How to Fix Acrobat Not Selecting Paper Tray by PDF Page Size on Mac
Question details
The user needs the printer to automatically switch paper trays when printing a PDF containing both letter and legal page sizes.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Printing a mixed-size PDF document from a MacBook to a multi-tray printer.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat uses the paper size of the first page for the entire document instead of switching trays automatically for different page sizes.
Ensure your printer has sufficient paper of both sizes loaded into their respective trays, and confirm that your printer drivers are fully updated for your current macOS version.
Enable Paper Source by PDF Page Size in Acrobat
This is the primary setting required in Adobe Acrobat to force the printer to read the dimensions of each page and pull from the corresponding tray.
By default, Acrobat may attempt to scale all pages to fit the default printer paper size. Enabling the automatic paper source selection overrides this behavior.
Open your mixed-size PDF in Adobe Acrobat and press Cmd + P, or go to File > Print from the top menu bar.
Locate the 'Page Sizing & Handling' section in the print window. Check the box labeled 'Choose paper source by PDF page size'.
Hover over the document preview in the dialog box to confirm that each page displays its correct dimensions (e.g., 8.5 x 11 for Letter, 8.5 x 14 for Legal).
Click the Print button to send the job to your printer and test if the trays switch automatically.
Verify Mac Printer Settings and Drivers
If Acrobat's settings are correct but the issue persists, the macOS printer driver might not be configured to recognize the separate trays.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Document and PDF Printing on Mac
If your current software struggles with complex print jobs, WPS Office offers a lightweight, free alternative. It features excellent PDF handling, comprehensive document editing, and a familiar interface that makes print configurations simple and reliable on macOS.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download and install the free Mac version.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your mixed-size PDF or Office document.
- 3. Print Effectively: Press Cmd + P to access the streamlined print menu and execute your mixed-size print job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my printer only use the first page's paper size for the whole PDF?
This usually happens if the 'Choose paper source by PDF page size' option is unchecked in the print dialog. Without this checked, the application scales all subsequent pages to fit the default tray loaded for page one.
Does the macOS AirPrint driver support automatic tray selection?
Generic Apple AirPrint drivers sometimes lack full support for advanced hardware features like automatic tray selection. Installing the specific printer driver from your manufacturer's official website often resolves hardware communication issues.
How can I check the actual page sizes in my PDF document before printing?
In Adobe Acrobat, go to File > Properties and look at the Description tab. Alternatively, you can move your mouse to the lower-left corner of the document window to see the precise dimensions of the currently viewed page.
