How to Fix Adobe Reader Not Printing to Mapped Network Printers
Question details
Users are unable to print PDF documents using Adobe Reader or Acrobat to mapped network printers following a domain migration, despite Microsoft Office applications printing successfully.
- Product
- Adobe Reader and Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Sending a PDF file to a mapped print-server printer after a network or domain migration.
- Observed behavior
- The print job fails to process or output from Adobe Reader, while printing from other software like Microsoft Word to the exact same mapped printer works flawlessly.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on your Windows machine to install updates, and verify whether your mapped network printer uses PCL or PostScript drivers.
Update Windows OS and Printer Server Drivers
Installing the latest Windows updates and ensuring your print server uses compatible PCL or PostScript drivers can resolve Adobe's specific network printing conflicts.
Adobe Reader processes print files differently than Microsoft Office, relying heavily on the exact specifications of the printer's driver. Following a domain migration or Windows 10 update, Type 4 printer drivers may become incompatible with Adobe's spooling mechanism.
Updating the host server's drivers to the latest PostScript or PCL versions, or reverting to Type 3 drivers, often restores functionality.
Click the Start button, go to 'Settings' > 'Update & Security' > 'Windows Update', and click 'Check for updates'. Install any pending updates, especially those related to printer drivers.
Open 'Control Panel', navigate to 'Devices and Printers', right-click your mapped network printer, and select 'Printer properties'. Go to the 'Advanced' tab to view the driver name and see if it is utilizing a Type 4 or PCL/PostScript driver.
Log into the print server. Open 'Print Management', navigate to 'Print Servers' > 'Drivers', right-click the conflicting driver, and select 'Add Driver' to install the latest manufacturer-provided PostScript or PCL driver.
Remove the mapped printer from your Windows 10 machine, then remap it via the network path (e.g., \\servername\printername) to force Windows to pull the newly updated driver from the server.
Use the 'Print as Image' Feature in Adobe Reader
Bypass complex driver processing by sending the PDF as a standard image, which often circumvents driver compatibility issues on mapped network printers.
Print PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
If Adobe Reader continues to experience driver conflicts with your mapped network printers, WPS Office offers a built-in, highly compatible PDF reader. It efficiently handles network print spooling and acts as a lightweight, all-in-one document solution.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website, download the free suite, and complete the installation process on your Windows machine.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Right-click the PDF file that is failing to print, select 'Open with', and choose 'WPS PDF'.
- 3. Print to Network Printer: Click the 'Print' icon or press Ctrl + P, select your mapped network printer from the drop-down menu, and click 'Print'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Office print fine but Adobe Reader fails on the same mapped printer?
Microsoft Office uses the Windows GDI (Graphics Device Interface) to send print jobs, which is highly standardized across Windows environments. Adobe Reader processes PDFs using complex PostScript or proprietary handling that relies heavily on specific driver architectures. If the driver is incompatible (like some Type 4 drivers) after a domain migration, Adobe will fail while Office succeeds.
How do I know if my mapped network printer uses a PCL or PostScript driver?
In Windows, go to 'Settings' > 'Devices' > 'Printers & scanners'. Click your printer, select 'Manage', and then 'Printer properties'. Click the 'Advanced' tab. The 'Driver' field will display the name of the driver in use, which typically includes 'PCL', 'PCL6', or 'PS' (PostScript) in its title.
What is the difference between a Type 3 and Type 4 printer driver?
Type 3 drivers are traditional, manufacturer-specific printer drivers that run in the spooler process, offering extensive customization but requiring the driver to be installed on every client machine. Type 4 drivers were introduced in Windows 8 as a class-based framework to simplify driver distribution, but they often lack support for complex third-party software routing, which is why Adobe Reader sometimes struggles with them.
Can domain migration corrupt printer mappings?
Yes. When a domain is migrated, the security identifiers (SIDs), permissions, and network pathways to the print server change. This can cause existing mapped printers on client machines to lose connection with the correct driver files or authentication tokens, requiring them to be removed and remapped.
