How to Fix Black Text Appearing White When Printing PDF in Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to fix an issue where black text on a PDF document incorrectly renders and prints as white.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing or viewing a PDF document where specific pages suffer from text color inversion.
- Observed behavior
- Black text appears as white on certain PDF pages during the rendering or printing process, despite displaying correctly in Edit mode or a web browser.
Verify that your printer driver and firmware are fully up to date, as outdated drivers can cause communication errors during document rendering.
Print the PDF as an Image
Bypassing the standard text and font rendering engine by printing the document as an image often resolves transparency and color inversion issues.
When Acrobat processes complex PDFs with specific transparency layers or embedded fonts, the rendering can fail, causing black text to turn white. Forcing the software to send the document to the printer as a rasterized image bypasses these specific vector rendering conflicts.
Open your problematic PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Pro and click on 'File' > 'Print' (or press Ctrl + P).
In the Print dialog box, locate and click on the 'Advanced' button near the top right of the window.
Check the box next to 'Print as Image'. You can leave the default resolution settings as they are, then click 'OK'.
Click 'Print' to send the document to your printer. Check the printed page to confirm the black text appears correctly.
Test Printing from a Web Browser
Using a different PDF rendering engine, such as the one built into your web browser, can help determine if the issue is isolated to Adobe Acrobat.
Use WPS Office to Read and Print PDFs Reliably
If Adobe Acrobat continues to invert your text colors, WPS Office offers a powerful, lightweight built-in PDF reader that accurately renders text, images, and transparency for flawless printing.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Download the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your device.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select the PDF file that was experiencing text color issues.
- 3. Print the Document: Click the Print icon or press Ctrl + P, select your printer, and print the document with accurate black text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does black text turn white when I print a PDF?
This issue is typically caused by transparency flattening errors, embedded font rendering conflicts, or outdated printer drivers struggling to interpret Adobe Acrobat's specific output instructions.
Does 'Print as Image' lower the quality of my printed document?
It can slightly reduce the sharpness of fine text because it converts vector fonts into rasterized pixels. However, it is usually unnoticeable to the naked eye and is highly effective at bypassing severe rendering bugs.
How do I update my printer driver to fix PDF issues?
Visit your printer manufacturer's official website (e.g., HP, Canon, Brother), locate the support or downloads section, enter your specific printer model, and download the latest driver package for your operating system.
