How to Fix Different Print Colors in Adobe Reader and Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where printing the same PDF yields inconsistent colors depending on the software used.
- Product
- Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Printing a PDF document to a network printer using PCL drivers.
- Observed behavior
- Adobe Reader outputs the expected colors, but Adobe Acrobat prints the document with different, incorrect colors.
Before adjusting advanced settings, ensure both Adobe Reader and Acrobat are updated to their latest versions, as outdated software can contain known print rendering bugs.
Synchronize Color Management and Print Settings
Ensure both Adobe applications are using identical color profiles, rendering intents, and print presets to produce consistent output.
Adobe Acrobat offers more advanced pre-press color management options than Reader. If these profiles differ between the two applications, the resulting printed colors will not match.
Launch Adobe Acrobat, open your PDF, and press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) to open the print dialog.
Click the 'Advanced' button located near the top right of the print dialog box.
Navigate to the Color Management section. Select the exact same 'Color Profile' and 'Rendering Intent' that are applied in Adobe Reader.
Return to the main print dialog, click 'Properties', and ensure any driver-level color options (such as vivid mode, sRGB, or CMYK rendering) match the settings used during Reader printing.
Switch from a PCL to a PostScript Driver
PCL drivers often handle complex application color data differently. Using a PostScript driver shifts color rendering processing, providing more consistency.
Print PDFs with Accurate Colors Using WPS Office
Avoid complex Adobe color management conflicts by handling your documents in WPS Office. Its built-in PDF reader offers an intuitive, streamlined printing process that consistently delivers accurate colors without requiring advanced configuration.
- 1. Open the PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the problematic PDF document using the built-in PDF tool.
- 2. Open the Print Interface: Click the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner and select 'Print', or use the Ctrl+P keyboard shortcut.
- 3. Select Printer and Color Settings: Choose your network printer from the drop-down list. Ensure 'Print in color' is enabled in the print options.
- 4. Execute the Print Job: Click the 'Print' button to send your file to the printer with reliable, out-of-the-box color accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Adobe Acrobat print colors differently than Adobe Reader?
Adobe Acrobat is a professional tool that includes advanced pre-press color management workflows, whereas Reader relies on simpler rendering methods. If Acrobat is applying a specific CMYK color profile while Reader is relying on standard sRGB output, the printed colors will differ.
What is the difference between PCL and PostScript when printing PDFs?
PCL (Printer Command Language) is designed for standard text and simple graphics, heavily relying on the printer's internal hardware to render data. PostScript calculates complex layouts and color spaces on your computer before sending it to the printer, resulting in highly accurate graphic and color reproduction.
Can printing the PDF as an image solve the color issue?
Yes. In Adobe Acrobat's Print dialog, clicking 'Advanced' and checking 'Print As Image' forces the software to rasterize the entire document. This bypasses the printer driver's color interpretation, outputting exactly what you see on the screen, though processing might take slightly longer.
