog: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Print', or simply press Ctrl+P on your keyboard.
- 3. Set Page Setup and Print: Click 'Page Setup' or 'Properties' within the print window to easily select or define your custom paper size without admin prompts, then click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the custom paper size option grayed out in Acrobat?
Acrobat Reader DC often operates in Protected Mode and cannot reliably elevate the printer-properties dialog to administrator level, which restricts you from modifying system-level driver settings like custom paper sizes from within the app.
Can I force Acrobat Reader to run as an administrator?
While you can right-click the Acrobat shortcut and select 'Run as administrator', this does not consistently force the internal printer dialog to inherit these rights. Modifying the printer properties through Windows Settings is the most reliable method.
How do I save a custom paper size for future use?
By adding the custom dimensions directly through the 'Printers & scanners' menu in Windows Settings, the paper size is saved at the driver level and will be available for all future print jobs across different applications.
What if Windows Settings doesn't show a custom size option either?
This usually indicates that your current printer driver does not support custom paper sizes or you are using a generic Windows driver. Check the printer manufacturer's website and install the official, updated driver for your specific printer model.
